Live at Redlands University

Jim Szantor. "Record Review. Live at Redlands University (Creative World)." Down Beat. 21 January 1971. 26-27.

LIVE AT REDLANDS UNIVERSITY—Creative World ST-1015: Here’s That Rainy Day; A Little Minor Booze; Tico Tico; Didn't We: Chiapas; Mac Arthur Park; More Peanut Vendor; Bon Homme Richard; Hey Jude; Tiare; Terry Talk; Grandad; Artistry in Rhythm.

Personnel: Mike Vax, Joe Ellis. Jim Kartchner, Dennis Noday, Warren Gale, trumpets; Dick Shearer, Mike Jamieson, Fred Carter, Tom Bridges, trombones; Graham Ellis, bass trombone, tuba; Quinn Davis, Richard Torres, Norm Smith. Willie Maiden, Jim Timlin, reeds; Kenton. piano; Gary Todd, bass, electric bass; Baron John Von Ohlen, drums; Efrain Longer, Latin percussion.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

The big band scene in the past decade has unwittingly resembled the political arena—every four years a “new” candidate throws his cats into the ring. 1962 was the renaissance year for Woody Herman and 1966 saw the birth of three remarkable bands, those of Buddy Rich, Don Ellis, and Thad Lewis. To further this hypothesis we need a band for 1970-71. And, by jove, here comes Stan Kenton.

Yes, Stan Kenton. My proclamation isn’t based entirely on this excellent, white- hot double album. I've beard the band in person twice recently-events that not only precipitated reverse withdrawal symptoms for this LP but also convinced 1hat this record is no fluke. Kenton has dropped a megaton bomb this time and the shock waves are only beginning to be felt. A big band freak as freaky as I should probably be numb to new stimuli by now, having frequently basked in the rays of Ellington, Basic, Herman, Rich, Ellis and Jones- Lewis. But even the jaded occasionally experience new thrills and if any phenomenon can engender new thrills it’s music. At least that’s my opinion and in my opinion this is a landmark Kenton LP.

In this day of corporate conglomeropoly, mergers, and similar umbilicals, Kenton”s recent declaration of independence comes as a breath of fresh air. He’s taken his legendary iconoclasm a step further by leaving the womb of Capitol and establishing his own label. No more Hair, no more Finian's Rainbou—just straight-ahead big band music by a straight-ahead band-leader who will know no more detours.

This LP reflects the advantages of that turnabout. There’s no trash here, no Top 40 trifles. If there’s an easy-listening title aboard it’s because it has paid its own way. There are several here—Rainy Day and MacArthur Park (arranged by Dee Barton), Didn’t We (Willie Maiden) and Hey Jude (Steve Spiegl). The presence of these tunes, for once, fails to conjure up the image of the snake oil salesman-jazzman trying to convince that, at last, jazz and pop have been married to the esthetic satisfaction of all.

It’s axiomatic that you can tell a lot about a person by the company he keeps. Kenton has here an all-star cast of unknowns—a spirited outfit short on experience compared to Ellington-Basie counterparts but long on talent and enthusiasm. The band isn’t always precision personified but that is not the jazz ultimate anyway. This is a versatile crew that roars, swings, but mostly communicates.

On these tracks, the Kenton express has left nostalgia on a siding for the most part. You’ll hear the cry of the Peanut Vendor, but he’s too much a part of the legend to be totally ignored. The trumpets aren't as clean on it as on past recordings but the rhythm section cooks and Shearer’s trombone evokes the sidewalks of Guadalajara. Artistry in Rhythm? It’s aboard, too, but what bandleader hasn’t managed to sneak in his theme occasionally. If it’s worth having as a theme, it’s worth recording. Why hide it?

Minor Booze, a wry Maiden original reminiscent of his writing for the Maynard Ferguson band circa 1958, demonstrates the relaxed side of the band. It also introduces main soloists Davis and Gale and the muscular verve that is Von Ohlen’s hallmark.

Chiapas is indicative of the band's concert-styled charts and is also the best piece of music here. It’s written by Hank Levy, by now a familiar figure to followers of Don Ellis, and it’s a masterpiece. It opens with the strong, passacaglia-styled acoustic bass work of Todd, and is followed by dramatic brass swells. Shearer delivers the attractive melody and later there are bluesy ascending trumpet figures, another hypnotic bass pattern delivered this time on electric bass, and inspired solo work by Davis and Gale. A beautiful chart highlighted by sensitive ensemble work.

Tiare, Tico, and Granada also qualify under the concert banner and each has its merits. Tiare, a Ken Hanna original, is an ethereal, introspective theme enhanced by a lovely spot for Shearer’s trombone. Tico, by Holman, is a frenetic Latin exercise notable for shimmering brass work and the non-stop rhythm section work of Todd, Von Ohlen, and Logreira. Granada, also arranged by Holman, features the trumpet pyrotechnics of Gale and screech man Kartchner.

The more familiar material runs the gamut from a dirge-like Rainy Day (rich trombone pyramids, poignant reeds, building brass) to an inventive Didn’t We (an intriguing orchestral collage by Maiden featuring simultaneous improvisation, straight-ahead cooking, effective use of tuba, and Ferguson-style lead brass work near the end) to a wild Hey Jude that contains a long, free-styled tenor solo by Torres. MacArthur Park is the most exciting of the lot, though. After a tranquil part 1 (flutes on the theme, a cappella vocal by the band) comes a scintillating part 2—a hair-raising trumpet tour de force driven like mad by 1he rhythm section.

Terry Talk (dedicated to the Mumbles side of Clark Terry) is a misnomer as performed here. Featured vocalist-trumpeter Joe Ellis is much closer to Richard Boone than Terry but he gets in a fine plunger-muted spot between vocals. But this is something that can’t be brought off convincingly every night and I’ve heard Ellis do it much better in person.

Any team, and his band is a team, has to be strong down the middle and Kenton has several most valuable players. AItoist Davis is a fantastic musician—a lead man of style and taste and a soloist of imagination and conviction. At limes he sounds like Lennie Niehaus, Art Pepper, Phil Woods, et al., but mostly he sounds good. Lead trombonist Shearer (heard to advantage on Richard and several other tracks) is obviously inspired by the extrovert lead trombonist of all time, Bob Fitzpatrick, and lead trumpeter Vax can handle anything the varied, challenging Kenton repertoire demands.

The rhythm section is a special treat. Todd does yeoman work on acoustic and electric bass and Logreira is one of the few Latin percussionists I've heard who is more of an asset than a liability. Big band drumming is dominated by the over-40 set but Von Ohlen is also a giant of the genre—a veritable monster. His time is impeccable, his fills exciting and original, and be gives the bend an authoritative lilt at all times.

Stan Kenton has certainly left his mark on big bands and his ongoing reputation as a jazz educator is surely evidence of his concern for tomorrow's music. But the best testimonial to this futuristic figure is this band. In an age where the younger generation lends no energy to endeavors not wholly believed in, judging from the sound here and the dedication witnessed on the bandstand, this band believes the hell out of Stan Kenton. —Szantor

“Record Review. Special Merit Picks. Live at Redlands.” Billboard 19 Dec. 1970: 52.

STAN KENTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA LIVE AT REDLANDS UNIVERSITY—Creative World ST 1015

Now on his own Creative World label, this has the clinical sounds of a big Kenton orchestra recorded at one of Kenton’s seminars for students, in this case Redlands. All the facets of Kenton’s style are there—the bows to European classicism, blasts of high energetic sound and technically superb soloists. The material veers from Jimmy Webb tunes to Kenton “Peanut Vendor,” “Artistry in Rhythm.”