At The Las Vegas Tropicana [Live]

Stan Kenton | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 30, 2011)
• Original Release Date: 1959
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Live
• Label: Blue Note
• ASIN: B000005H1R
• Also Available in: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #60,419 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #16 in Music > Indie Music > Pop > Instrumental Pop & Lounge
  • #53 in Music > Indie Music > Jazz > Swing Jazz
  • #70 in Music > Jazz > Orchestral Jazz

Editorial Reviews

At The Las Vegas Tropicana by Stan Kenton And His Orchestra

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kenton Perfect in Las Vegas, May 15, 2000

By 

Jon Warshawsky "Sinatra Guru" (San Diego, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: At The Las Vegas Tropicana (Audio CD)

I agree with the other reviewers, this is very listenable Stan Kenton, straight-ahead swing with a good set list. If you are not interested in owning everything Kenton recorded, I would recommend this and the Capitol "Best of" CD, as well as "Cuban Fire". The "Tropicana" album is just fine musicianship and a satisfying experience with seven excellent tracks restored to the middle of the performance.

Recording quality is quite good for 1959, and the Gene Rolands numbers complement the usual Kenton fare nicely. Highlights in my opinion: Tuxedo Junction (rearranged from Glenn Miller), Puck's Blues - which really hops - and two great Cole Porter tunes, It's All Right with Me and a great, Latin-inspired variation of I Concentrate on You. Sandwiched between these, Intermission Riff soars for a full five minutes. Kenton's narration between songs and the minimal background noise from the audience add to the mood and put you into the Tropicana ballroom in '59, the tradeoff for sound quality that might not be up to Capitol's legendary studio sound of the late 1950s.

This is a very accessible Kenton album, likely to appeal the casual big band jazz fan as much as the Kenton fringe.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Live and Well, May 11, 2000

By 

"comtad" - See all my reviews

This review is from: At The Las Vegas Tropicana (Audio CD)

This has always been one of my favorite Kenton Albums. Even though it was recorded live some 40 years ago, the sound quality is as good as, or even better than a studio.

Now that the CD is available, you get almost the entire concert as opposed to the vinyl issue of just 11 tunes. There is over 72 minutes of outstanding, swinging big band jazz here.

This is a very enjoyable listen, you get up tempo and ballads as well as comedic relief (You and I and George) and interesting intros to each tune by Stan the Man. It's amazing that Kenton initially balked at having this music released, primarily because most of the arrangements were by others and not him. This is first-rate, straight ahead swing, impeccably arranged and played by such notable cats as Jack Sheldon, Lennie Niehaus, Richie Kamuca and Kenton's regulars of the time. Don't miss this set.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best of all Kenton disc's., January 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: At The Las Vegas Tropicana (Audio CD)

Every chart great and while filled with complexity each is performed flawlessly. The trumpet of Jack Shelton is outstanding (remember the little, round leader of Merv Griffin's TV band - a different world). Fine technical recording with the excitement of a live crowd. Finally, there is the beauty of Stan's amazing use of the English language.