Stan Kenton Orchestra
| Stan Kenton | |
|---|---|
Kenton in 1973
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Stanley Newcomb Kenton |
| Born |
December 15, 1911 Wichita, Kansas, United States |
| Died | August 25, 1979 (aged 67) Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Genres | Progressive jazz, West Coast jazz, swing |
| Occupation(s) | Bandleader, pianist, composer, arranger |
| Instruments | Piano |
| Years active | 1930s–1970s |
| Labels | Capitol, Decca, Creative World |
| Associated acts | Maynard Ferguson, Zoot Sims, Gerry Mulligan, Anita O'Day, June Christy, Chris Connor, Art Pepper, Pete Rugolo, Eddie Safranski |
Stanley Newcomb "Stan" Kenton (December 15, 1911 – August 25, 1979) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger who led an innovative, influential, and often controversial progressive jazz orchestra. In later years he was active as an educator.
Stan Kenton was born on December 15, 1911 in Wichita, Kansas, and was raised first in Colorado, then in California. (He wrongly believed that his birthdate was February 19, 1912 and many sources still report this date.) He graduated from Bell High School, in Bell, California, in 1930.
Kenton learned piano as a child, and while still a teenager toured as a member of several bands. He played in the 1930s in the dance bands of Vido Musso and Gus Arnheim, but his natural inclination was as a band leader.
In June 1941 he formed his first orchestra, which later was named after his theme song "Artistry in Rhythm". A competent pianist, influenced by Earl Hines, Kenton worked in the early days much more as an arranger than later, and as inspiration for his loyal sidemen. Although there were no name musicians in his first band (with the possible exception of bassist Howard Rumsey and trumpeter Chico Alvarez), Kenton spent the summer of 1941 playing regularly before an audience at the Rendezvous Ballroom in Balboa Beach, CA. Influenced by Jimmie Lunceford (who, like Kenton, featured high-note trumpeters and thick-toned tenors), the Stan Kenton Orchestra struggled for a time after its initial success. Its Decca recordings were not big sellers and a stint as Bob Hope's backup radio band during the 1943–44 season was an unhappy experience; Les Brown permanently took Kenton's place.
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