Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Stan Kenton and His Orchestra: In a Lighter Vein

Stan Kenton and His Orchestra: In a Lighter Vein

By Jack Bowers
December 13, 2020
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Stan Kenton

piano
1911 - 1979

" data-original-title="" title="">Stan Kenton was a man of many moods, as was his intrepid and popular orchestra, which endured until his passing in August 1979 and whose renown is kept alive even today by the Stan Kenton Legacy Orchestra. Kenton dons his carefree hat on In a Lighter Vein, an assortment of straight-ahead themes from the orchestra's jazz library, preserved in five concert performances from 1953-55 beneath the umbrella of NBC radio's All Star Parade of Bands.

Original compositions by

Gerry Mulligan

saxophone, baritone
1927 - 1996

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

Bill Holman

composer / conductor
- 2024

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

Gene Roland

b.1921

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

Earle H. Hagen

composer / conductor
1919 - 2008

" data-original-title="" title="">Earle H. Hagen,

Ray Wetzel

trumpet
b.1924

" data-original-title="" title="">Ray Wetzel and

George Shearing

piano
1919 - 2011

" data-original-title="" title="">George Shearing (the ever-popular "Lullaby of Birdland") are here, as are arrangements by Kenton, Holman,

Pete Rugolo

composer / conductor
1915 - 2011

" data-original-title="" title="">Pete Rugolo, Bill Russo and

Johnny Richards

composer / conductor
1911 - 1968

" data-original-title="" title="">Johnny Richards, with guest appearances by

Chris Connor

vocals
1927 - 2009

" data-original-title="" title="">Chris Connor,

Ann Richards

vocals
b.1935

" data-original-title="" title="">Ann Richards and the Four Freshmen. After the opening theme, Kenton introduces Mulligan's dynamic "Young Blood," and the orchestra is off and running. As for personnel, the orchestra harbors more than its share of all-star soloists—trumpeters

Conte Candoli

trumpet
1927 - 2001

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

Ernie Royal

trumpet
1921 - 1983

" data-original-title="" title="">Ernie Royal and

Buddy Childers

trumpet
1926 - 2007

" data-original-title="" title="">Buddy Childers; saxophonists

Lennie Niehaus

saxophone, alto
1929 - 2020

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

Bill Perkins

guitar
1924 - 2003

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

Lee Konitz

saxophone, alto
1927 - 2020

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

Charlie Mariano

saxophone, alto
1923 - 2009

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

Jack Nimitz

saxophone, baritone
1930 - 2009

" data-original-title="" title="">Jack Nimitz and the incomparable

Zoot Sims

saxophone, tenor
1925 - 1985

" data-original-title="" title="">Zoot Sims; trombonists

Frank Rosolino

trombone
1926 - 1978

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

Carl Fontana

trombone
1928 - 2003

" data-original-title="" title="">Carl Fontana and Kent Larsen; guitarists

Sal Salvador

guitar
1925 - 1999

" data-original-title="" title="">Sal Salvador and

Ralph Blaze

guitar

" data-original-title="" title="">Ralph Blaze—and a handful who were lesser known but no less talented, including trumpeters

Vinnie Tanno

trumpet

" data-original-title="" title="">Vinnie Tanno,

Don Dennis

trumpet

" data-original-title="" title="">Don Dennis and Ed Leddy, tenor saxophonist

Spencer Sinatra

saxophone, tenor

" data-original-title="" title="">Spencer Sinatra and bassists

Max Bennett

bass
b.1928

" data-original-title="" title="">Max Bennett and

Don Bagley

bass
b.1927

" data-original-title="" title="">Don Bagley.

Konitz has the nimble title selection—written for him by Holman—to himself, and those who remember only Konitz's "cool" side may be pleasantly surprised to hear him swinging as hard and as freely as any alto they're likely to hear. Also included are Holman's buoyant original, "Zoot," featuring you-know-who on tenor, and his classic arrangement of the Swing Era standard, "Stompin' at the Savoy." Those two numbers alone are worth the price of admission. But there's much more including vocals by the Four Freshmen ("It's a Blue World"), Connor ("Jeepers Creepers"), Richards ("Lullaby of Birdland") and the standards "Laura," "Sophisticated Lady," "I've Got You Under My Skin," " Moonlight in Vermont," "Body and Soul," "April in Paris," "S'Wonderful" (a showcase for trumpeter Dennis) and "My Funny Valentine" (likewise for Mariano's alto). Royal's high-note trumpet enhances Roland's bright original, "Jump for Joe" (which ends mid-note), " Childers' lyrical trumpet the standard "Autumn in New York."

While the vein may be lighter, the music is pure Kenton, which should be all the endorsement that's needed. For its time, sound quality is more than acceptable. Easily recommended to Kenton fans and music-lovers of all stripes. Four stars for Zoot and his fellow conspirators, especially Holman.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Theme and Introduction; Young Blood; Laura; ��S Wonderful; Sophisticated Lady; In a Lighter Vein; It��s a Blue World; Jump for Joe; I��ve Got You Under My Skin; Autumn in New York; Taboo; Moonlight in Vermont; Jeepers Creepers; Harlem Nocturne; Body and Soul; Zoot; April in Paris; Intermission Riff; My Funny Valentine; Stompin�� at the Savoy; Lullaby of Birdland; Theme and Sign Off.

Personnel

Stan Kenton

piano

Vinnie Tanno

trumpet

Spencer Sinatra

saxophone, tenor

Lennie Niehaus

saxophone, alto

Al Porcino

trumpet

Sal Salvador

guitar

Frank Rosolino

trombone

Don Dennis

trumpet

Conte Candoli

trumpet

Lee Konitz

saxophone, alto

Ernie Royal

trumpet

Buddy Childers

trumpet

Zoot Sims

saxophone, tenor

Bill Perkins

guitar

Jack Nimitz

saxophone, baritone

Carl Fontana

trombone

Kent Larsen

trombone

Charlie Mariano

saxophone, alto

Max Bennett

bass

Ralph Blaze

guitar

Additional Instrumentation

Ed Leddy: trumpet; Chris Connor: vocal; Ann Richards: vocal; the Four Freshmen: vocal.

Album information

Title: In a Lighter Vein | Year Released: 2020 | Record Label: Sounds of Yesteryear

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