Search - Stan Kenton :: Adventures in Blues

That Big, Full Kenton Sound

comtad | 05/11/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There's nothing quite like that full orchestral big band sound that the Kenton band could project with the addition of mellophoniums to the brass section. That is what epitomizes this CD.But all that power is not forced upon the listener. All the selections, with the exception of one, were arranged by Gene Roland and are slowly developed to often dramatic ensemble explosions of exquisite taste and execution by the veteran personnel.The CD has two bonus tracks, "Ten Bars Ago" and "Lady Luck." They are not merely add-ons, but excellent tunes as well. The recorded sound is excellent, but the stereo separation on the original 9 selections is barely noticeable with most of the instrumentation clustered toward the center.Nevertheless, lovers of that big Kenton sound will be roundly rewarded with this CD."

High Class Music By A High Class American Musical Hero

comtad | 09/15/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Even though lots of musical events (from great to forgettable) have happened since his death in 1979, Mr. Kenton remains a monument in the world of American music. His highly personal contribution to the development of jazz writing is priceless and so was his engagement in favor of music education. The reissues of his masterworks such as the Adventures In Blues album can only be mostly welcome."

A glimpse of Genius

robert munn | Capital of the World, New York City! | 08/18/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album presents Kenton's dazzling "New Era" Mellophonium Orchestra in a dynamic, richly textured exploration of the Blues. As he guides the band through the seemingly familiar blues landscape, composer/arranger Gene Roland charts a strikingly different course, creatively utilizing the enormous potential of the Kenton orchestra to examine and reveal intimate levels of emotion and expression therein. Roland's composition "Dragonwyck" is a masterpiece. He establishes a dark, quizzical mood with his savory soprano sax work, travelling through a terrain of shifting instrumental structures that set the stage for dramatic blasts of sheer Kenton pyrotechnics. This is the blues according to Kenton/Roland, and those who enjoy the thrilling music for which they are known will not be disappointed. It is hard to imagine that some lack the ability to comprehend and enjoy this type of music, but it seems that a work like "Adventures in Blues" is as inaccessable to some as the Monolith was to the apes in "2001: a space odyssey" !!!"