Kenton's West Side Story

West Side Story (Related Recordings), Stan Kenton | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 1, 1994)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Blue Note Records
• ASIN: B000005GY4
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #19,335 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #2 in Music > Indie Music > Pop > Instrumental Pop & Lounge
  • #19 in Music > Indie Music > Jazz > Swing Jazz
  • #23 in Music > Jazz > Orchestral Jazz

Editorial Reviews

Mixing deep emotion with high drama, Kenton and arranger Johnny Richards triumphed with this 1961 adaptation of 10 West Side Story themes. The film's producers were reputedly blown away by these interpretations: I Feel Pretty; Maria; Cool; America; Somewhere; Tonight; Something's Coming , and more!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is my favorite Stan Kenton album!, January 20, 1999

By 

Porter H. Davis (Oklahoma) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Kenton's West Side Story (Audio CD)

Only creative collaboration of Johnny Richards and Stan Kenton could improve upon Bernstein's original West Side Story music. And did they! If you like Stan Kenton and the score from this classic musical, you'll love this album.

The instrumentation of each piece captures the emotion of the original. I am continually amazed at the intricate orchestration to produce a coherent sound. Kenton uses the mellophonium to maxiumum benefit, adding an almost vocal dimension to the music. Luckily, you can sample several of the pieces on line. They are among my favorites. Give them a listen.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Forget "Categories"...One of the 50 BEST ALL-TIME ALBUMS, October 25, 2000

By 

C. Law "Charlie Law" (Las Vegas, NV USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Kenton's West Side Story (Audio CD)

This is one that ranks up there with the Beatles'"Abbey Road," Coltrane's "A Love Supreme," Brubeck's "Time Out," Sinatra At the Sands," etc., as one of the great albums of ANY genre!! Take a marvelous Bernstein score and give it to collaborators Stan Kenton and Johnnie Richards (who had previously scored BIG on "Cuban Fire") and you end up with a sum greater than the parts. The producers who brought "West Side Story" to the screen were heard to lament after hearing this album, "If we'd known about THIS at the time, THIS would have been the movie score!" Almost all of the score is heard, arranged for the famous "Mellophone Band," with featured soloists Gabe Baltazar, Conte Candoli, Bob Fitzpatrick, Dwight Carver, a percussion section anchored by drummer Jerry McKenzie (with George Acevedo, Mike Pacheco & Larry Bunker) and, of course, Stan. (You jazz and Kenton fans can see where THIS has to lead...). If you loved the show or the movie or just the MUSIC, you're okay here, too! This is just GREAT MUSIC. ( The three ballads, done with Richards' scoring for the mellophones up in the stratosphere, will make those little hairs stand up on the back of your neck, and are worth the price of the CD by themselves!!). All of the fire, fun, beauty and emotion of Leonard Bernstein's monumental creation are captured for the ages on this CD. But writing is BORING...LISTENING is ENJOYING!! (I'm sure not gifted enough to describe how great this sounds anyway...it would be like trying to describe a sunrise!). BUY THIS CD....if you don't agree it's magnificent, please have your hearing checked right away!!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If only they had used this for the original soundtrack..., July 18, 2001

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Kenton's West Side Story (Audio CD)

Lovers of big band jazz and serious brass sections will truly enjoy this. You will recognize the melodies imediately, but you will be literally blown away by Kenton's orchestra. You won't hear the original soundtrack again without a small feeling of regret that these arrangements didn't make it into the movie...