One of the most controversial musicians in jazz during his lifetime, bandleader Stan Kenton (1911-1979) has become something of a cult figure, andis now justly considered as one of the men who renovated the big-band idiom during the forties and fifties. A restless, experimental figure by nature, Kenton was one of the first bandleaders to adopt elements from classical music and to fully embrace Latin and south-of-the-border influences. A hyperactive musician who recorded literally hundreds of tumes during his heyday, Stan Kenton also had a peculiar instinct to select the right musicians for his orchestra. The list of jazzmen who learned the ropes in the Kenton organization still makes for impressive reading: Art Pepper, Maynard Ferguson, Stan Getz, Vido Musso, Anita O'Day, June Christy, Kai Winding...

This DVD showcases different clips featuring the great Kenton Orchestra of the 1940s, playing hits such as Eager Beaver, Tampico, or Artistry In Rhythm. The DVD is completed with an interesting selection of soundies from other 'modern' big bands of the day, headed by Charlie Barnet, Les Brown and Claude Thornhill.

TRACKS:

TOTAL TIME : 68:38

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