The Creative World of Stan Kenton - Part 2

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“... the Kenton bands from the late 1960s until his death in 1979 sounded different and I could never quite figure out why until I found some possible explanations in Michael Sparke’s seminal - Stan Kenton: This Is An Orchestra [2010].

In sharing these excerpts from Michael’s Kenton book, I plan to use them as a point-of-departure for a multi-part feature covering the Kenton bands and their recordings during the last decade or so of Stan’s career [he died in 1979].

- The editorial staff at JazzProfiles

The Creative World of Stan Kenton [1970]

‘The truth is, none of the few remaining touring bands of the Seventies, whose leaders roamed the land like the sole remaining dinosaurs of an almost-extinct species, were quite the same as they had been in their younger days. Conditions were so totally different the decline was inevitable, especially as age and illness took its toll. But it is also true, many talented musicians worked for Kenton in the Seventies, and a lot of significant music was played. The listener who ignores this last decade will be the loser.’

- Michael Sparke, Stan Kenton: This Is An Orchestra [2010]

“As the decade [of the 1960s] came to a close it was clear the status quo between leader and record label was no longer tenable. By common consent Kenton and Capitol decided to call it quits, and their contract (which actually ran until May 26, 1970) was quietly revoked. There was no bad feeling on either side, proven by Stan's unique arrangement with Capitol whereby he was able to lease his deleted recordings from the company to sell by mail-order LPs on his own Creative World label, a name derived from his long-time slogan, "The Creative World of Stan Kenton." The first seven-album release, ranging from City of Glass to Kenton's Christmas, was announced in Down Beat dated September 18, 1969.

For Kenton, losing the backing of the record company that had supported, protected, and promoted him for 25 years was rather like detaching the umbilical cord. Most artists flit from label to label with abandon, but Capitol had been Stan's home, his rock for most of his recording career, and to lose that shelter at 58, and be cast adrift in a world growing ever more hostile to everything he represented in music and the arts, was shattering. But Kenton had always thrived on new adventures, and the success of his own record label was a challenge to strive for. After several years of virtual stagnation, Stan's Creative World would grow in future years, and together with a revitalized, permanent orchestra, would catapult Kenton into the Seventies, and see him regain his place as the leading trendsetter in the advancement of big-band jazz.

Whatever the comparative limitations of these later Kenton Bands …” Most fans just welcomed the fact that Stan had returned to music with a concert Jazz orchestra.” Dances were consigned to a sideline category, something made possible only because of the increasing number of college bookings, usually combined with an afternoon clinic. The downside was this youthful audience would inevitably be reflected in the band's repertoire and style. Every artist is attracted by the nectar of applause, and wants to be loved by their audiences, and Kenton was no exception. Stan knew he had to engage the youngsters attracted to currently popular rock rhythms, and had to incorporate this in his music, while retaining enough of his traditional trademarks not to alienate his older fans. It was a difficult tightrope to walk, and he probably succeeded in satisfying many listeners only part of the time. 

So, dependent upon your age and inclination, there were many pros and cons associated with the new band, but overall the outlook was brighter than for many years. As John Worster put it, "The band was now a full-time thing in Stan's mind. The musicians knew it, and it was infectious. It was a more totally serious venture on everyone's part."

Musicians from the Seventies often feel like the underdogs, because they know they played good music well, yet in general it is the earlier bands that are most often feted and remembered. In moments of honesty, however, many will admit they understand and endorse this comprehension. The truth is, none of the few remaining touring bands of the Seventies, whose leaders roamed the land like the sole remaining dinosaurs of an almost-extinct species, were quite the same as they had been in their younger days. Conditions were so totally different the decline was inevitable, especially as age and illness took its toll. But it is also true, many talented musicians worked for Kenton in the Seventies, and a lot of significant music was played. The listener who ignores this last decade will be the loser.

At least Mike Vax will endorse the last couple of sentences above, even if some other comments leave him seething! Of all the alumni, Vax remains one of the staunchest Kenton supporters, commenting, "The day that Stan gave me the encouragement to play lead trumpet in his band, at the 1960 summer clinic, changed my life forever." 

Mike achieved his goal in 1970, leading the high-powered trumpet section of Jim Kartchner, Dennis Noday, Warren Gale, and Joe Ellis, Of his team, Vax claimed Warren Gale to be the most significant soloist in the band: " If ever there was a fiery jazz trumpet player that was perfect for the Kenton band it was Warren. I don't know that Dennis Noday is a great lead player in terms of consistency and swing, but he's certainly the loudest trumpet player I've ever played with. If he wanted to he could bury me, and I'm pretty loud. But he never did—I had him to rest on.

"Dick Shearer was the most important person on the band. I think that Stan felt about him like a son. Dick was a good soloist, even though he didn't play any jazz. Very rarely did he ever improvise much. Most of 'Bon Homme Richard' was written, and he would play it pretty much the same every night, which really contradicted what Stan liked from his soloists. But the thing is, the way Dick played trombone, that was the Kenton sound. Dick's trombone was derivative of all the great Kenton lead players, going all the way back to Kai Winding. But sometimes the person who's the end of a legacy, becomes the culmination of the legacy, so I think Dick was the greatest lead trombone player of them all."

Shearer himself spoke well of both saxophone soloists, Quin Davis on alto and Richard Torres tenor, telling me, "Torres was always very concerned about his health, he'd walk out with a sweater and top-coat protégé. Von Ohlen resembled an even more dynamic Dee Barton but with more contemporary technique, and had similarly started out on trombone, only switching to the percussion on which he was entirely self-taught at age 17, after hearing the inspirational Mel Lewis with the Stan Kenton orchestra.

Musicians in the band were themselves quick to recognize John's qualities:

Mike Vax: "John Von Ohlen was just perfect for Stan Kenton. John could swing, but he loved doing the more way-out things as well. The Levy time-charts were nothing to John—real easy."

Dick Shearer: "John never had a dull moment, he was always extremely bright. The minute we got on the stand, no matter how he felt, or how long we'd traveled, he got right in there. He would lift the band up all the time—he had such spirit. A very musical drummer, and a very strong player."

John Worster: "John to me was just amazing. Music is everything in the world to John. Music is 100%. It's a religion with him. He's eliminated a majority of other things from his thinking: he quit drinking, and almost has excluded women from his life. Everything just to make more room for music. It's really amazing—his ability to devote himself that completely. That's why he was so easy to play with." (All quotes to author, October 4, 1976)

John Von Ohlen: "We take the money for riding the bus. The music we play for free!" (Crescendo, November 1971)

To be continued in Part 3