Count Basie and His Orchestra Broadway Basie's...Way ABC/Command 1966

Count Basie and His Orchestra Broadway Basie's...Way ABC/Command 1972 CAT# RS905 SD


This is MOR Count Basie. He trudges through 12 show tune standards, thus the title, "Broadway Basie's...Way."

It's unimaginative, but that's not to say it's un-listenable. It'd be pleasant as background music if you don't have to pay attention to it. Of note, it was put out by ABC's Command label which was an early audiophile label founded by Enoch Light, who later to left to do Project 3 recordings. The label employed high tech recording techniques and material for the time which was aimed at getting the best recorded sound possible. So, in that regard, it's some high-quality background music that will sound crisp and clear pumping through a hi-fi system.

Stan Kenton The Ballad Style of Stan Kenton Capitol 1958

Stan Kenton The Ballad Style of Stan Kenton Capitol 1958 CAT# T1068

This album is a nice set of slow-moving, romantic ballads Kenton arranged. It's nice and all, but I find it hard to believe anyone cares about this album anymore. Unless you're playing it a swanky dinner party, someone MIGHT say, "This music is nice," and that'd be your extent of anyone caring about Kenton, anymore.

Truth is, I only bought it because Kenton is a Wichita, KS, native and the price. Check that out, 49 cents and buy one get one free. I got it for a quarter. For a quarter, I'm cool with having some square Wichita jazzman's LP that only listen for the sole purpose of this blog, then shelve it and never pull it out again.

The Night We Called It a Day

Stan Kenton Artistry in Rhythm Capitol 1947

Stan Kenton Artistry in Rhythm Capitol 1947 CAT #H167

There's a bunch of Kenton comps that go by this title and there's even an album previously discussed, New Concepts of Artistry in Rhythm.  It's all because this is widely considered his signature album during his big band period.

It's an enjoyable collection of music.  If someone just threw it on and listened to it today, I'm not sure they'd call it jazz.  It sounds much more like a soundtrack score.  The stuff Kenton was doing wasn't really for dancing, he was trying to advance the art form and usually comes off pretty pompous in liner notes.

The best moments and the ones I think people can grab onto easier now-a-days are the tracks featuring a cool-toned June Christy, "Willow Weep For Me" and "Ain't No Misery in Me."

Ain't No Misery in Me

Stan Kenton New Concepts of Artistry in Rhythm Capitol 1952

Stan Kenton New Concepts of Artistry in Rhythm Capitol 1952 CAT# H383

So, when I first embarked on this project and found out Stan Kenton was from Wichita, KS, I was like, "Sweet!"  Then, as I started actually keeping my eyes peeled for all records that have a Kansas connection and saw how many Kenton albums are out there I said to myself, "Fuck, Stan Kenton is from Wichita."  I mean seriously, how many things can I possibly come up with to say about Stan Kenton?

Luckily, this 10" is pretty interesting and at points, challenging.  Kenton was in transition and on this album his orchestra had just begun it's experimentation with swing.  The first track, "23 Degrees North - 82 Degrees West" comes in with killer horns that take a bit to come together, but it works within a few seconds.  The Latin flair on that track is the most exciting part of the album, but there are other moments to explore, love the guitar lines on "Invention for Guitar and Trumpet," and the revamped ballad, "My Lady.".

As per usual, on this album Kenton's orchestra is loaded with talent, Maynard Ferguson, Lee Konitz, and Gerry Mulligan, just to name a few.  Of course, Kenton tells you all about that on the back side of the album in true douche-bag form.  The guy describes all the tracks like his work is for the better good.  But, outside of that, solid album, cover art is incredible.

23 Degrees North - 82 Degrees West

The Ararats Do You Rember? The Big Band Sound Centennial Records 1975(?)

The Ararats Do You Rember?  The Big Band Sound Centennial Records 1975(?) CAT#1778

I'm not sure how many Ararats records were put out, but I think there's more than a few...or at least a lot of Shriner jazz available at local thrift shops.  I see this record (or ones that look very similar) all the time at thrift.  I never buy them, I'm not a Freemason or Shriner so no connection there.  Furthermore, I don't have time for amateur hour white guy jazz, especially by guys who drive around in tiny cars at parades.  I happened upon this LP because it was in a bulk purchase I made, kept it because it's local.

Besides being an all white jazz act, the other thing that I don't like about the release is that the dude's were Freemasons and Shriners.  I'm not against their organization or anything, sounds like a cool club.  I met a Shriner once, he told me all about his boy's club, how you have to be a Freemason first and get to some degree of Freemasonry before you get to be a Shriner, but, the thing that caught my attention was he told me at the KC Shriner facility they have a bar that serves $2 beers...all the time.  That's pretty cool, I'd be down with that club...granted, you'd be drinking with old fat bellies (no girls allowed in the all boy's club), but great deal all the same.  But, yeah, the other thing that bothers me is that they are Freemasons and I can't find any hidden symbols on the sleeve or the record.  No prophecies of end times, plots, or maps to hidden treasure...nothing.  I mean, I thought this organization had a hidden agenda to control the world.  Yet, the cover shows some old dudes playing restaurant-style big band jazz.  Sure enough, that's all they do, standards of big band dance tunes, toned down not to swing too much...there's some vocal numbers, too.  Lame.

Stan Kenton Kenton in Hi-Fi Capitol 1956

Stan Kenton Kenton in Hi-Fi Capitol 1956 CAT#W724

Stan Kenton was born in Wichita, Kansas.  He would later move to Colorado at a young and also to California.  Can't find much on how much time he spent in Kansas, but nevertheless, he was born in the state.

Looking at records and photos of the guy, he looks awful square for a jazz musician.  More square than Glenn Miller.  It's not like he was on a label known for spitting out ultra-hip Jazz in Capitol, either.  So, all indications, not that cool of a guy (there's also some personal issues going on with Kenton, but I'm just saying as a Jazz musician right now, he's no Coltrane).  However, listening to some of his material, there are some definite high points and creative exploration.  I have some 10"s of his that really surprised me, nothing I would call abstract, but certainly not expected.  He was initially focused on what he termed "progressive jazz," focusing on movement and shying away from anything considered to be dance music.

Later, he explored the big band sound and attempted to maintain creative exploration within the tunes.  This LP represents that period.  It does swing, you could dance to it easily, but it wasn't cut and dry and maintained the Kenton sound.  It also further explored the Kenton Wall of Sound that he developed previously in the 1940's.  He layers everything up, so much so it feels as if your speakers could explode.  Phil Spector would use the term later when recording his doo-wop masterpieces and rock and roll.

His personal stuff I'll share another time.  Rather focus on the good for now.  The artists this guy worked with and brought to the scene is incredible.  Just a few, June Christy, Chris Connor, Art Pepper, Neal Hefti, Stan Getz, Kai Winding, Maynard Ferguson, Lee Konitz, Bud Shank; it's an amazing list that just goes on and on.  I mean, it's almost as if you had to first play in Kenton's band prior to venturing out as a stand alone musician.

Artistry in Boogie & Minor Riff