The Stan Kenton Mellophoniums

[JSngry]

http://www.middlehornleader.com/Kenton%20Mellophoniums.htm

That was one of Kenton's better bands, I think...interesting to hear how the addition came about and how unfavorably the rest of the band took it...and how/why it came to an end.

Also an interesting sidelight about the band being in England when JFK got hit.

[jeffcrom]

Very interesting article. My favorite quote: "The mellophonium players retaliated by practicing."

The devious bastards!

[Chuck Nessa]

I heard that band in 1962/3 and thought they made a terrible noise.

[JSngry]

No doubt!

At that, still one of Kenton's better bands, though.

But seriously, Adventures In Jazz by that band is one of the few (very few) Kenton albums of any "era" that I still recommend if/when anybody asks.

[Larry Kart]

Very interesting article. My favorite quote: "The mellophonium players retaliated by practicing."

The devious bastards!

That is good, but I also like the phrase "the infamous Kenton trumpet section."

Hello, Central, get me rewrite.

[DukeCity]

No mention in the article of the Kenton Christmas album. The arrangements (many by Ralph Carmichael) featured a Mellophonium section, and no saxophones.

[Stereojack]

Very interesting! Thanks for posting.

[jeffcrom]

Right now I'm listening to a nice mono copy of Adventures In Time, which I had forgotten I had and just came across while looking for something else. 14 brass - that's kind of ridiculous, except that this is a really well-done Johnny Richards suite. The poor saxophone, though....