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Did Stan Kenton Swing? You Bet Your Walkin' Shoes He Did...

By Jack Bowers
November 16, 2012
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I've been listening to a lot of

Stan Kenton

piano
1911 - 1979

" data-original-title="" title="">Stan Kenton's music recently while coming to grips with the age-old question, did the Kenton orchestra really swing? The answer, to me, is a no-brainer: Yes, Kenton swung. Liberally and often. [Note: This of course depends on how "swinging" is defined; opinions may vary]. In his own way—although he'd have been loath to admit it—Kenton's series of orchestras swung as hard as anyone, even Basie, Herman or Rich. For assurance, one need look no further than some of the arrangers Kenton employed—die-hard swingers such as

Shorty Rogers

trumpet
1924 - 1994

" data-original-title="" title="">Shorty Rogers,

Bill Holman

composer / conductor
- 2024

" data-original-title="" title="">Bill Holman,

Gerry Mulligan

saxophone, baritone
1927 - 1996

" data-original-title="" title="">Gerry Mulligan and

Marty Paich

composer / conductor
1925 - 1995

" data-original-title="" title="">Marty Paich, to name a few. There's no doubt that Bill Russo could muster a swinging groove too, as could

Pete Rugolo

composer / conductor
1915 - 2011

" data-original-title="" title="">Pete Rugolo,

Johnny Richards

composer / conductor
1911 - 1968

" data-original-title="" title="">Johnny Richards,

Gene Roland

b.1921

" data-original-title="" title="">Gene Roland, Dee Barton,

Manny Albam

arranger
1922 - 2001

" data-original-title="" title="">Manny Albam,

Neal Hefti

trumpet
1922 - 2008

" data-original-title="" title="">Neal Hefti,

Willie Maiden

b.1928

" data-original-title="" title="">Willie Maiden,

Lennie Niehaus

saxophone, alto
1929 - 2020

" data-original-title="" title="">Lennie Niehaus,

Hank Levy

saxophone, tenor
1927 - 2001

" data-original-title="" title="">Hank Levy,

Bob Curnow

" data-original-title="" title="">Bob Curnow and their kin. With master craftsmen of their stature calling the tunes and writing the charts, how could any band not swing?

Kenton's brand of swinging, of course, neither began nor ended with the arrangers. He also hired musicians to whom swinging was second nature, guys like

Zoot Sims

saxophone, tenor
1925 - 1985

" data-original-title="" title="">Zoot Sims,

Art Pepper

saxophone, alto
1925 - 1982

" data-original-title="" title="">Art Pepper,

Frank Rosolino

trombone
1926 - 1978

" data-original-title="" title="">Frank Rosolino,

Stan Getz

saxophone, tenor
1927 - 1991

" data-original-title="" title="">Stan Getz,

Charlie Mariano

saxophone, alto
1923 - 2009

" data-original-title="" title="">Charlie Mariano,

Conte Candoli

trumpet
1927 - 2001

" data-original-title="" title="">Conte Candoli,

Bob Cooper

saxophone
1925 - 1993

" data-original-title="" title="">Bob Cooper,

Bill Perkins

guitar
1924 - 2003

" data-original-title="" title="">Bill Perkins,

Carl Fontana

trombone
1928 - 2003

" data-original-title="" title="">Carl Fontana,

Richie Kamuca

saxophone, tenor
1930 - 1977

" data-original-title="" title="">Richie Kamuca,

Sam Noto

trumpet
b.1930

" data-original-title="" title="">Sam Noto,

Bud Shank

saxophone
1926 - 2009

" data-original-title="" title="">Bud Shank,

Stu Williamson

trumpet
1933 - 1991

" data-original-title="" title="">Stu Williamson,

Pepper Adams

saxophone, baritone
1930 - 1986

" data-original-title="" title="">Pepper Adams,

Jack Sheldon

trumpet
1931 - 2019

" data-original-title="" title="">Jack Sheldon,

Milt Bernhart

trombone
b.1926

" data-original-title="" title="">Milt Bernhart,

Buddy Childers

trumpet
1926 - 2007

" data-original-title="" title="">Buddy Childers,

Jack Nimitz

saxophone, baritone
1930 - 2009

" data-original-title="" title="">Jack Nimitz,

Bill Trujillo

b.1930

" data-original-title="" title="">Bill Trujillo,

Lee Konitz

saxophone, alto
1927 - 2020

" data-original-title="" title="">Lee Konitz,

Bobby Burgess

trombone
1929 - 1997

" data-original-title="" title="">Bobby Burgess and so many others. Shorty Rogers was on the band for a time, as were Russo, Holman, Barton, Maiden, Niehaus, Curnow and Roland (who kept leaving and coming back). Kenton also employed a number of superlative big-band drummers, from

Shelly Manne

drums
1920 - 1984

" data-original-title="" title="">Shelly Manne to

Stan Levey

drums
1925 - 2005

" data-original-title="" title="">Stan Levey,

Mel Lewis

drums
1929 - 1990

" data-original-title="" title="">Mel Lewis to

Jimmy Campbell

b.1928

" data-original-title="" title="">Jimmy Campbelll, plus

Frank Capp

drums
b.1931

" data-original-title="" title="">Frank Capp,

Peter Erskine

drums
b.1954

" data-original-title="" title="">Peter Erskine,

Ed Soph

drums
b.1945

" data-original-title="" title="">Ed Soph and

John Von Ohlen

drums
b.1941

" data-original-title="" title="">John Von Ohlen—not to mention the McKenzies, Jerrys One and Two. Barton, a trombonist, also doubled on drums.

There were times, of course, when the Kenton orchestra did not swing, but that was always Kenton's choice. He had larger purposes in mind, and swinging sometimes got in the way. But when Kenton chose to swing, he did so as well as anyone. To be more specific, there aren't, in my opinion, many charts that swing more lustily than Holman's "Stompin' at the Savoy" (still the No. 1 big-band arrangement in my catalogue). Holman also contributed such powerhouses as "Kingfish," "Fearless Finlay," "Zoot," "Royal Blue" and "The Opener" to the Kenton library, along with high-energy arrangements of the standards "What's New," "Limehouse Blues," "There Will Never Be Another You," "Crazy Rhythm," "Tico Tico," "I Remember You," "Stella by Starlight" and others including a dynamic arrangement of the Spanish classic "Malaguena." Speaking of swingers, Paich wrote "The Big Chase," Mulligan "Swing House," "Young Blood," "Limelight" and "Walking Shoes," Rogers "Round Robin," Maiden "A Little Minor Booze," Richards the Cuban Fire suite, Levy "Hank's Opener" and "Chiapas," Barton "The Singing Oyster" and "Turtle Talk," Roland "Reuben's Blues,"

Ray Starling

b.1933

" data-original-title="" title="">Ray Starling "Mellophobia" and "Four of a Kind."

Like Holman, Russo's contributions were extensive, starting with his memorable salute to Cuba, "23 Degrees North, 82 Degrees West," and including "Frank Speaking" and "Portrait of a Count." He also arranged lively versions of many standards: "Fascinating Rhythm," "Jeepers Creepers," "I Get a Kick Out of You," "I've Got You Under My Skin," "You and the Night and the Music," "Crazy Rhythm," "How High the Moon," "There Will Never Be Another You" and so on. While the bulk of Niehaus' arrangements were written for Kenton's "dance library," many of them swing with abandon, as for example, "Lullaby of Broadway," "Younger Than Springtime," "Begin the Beguine," "Too Close for Comfort" and "On the Street Where You Live." Besides "Reuben's Blues," Roland wrote "Puck's Blues" and "Fitz" while arranging a number of Kenton staples including "Jump for Joe" and "Tuxedo Junction." Richards placed a swinging stamp on a number of standards including "Begin the Beguine" and "I Concentrate on You." I know I've left some (perhaps many) out, but the point is that Kenton's orchestra swung more often than not, and that anyone who holds a contrary opinion should certainly listen more closely.

The Commodores Drop Anchor

When it comes to luring big bands to Albuquerque, Manzano High School seems to be the only game in town, thanks to the school's director of Jazz Studies, Brad Dubbs, who keeps throwing his line in the water and reeling them in. Last year it was the Army Jazz Ambassadors who graced Manzano with their presence, and last month it was the Navy Commodores who made Albuquerque the first stop on an extended tour of the Southwest and Southeast with stops in New Mexico, Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee and North Carolina. The Thursday evening concert (October 25) was held in the school gymnasium, which wasn't quite filled but hosted a fairly decent turnout for a service band that is pretty much an unknown quantity to most of those who live in this part of the country. The Commodores didn't let anyone down, displaying their genial temperament and incisive musical skills in a program that opened with

Sammy Nestico

composer / conductor
1924 - 2021

" data-original-title="" title="">Sammy Nestico's "Dimensions in Blue" and ended about ninety minutes later with an "Armed Forces Salute" and an eloquent rendition of "America the Beautiful" by the band's vocalist, Casey Elliott. Earlier, she had sung "I Love Being Here with You," "I Just Found Out About Love" and

Antonio Carlos Jobim

piano
1927 - 1994

" data-original-title="" title="">Antonio Carlos Jobim's "So Many Stars."

Also on the program (which, according to emcee / alto saxophonist William Mulligan, changes with every performance) were Frank Rosolino's "Blue Daniel" (featuring the Commodores' jazz trombonist, Jamie Way); a medley of big-band hits from the '30s and '40s;

Frank Foster

saxophone
1928 - 2011

" data-original-title="" title="">Frank Foster's "Blues in Hoss' Flat"; the standard "Just in Time" (featuring flugel Jonathan Barnes and alto

Steve Williams

drums
b.1956

" data-original-title="" title="">Steve Williams); Bob Curnow's arrangement of

Pat Metheny

guitar
b.1954

" data-original-title="" title="">Pat Metheny's "The Gathering Sky" (with superb solos by pianist Dan LaMaestra and guitarist David Malvaso); a Latin charmer, "La Cosa Labria" (I hope I got that right) by the band's senior chief musician / unit leader / tenor saxophonist Phil Burlin (who also soloed with baritone saxophonist Rob Holmes); and last but not least, a spirited rendition of John Philip Sousa's "Stars and Stripes Forever" with saxophonists Mulligan and

Luis Hernandez

saxophone, tenor

" data-original-title="" title="">Luis Hernandez doubling on piccolo. The Commodores are one of a number of topnotch service bands, all of whom are battle-tested and ready to deliver a pleasurable performance whenever and wherever they face an audience. Their concert at Manzano High School was no exception to the rule.

And that's it for now. Until next time, keep swingin' . . . !

New and Noteworthy

1. Michael Treni Big Band, Boy's Night Out (Bell Production Co.)

2. Tall & Small (Pete Christlieb / Linda Small), High on You (Bosco Records)

3. Kris Berg / Metroplexity Big Band, This Time / Last Year (MAMA Records)

4. Budman / Levy Orchestra, From There to Here (OA2 Records)

5. Frank D'Rone, Double Exposure (Whaling City Sound)

6. Alon Yavnai / NDR Big Band, Shir Ahava (NDR)

7. Joe Chambers Moving Pictures Orchestra, Live at Dizzy's

8. Bob Wilber and the Tuxedo Jazz Orchestra, Rampage! (Arbors Jazz)

9. Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra, Sharks and Manatees (Dazzle Recordings)

10. DiMartino / Osland Jazz Orchestra, Quotient (Sea Breeze Jazz)

11. Millennium Jazz Orchestra, Pretty Pumps (MJO)

12. University of Kentucky, Go! The Music of Bob Mintzer (Mark Records)

13. Beats & Pieces, Big Ideas (Efpi Records)

14. Jens Wendelboe Big Band, Fresh Heat (Rosa Records)

15. Elmhurst College Jazz Band, Blue Comedy (Self Published)

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