Customer Reviews

At The Las Vegas Tropicana

5 star:		(5)
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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.

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.

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.

IN THIS SUPER BIG BAND THE LEAD TRUMPET IS BUD BRISBOIS... ONE OF THE BEST LEAD TRUMPET (SCREAMER)... JUST SEARCH IN THE WEB... THANKS

Amazon is touting this as a new album? I`ve had it on CD for years! I`m not one for live albums but this is the exception.