Customer Reviews

The Creative World of Stan Kenton and His Orchestra: Live At Redlands University

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I was there when this album was recorded. This is a wonderful group of musicans. They truely loved their music and Stan. Anyone who is a Kenton fan needs to have this in their collection. Mike Vax,Dick Shearer,Willie Maiden,Dennies NoDay and "The Baron" are the best!!!!

This is classic Kenton of 1970. As a college music student who heard this concert live, I am as amazed now as I was then. The band knew their musical fan audience and really "put out" for them with some of Kenton's finest performers, Willie Maiden, Quinn Davis, Dick, Shearer, Warren Gale, and great arrangements by Dee Barton, Willie Maiden, Bill Holman and Ken Hanna. This recording is a must for any Kenton fan.

A great band, doing great tunes. You won't go wrong with this CD. "Here's That Rainy Day" sneaks up and knocks your socks off. My only gripe is that the CD is missing the tune "Terry Talk" which was on the original double LP. The Politically Correct are behind this I fear.

This is Kenton & Band at their finest. The audience is composed of jazz student musicians and their instructors. The profession- als out-do themselves in this University setting to demonstrate what true Kenton jazz can be. This is a must for any Kenton fan.

The Hey Jude sax solo will blow your mind!! There are not that many notes on the horn! How did he kick it up that high?

All I have to say is WOW!! This CD kicks butt!

I have loved this album/CD for 30 years. OK, so it is aging a bit awkwardly and Stan was trying to look "with it" with Hey Jude. Still it is exciting and has the rich sounds of the Kenton orchestra. I especially enjoy McArthur Park with unusual lyrics but gorgeous voicings. Kenton in the 70's. I think you'll enjoy if you are a true Kenton fan.

STAN KENTON'S LIVE AT REDLANDS UNIVERSITY IS THE ABSOLUTE BEST JAZZ CD I OWN! IT HAS A COLLECTION OF SOME OF THE BEST JAZZ MUSICIANS I'VE EVER HEARD. DON'T TAKE MY WORD FOR IT, BUY IT TODAY!

This is a 5-Star classic!!!! However, they've omitted two tunes. "Terry Talk" and "Granada". Fortunately, I own the original double LP and have converted those to .mp3 to include in my library. Still a great album without these but who wants an incomplete album?

This 1970 album heralded the emergence of the Kenton band from a relatively unproductive period on the recording scene, and along with the 1972 "Stan Kenton Today" album attracted a whole new generation of fans. Kenton's combination of new material and fresh performances of older charts was embraced by big band enthusiasts and jazz educators in the 1970s.
There are some classics in this collection: Dee Barton's slow, sumptuous arrangement of "Here's That Rainy Day"; Willie Maiden's "A Little Minor Booze"; a roaring Bill Holman chart of "Tico Tico"; the beautiful "Tiare," which may be Ken Hanna's best work; and quite possibly the best of Stan's many recordings of "Artistry in Rhythm." There's also "Chiapas," one of Hank Levy's early forays into arrangements employing unusual meter - what used to be called "time charts" - a jazz genre that Stan welcomed into his book in the early 1970s. "Bon Homme Richard," another Ken Hanna composition, is a nice feature for flamboyant lead trombonist Dick Shearer. These tracks make the CD a satisfying acquisition for big band fans and a must for Kenton fans.
Three of the 11 tracks did not make it onto my iPod: "More Peanut Vendor," "MacArthur Park," and "Hey Jude." The first of these is a slightly updated version of Kenton's "Peanut Vendor" from the 1940s featuring a flute solo from Richard Torres that leaves much to be desired. The other two are pop tunes of the era which sound dated today. Some listeners who remember hearing these charts performed live may enjoy these recordings, but from today's perspective, they demonstrate that Kenton, like many other big band leaders of the time, was willing to include some "jazz rock" arrangements in the book in an attempt to broaden appeal to young listeners.
Kenton introduces some of the tracks, an inclusion that will please some listeners - especially those who attended his concerts - but may be less welcome for listeners who just want the music. As someone who attended many Kenton concerts and participated in two of his week-long jazz workshops, this album brought back some great memories for me.

I was at this performance as a student. I remember how loud the 604es were (the studio monitor loudspeakers) and wondered how long anyone could listen to them before going completely deaf. This recoriding is historic. The band's performance is nothing short of breathtaking. But the recording itself disapoints - hence the 4 star rating.