Stan Kenton Music

This album consists of a series of tapes recorded and collected by Kenton fans over several years. The contents contain different bands, including the Innovations orchestra. The quality of the recordings, aside from cut one, is superior. The contents are pure gold. This is Kenton at his best. As an added feature, Kenton fans can hear several of the cuts from the Contemporary Concepts album, yet to be released.

This is a must album for serious jazz fans. Glorious music.

This is an excellent box set and worth the money (if you want to spend that much money), but make sure you're buying the right item. The item listed by seller "Woodsboy" is NOT the item pictured on this page. It's a different Mosaic box set by the Kenton Band, entitled "Stan Kenton: The Holman and Russo Charts." The item pictured above is not by the Kenton band, it's by several different small groups led by members of the Kenton band. If you're thinking of buying, MAKE SURE you're buying the item you think you are. Contact the seller first!!

This lp contains the two separate eps, each dedicated to Russo and Holman, who wrote and arranged for Stan Kenton in his most avant-garde period of the late forties and early fifties. Holman is well-known, and frankly I'm not a big fan of his feel, though his arrangments and songs are great. Bill Russo on the other hand is a far less known, but it is for his songs that I love this album. They are full of dark moody brass, most of them fairly relaxed; imagine the most sublime soundtrack to an old and dreamy noir film and you may get an idea. More than anything it reminds of me Lennie Tristano's most avant trio work in feel. For anyone who likes 'third stream'or big band which borders and steps into the avant garde Russo's work in particular is a must.