The Complete Capitol.... Stan Kenton

[ASNL77]

What are your views on this set? I can't find any info in any past thread. I am about to buy it and I'd like to know what you think of it. How does it compare with the Stan Kenton presents....? Thanks.

Edited June 29, 2005 by ASNL77

[jazzbo]

I thought you bought this from a board member last month?

Anyway, I have had this since it was released. Interesting stuff! Not everyone's cup of tea. I like the sound of this orchestra, big and bold. And I think that Capitol was recording very well in those days and it shows here.

The music ranges from swinging to limping along ponderously. But there is some really intriguing arranging and playing going on (amidst some not quite so successful at grabbing my attention). I haven't played this in some time mainly due to the way that my room is organized; it's in a corner I don't travel to often; I need to relocate and revisit.

[jazzbo]

PS: I don't feel it's anything like the Kenton Presents; the small group stuff with the Kenton guys is a whole 'nother kettle of fish!

[ASNL77]

I thought you bought this from a board member last month?

Anyway, I have had this since it was released.  Interesting stuff!  Not everyone's cup of tea.  I like the sound of this orchestra, big and bold.  And I think that Capitol was recording very well in those days and it shows here.

The music ranges from swinging to limping along ponderously.  But there is some really intriguing arranging and playing going on (amidst some not quite so successful at grabbing my attention).  I haven't played this in some time mainly due to the way that my room is organized; it's in a corner I don't travel to often; I need to relocate and revisit.

←

Yes but he has been away and the sale is not completed yet. Thanks for your input Jazzbo.

Edited June 29, 2005 by ASNL77

[ASNL77]

Sale is now completed!!!

[sidewinder]

I like the set too - as mentioned above it is very well recorded for the period and is chock-a-block with great West Coast soloists. Makes a nice combo with the Kenton/Holman/Russo set and sounds particularly good on the Q-LP version (attention : DrJ ). I think the CD version of the Kenton set was also sold at outlets such as Tower, as well as directly from Mosaic themselves.

I really don't listen to this set enough so a good reminder to put it in the 'pending' area.

Edited June 29, 2005 by sidewinder

[DrJ]

I dig it, at least most of it...no QLPs for me sadly, sidewinder, but good-sounding CDs!

I have no major heartburn with Kenton in general, unlike many.

To me it's admirable that he was so willing to go his own sometimes odd way, to stand apart from the crowd, even when at times the concepts were with hindsight overly ponderous or just plain goofy. For example, who else in that era would have given Graettinger the kind of exposure Kenton gave him (I know that's from after the material in this particular Mosaic box but just making a point, he gave LOTS of people a chance when others may not have)???

To put it another way: there's an old baseball quote attributed to Lou Brock that goes something like "Show me a guy who's afraid to look bad and I'll show you a guy I can beat every time."

Kenton was a guy who wasn't afraid to look bad. He had some laugh-out-loud failures but also a lot of successes as a bandleader as a result of his chance-taking and die hard individualism IMHO, and many of both are in this boxed set.

Edited July 1, 2005 by DrJ

[gslade]

I often wondered if Bogart's line in Dead Reckoning where he makes a comment,

somthing like "sounds like a bunch of Apple Pan Dowdy" or something like that, was

a jab at Kenton or just a jab at commercial swing numbers?

I like the Set.