Stan Kenton - The Stan Kenton Story [2006] (4 x CDs)

SUNDAY JAZZ

STAN KENTON

Stan Kenton - The Stan Kenton Story [2006] (4 x CDs)

Stanley Newcomb Kenton (December 15, 1911 - August 25, 1979) was an American popular music and jazz artist. As a pianist, composer, arranger and band leader, he led an innovative and influential jazz orchestra for almost four decades. Though Kenton had several pop hits from the early 1940s into the 1960s, his music was always forward-looking. Kenton was also a pioneer in the field of jazz education, creating the Stan Kenton Jazz Camp in 1959 at Indiana University.

Stan Kenton was never content with simply following jazz conventions. His approach was big, bold, and sometimes controversial, but always uniquely his own. If you're looking for a deep dive into Kenton’s career, The Stan Kenton Story box set, released by Proper Records in 2006, is the perfect starting point. It’s a carefully curated 4-CD collection that is structured into four thematic discs, each highlighting different phases of his career. What makes this set so compelling is how it showcases Kenton’s evolution. 

CD1 Artistry in Rhythm, highlighting his early work, when his arrangements started breaking away from traditional big band formulas. You get classics like Eager Beaver and Artistry in Rhythm, tracks that defined his punchy, brass-heavy style and established him as a major force in jazz.

CD2 Intermission Riff, the compilation moves into pieces like Begin the Beguine and Solitude, where Kenton’s music takes on a more complex, orchestral feel. His interest in pushing the boundaries of jazz becomes evident, introducing elements that traditionalists didn’t always appreciate but that made his work stand out.

CD3 Collaboration, especially with legendary vocalist June Christy. Songs like Willow Weep for Me and Concerto to End All Concertos showcase how Kenton’s dramatic arrangements paired beautifully with Christy’s smooth, melancholic vocals. These tracks have an undeniable emotional depth that brings another dimension to his music.

CD4 Progressive Jazz, Kenton’s experimental side. Cuban Carnival and Elegy for Alto reveal his fascination with Latin rhythms and avant-garde sounds, showing just how far he was willing to push jazz into new territory. Kenton’s “wall of sound” approach—dense brass sections, sweeping crescendos, and unexpected shifts; often divided audiences, but there’s no denying the innovation behind it.

Beyond the music itself, The Stan Kenton Story is a fascinating document of jazz history. Kenton wasn’t just a bandleader; he was a mentor to musicians like Art Pepper and Shelly Manne, helping shape the direction jazz would take in later years. His influence is woven through decades of jazz recordings, and this box set is a testament to just how much he contributed. If you’ve ever been curious about Kenton’s work, this collection offers an immersive experience, whether you’re rediscovering old favorites or encountering his genius for the first time. There’s no doubt he was one of jazz’s most ambitious minds, and this set captures it all beautifully. (B)

Thanks to --G for sharing

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Track lists

CD1

02 Stan Kenton - Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me 3:07

03 Stan Kenton - Eager Beaver 3:11

04 Stan Kenton - Harlem Folk Dance 2:19

05 Stan Kenton - Artistry in Rhythm 3:21

06 Stan Kenton - I'm Going Mad for A Pad 3:07

07 Stan Kenton - And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine 3:08

08 Stan Kenton - Gotta Be Gettin' 2:48

09 Stan Kenton - Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye 2:59

10 Stan Kenton - Are You Livin' Old Man 2:39

11 Stan Kenton - Balboa Bash 2:40

12 Stan Kenton - I Want A Grown Up Man 2:47

13 Stan Kenton - Travelin' Man 2:55

14 Stan Kenton - Tampico 2:44

15 Stan Kenton - Southern Scandal 3:07

16 Stan Kenton - It's Been A Long, Long Time 2:46

17 Stan Kenton - Don't Let Me Dream 2:45

18 Stan Kenton - Just A Sittin' and A Rockin' 2:50

19 Stan Kenton - Artistry Jumps 2:39

1a Stan Kenton - Suite for Saxophones, Opus in Pastels - A Reed Rapture - Etude for Saxophones -Tribute to A Flatteed Fith 10:07

20 Stan Kenton - Painted Rhythm 2:57

21 Stan Kenton - Blue Music 3:33

22 Stan Kenton - Body and Soul 3:16

CD2

01 Stan Kenton - Easy Street 3:39

02 Stan Kenton - On The Sunny Side of The Street 3:50

03 Stan Kenton - I Surrender Dear 3:27

04 Stan Kenton - Begin The Beguine 2:36

05 Stan Kenton - Two Moose in A Caboose 3:24

06 Stan Kenton - Solitude 3:19

07 Stan Kenton - No Baby, Nobody But You 2:43

08 Stan Kenton - Tea for Two 2:54

09 Stan Kenton - One Twenty 2:45

10 Stan Kenton - I Never Thought I'd Sing The Blues 3:01

11 Stan Kenton - Shoo Fly Pie and Apple Pan Dowdy 2:37

12 Stan Kenton - I Been Down in Texas 3:08

13 Stan Kenton - Intermission Riff 3:17

14 Stan Kenton - Four Months, Three Weeks, Two Days, One Hour Blues 3:05

15 Stan Kenton - Artistry in Boogie 2:59

16 Stan Kenton - Come Back to Sorrento 3:06

17 Stan Kenton - I Got The Sun in The Morning 3:00

18 Stan Kenton - Peg O My Heart 3:35

19 Stan Kenton - Come Rain Or Come Shine 3:01

20 Stan Kenton - He's Funny That Way 3:14

21 Stan Kenton - Ain't No Misery in Me 3:03

22 Stan Kenton - Artistry in Percussion 3:14

23 Stan Kenton - Safranski 3:09

24 Stan Kenton - Artistry in Bolero 3:05

CD3

01 Stan Kenton - Yesterdays 3:40

02 Stan Kenton - I've Got The World on A String 3:42

03 Stan Kenton - Ecuador 2:43

04 Stan Kenton - More Than You Know 2:27

05 Stan Kenton - Loverman 3:27

06 Stan Kenton - Scotch and Water 3:00

07 Stan Kenton - Cocktails for Two 3:03

08 Stan Kenton - Everybody Swing 2:18

09 Stan Kenton - Willow Weep for Me 3:13

10 Stan Kenton - Fantasy 2:42

11 Stan Kenton - Concerto to End All Concertos, Pts. 1 & 2 6:19

12 Stan Kenton - Opus in Pastels 2:50

13 Stan Kenton - After You 3:02

14 Stan Kenton - Down in Chi-Hua-Hua 2:59

15 Stan Kenton - Rhythm Incorporated (Capitol Punishment) Pts. 1 & 2 4:43

16 Stan Kenton - There is No Greater Love 3:06

17 Stan Kenton - Across The Alley From The Alamo 2:38

18 Stan Kenton - Collaboration 2:41

19 Stan Kenton - The Spider and The Fly 2:25

20 Stan Kenton - Minor Riff 3:07

21 Stan Kenton - Machito 2:28

22 Stan Kenton - Lover 2:46

CD4

01 Stan Kenton - Artistry in Harlem Swing 2:50

02 Stan Kenton - By The River Ste Marie 1:40

03 Stan Kenton - April in Paris 2:17

04 Stan Kenton - Don't Worry 'Bout Me 2:06

05 Stan Kenton - If I Could Be With You One Hour Tonight 3:46

06 Stan Kenton - Elegy for Alto 3:12

07 Stan Kenton - Soothe Me 3:11

08 Stan Kenton - Chorale for Brass, Piano and Bongo (Prologue, Suite, Second Movement) 3:04

09 Stan Kenton - Theme to The West 3:11

10 Stan Kenton - Abstraction (Prologue, Suite, Third Movement) 3:06

11 Stan Kenton - Fugue for Rhythm Section 2:59

12 Stan Kenton - Monotony 3:09

13 Stan Kenton - Unison Riff 3:12

14 Stan Kenton - Lament 3:07

15 Stan Kenton - Impressionism 3:02

16 Stan Kenton - I Told Ya I Love Ya, Now Get Out 2:48

17 Stan Kenton - Cuban Carnival 2:47

18 Stan Kenton - The Peanut Vendor 2:45

19 Stan Kenton - Thermopolae 2:55

20 Stan Kenton - Over The Rainbow 3:17

21 Stan Kenton - Metronome Riff 2:44

22 Stan Kenton - Introduction to A Latin Rhythm (Prologue, Suite, First Movement) 2:44

23 Stan Kenton - Journey to Brazil (Prologue, Suite, Fourth Movement, Finale) 3:03

24 Stan Kenton - How High The Moon 2:31

25 Stan Kenton - Interlude 3:11

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Music weaves itself into the fabric of our emotions, dances through the corridors of memory, and whispers to the soul of who we are. Sharing these stories deepens the connection, turning the experience into something timeless and profound.

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