Stan kenton's latin jazz connections

Max Salazar

Whoever coined the phrase "his music is ahead of its time" may have had pianist bandleader Stan Kenton in mind. For two decades beginning in 1940, Kenton recorded sounds never heard before. On a few occasions his imagination was like a time machine which soared into the future to produce the alien sounds of Thermopolae (1947), Evening In Pakistan (1950), Trajectories (1950), Mirage (1950), and City of Glass (in 3 movements-1951), to name a few. Between 1947 and 1970, the Stan Kenton Orchestra won the Downbeat, Metronome, Playboy magazine and other music polls 80% of the time. The orchestra, reverentially referred to as "The Kenton University," has a distinguished alumni roll call that includes vocalists June Christy, Chris Connors, trumpeters Shorty Rogers, Maynard Ferguson, Conte Condoli, trombonists Milt Bernhart, Kai Winding, saxophonists Art Pepper, Vido Musso, Stan Getz, Lee Konitz, Bob Cooper, Bud Shank, Boots Mussulli, bassist Eddie Safranski, drummer Shelly Manne and music orchestrators Peter Rugalo, Shorty Rogers, Johnny Richards and Chico O'Farrill.

Between 1940 and September 18, 1976, the Kenton orchestra recorded over 300 tracks. These 78s were released on 10" LPs and subsequently on 12" LPs, which totaled 69 albums. Of the many outstanding Kenton recordings he is identified with Artistry In Rhythm (11/1/40), and his most often requested tune Intermission Riff(1/14/46).

Almost every day in the orchestra's life span is accounted for in the 727 page book, "Stan Kenton-Artistry In Rhythm," published by Creative Press, Los Angeles, California. Every recording session, date, location, tune title, and arranger is published. Every one-night performance, city location, and date is documented. There are sidemen's bios, their quotes, and 64 pages of rare photographs. More information is found in The Kenton Era recording titled Prologue Parts 1-8. It is the orchestra's history narrated by Kenton, focusing on the eight stages of the band's development. The four LPs which contain 43 recordings were released in 1955. Part one is the Prologue, in which Kenton speaks about the development of his music beginning in 1941. Then there is the mention of his musicians by name in Epilogue, Part 8, which may have inspired vocalist- bandleader Tito Rodríguez's 1965 Musicor label LP Big Band Latino: Esta es mi orquesta.

Dr. Kenton's interest in Afro-Cuban music began in January, 1946, while the Machito Orchestra appeared at Los Angeles' Club Brazil. According to Machito, "Kenton introduced himself...he heard us play Tanga and asked what type of rhythm it was. I told him we called it a rumbita, a rumba jam. He came back a few days later with his arranger Pete Rugalo and both asked Mario Bauzá and René Hernández questions about Cuban music. Kenton said it was a new sound of jazz."

During mid-1946, Bauzá decided to Latinize jazz and American pop tunes so the Machito orchestra could work the jazz clubs across the United States. There were nights in which tenor saxists Dexter Gordon and Sonny Stitt sat in, as well as Dizzy Gillespie. On October 16, 1946, while the Kenton Orchestra appeared at NYC's Paramount Theatre, Kenton and Rugalo witnessed a few jam sessions and were encouraged to record Latinized jazz. On February 13, 1947, the Kenton orchestra, featuring the solos of Kenton on piano, Kai Winding and Skip Layton on trombones, Chico Alvarez and Buddy Childers on trumpet, recorded Rugalo's composition and arrangement of Machito, a tribute to Frank Grillo, the New York bandleader known as Machito. On November 25, 1947, the Kenton orchestra began the first of four weeks at NYC's Century Room at the Hotel Commodore. Twenty eight popular Kenton tunes were recorded and found their way to three albums Live At The Hotel Commodore's Century Room.

On December 6, 1947, the Kenton big band congregated at the RKO Pathe Studios (formerly the Odd Fellows Temple) at 106th Street between Park and Lexington Avenues to record Rugalo's Cuban Carnival and Kenton's arrangement of The Peanut Vendor. The Latin rhythm section consisted of Machito on maracas, Carlos Vidal on conga, Jack Costanzo on bongó, and José Mangual on timbales.

Kenton recalled, "I remember the musicians, my manager, Carlos Gastel, sitting around and having a drink, and kind of celebrating our interpretation of The Peanut Vendor, and we were rather proud of it. Would you believe it?. The record was released two or three months later, and didn't do anything. It was a big disappointment to me, but after a year or two it started gaining in popularity, and over the years it's been one of our best selling records."

Two weeks later, on December 21, the same personnel recorded Rugalo's Introduction To a Latin Rhythm. The following day, the Machito rhythm section and bongocero Jack Costanzo recorded Rugalo's Bongo Riff. Bongo Riff was heard in every Latin community and Costanzo's popularity soared with Hispanics. Costanzo, of Sicilian descent, was born in Chicago on September 24, 1922. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, was honorably discharged in 1945 and taught dancing in a Beverly Hills Hotel. Mexican bandleader Bobby Ramos heard Costanzo play bongo in a jam session and added him to his rhythm section in January, 1946. From here, Costanzo worked with the Lecuona Cuban Boys, and the orchestras of Xavier Cugat, Chuy Reyes, Desi Arnaz, Pérez Prado, René Touzet, and recorded with Stan Kenton in 1947-48. He joined the Nat King Cole trio in February, 1949, remained with Cole until September, 1953. He backed Peggy Lee, Frances Faye, Judy Garland, and actress Betty Grable. He is heard on Kenton recordings The Peanut Vendor, Bongo Riff, Monotony, and Abstraction. With Nat King Cole, his bongo is heard on Calypso Blues, Lush Life and Strange. Costanzo organized his big band with wife Marda Saxon in Los Angeles, and recorded five albums. His best seller is on the GNP label entitled Mr. Bongo, which features pianist-arranger Eddie Cano and Cuban vocalist Cascarita. Costanzo's rendition of Abaniquito is for serious dancers only.

After Costanzo's departure, Kenton soon realized his sounds were enriched by Latin percussion instruments. A few of the many Latin musicians who benefited by performing in Kenton's rhythm section were:

JOSE MANGUAL, from Puerto Rico, born March 18, 1924. In August, 1942, Mangual replaced drummer Tito Puente in the Machito Orchestra. Mangual recorded with Kenton during his tenure with the Machito Orchestra which he left in 1959 to join the Herbie Mann band.

CARLOS VIDAL, Cuban-born conga drummer who came to the United States with dance troupe, The Black Diamonds in 1943. He joined the Machito Orchestra in 1946, departed from the band in 1948, worked with the Miguelito Valdés orchestra in February, 1949, recorded four 78s Ritmos Afro Cubanos for the SMC (Spanish Music Center) label on February 18, 1949, before moving to Los Angeles. In January, 1950, Vidal joined Kenton's "Innovations Orchestra," and after a few months free-lanced with Los Angeles orchestras.

CARLOS "PATATO" VALDES, born November 4, 1926, in El barrio Los Sitios, Havana, Cuba. Came to the United States in October, 1953, joined Tito Puente's orchestra, weeks later joined the Machito Orchestra, left in 1959 to join flutist Herbie Mann's band. On November 28, 1966, Valdés was added to Kenton's rhythm section for the recordings of Sabre Dance, Somewhere My Love and Strangers In The Night.

CANDIDO CAMERO, born April 22, 1921, Havana, Cuba. He toured in 1946, came to New York City with dance troupe Carmen & Rolando for 12 weeks. Relocated to New York in 1953 and went on to record with the bands of Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, George Shearing, Miguelito Valdés, and Joe Loco. He joined the Kenton orchestra in 1953, recorded Bacante and Hav-A-Havana, left on March 3, 1954 because of the never ending one-nighters which left him stressed out.

ALFREDO CHICO ALVAREZ, trumpeter of Mexican descent, born 2-30-1920 in Montreal, Canada. With Kenton ten years 1941-1951.

SHORTY ROGERS, (April 14, 1924-Nov 7, 1994). Nota Hispanic musician, nevertheless deserves mention here for writing the music and arranging it, which today is considered the showcase of Latin jazz. His 1958 RCA album Afro Cuban Influence is a masterpiece.

ARTURO "CHICO" O'FARRILL, born in Vedado, Havana, Cuba, October 28, 1921. Attended military academy in Gainesville, Georgia 1936-1940. He was Armandos Romeu's trumpeter at Havana's Tropicana and other Cuban bands until 1948 when he left Cuba to live in New York. In early 1949, Benny Goodman recorded O'Farrill's Undercurrent Blues and Shishkabop. Also composed and arranged for the orchestras of Machito, Noro Morales, Miguelito Valdés, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, directed his own band in 1953, was Count Basie's music arranger for eleven years beginning in 1966.

JOHNNY "LA VACA" RODRIGUEZ, born April 4, 1930, in New York City. He said, "during the summer of 1960, the Kenton Orchestra performed 14 concerts in four Mexican cities. Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey and Tampico. I was hired to make the tour. We were greeted like heroes in two towns that were familiar with Kenton's recordings. I sat in on conga and bongo...after two months the orchestra returned to Los Angeles. I rejoined René Touzet's orchestra."

PAUL LOPEZ, trumpeter of Mexican descent, born December 9, 1923, in Los Angeles. "Stan was a wonderful warm person. During the '40s it was unusual for a popular American Pop music bandleader to hire Mexican musicians...not for Kenton...in 1947 he hired me as a sub for two days at La Casa Mañana in Culver City. After this I headed for Chicago. The next time I saw Stan in New York City in 1949 while I was playing with the Noro Morales Orchestra at the China Doll. Stan was in the audience, he wanted to hear Noro play. When he spotted me he embraced me as though I was a relative he had not seen in some time. Kenton was a beautiful human being." Stan Kenton recorded 22 Latinized jazz recordings and after 1950 he utilized many Latin musicians for club, recording and concert dates.

He was born Stanley Newcomb Kenton in Wichita, Kansas, on December 5, 1911 to Stella and Floyd Kenton. In 1917, the Kenton's settled in Los Angeles. His piano lessons began at age 10.

"From the time I was 14, I was all about music, nothing else entered my mind."

In 1927, he wrote Drigus Serenade his first composition. In August, 1940, the 14-man Stan Kenton Orchestra carne into being. Four months later, four test pressings were recorded at the Los Angeles Music City record shop. In 1942, three men, singer-songwriter Johnny Mercer, songwriter G.B. "Buddy" De Silvia, and Glenn Wallichs, proprietor of a large music store at Sunset and Vine, Los Angeles, pooled their resources and invested $17,000 in a venture which was registered as "Liberty Records." Four months later, the company's name was changed to Capitol Records (in 1953 EMI Electrical and Mechanical Industries of Great Britain purchased a controlling share of Capitol Records for 8 million dollars). During the mid-40s, when it was taboo to hire black musicians, Kenton ignored the unwritten rule and hired trumpeter Karl George, the first African American to gig with the Kenton Orchestra.

In November, 1943, Kenton signed a contract to record for Capitol Records. One month later, while the Kenton Orchestra appeared at the Golden Gate Theatre in San Francisco, a soldier introduced himself as Private First Class Pete Rugalo and left Kenton his chart arrangement of an original tune. Kenton was impressed and hired Rugalo upon his discharge. In February, 1944, a sixteen year-old saxophonist named Stan Getz joined the orchestra. In April, 1945, vocalist Anita O'Day left the band and was replaced by a 17 year-old named Shirley Luster who later on became June Christy.

On May 4, 1945, Kenton's recording of Tampico became his first million selling record. On January 19, 1946, at a Hollywood recording session, Intermisson Riff was recorded. With the passing of time, Intermisson Riff has become an American jazz treasure like Benny Goodman's Sing Sing Sing. Years later, his Latinized version of Intermission Riff, which included a conga drummer, became one of his best selling recordings.

1946 was a great year for the 6'2" bandleader. Metronome magazine's readers voted his orchestra the best of the year, June Christy vocalist of the year. Her rendition of the lush Willow Weep For Me sold thousands. In the movie Road To Bali, which featured Bing Crosby, Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour, Kenton's Artistry In Percussion was one of the movie's soundtracks.

On February 13, 1947, Pete Rugalo's composition of the tune Machito was recorded at Los Angeles. It has been reported that Kenton and Rugalo were overwhelmed with the Machito sound and wanted to honor the Cuban vocalist-bandleader. For the following years, Kenton disbanded each year just to rest an exhausted orchestra whose bus traveled thousands of miles to perform one-nighters. On January 16, 1953, June Christy left the Kenton organization and recommended Chris Connors as her replacement. The September, 1953 issue of England's Melody Maker magazine reported, "Stan Kenton is taking Europe by storm...reports from our correspondence all over the continent speak of packed houses and wild enthusiasm at every concert."

In April, 1955, Stan Kenton and orchestra began its first of ten weeks on CBS TV as a replacement for Edward R. Murrow's Person To Person show. The show, Kenton's Music 55, was seen nationwide. By the time 1960 rolled around, club dates became scarce. The new sound of Rock 'n' Roll had taken its toll and made it difficult for Pop music orchestras to land dates. On April 19, 1963, Intermisson Riff was Latinized when Frank Guerrero sat in on conga.

For the following 14 years, the Kenton Orchestra per-formed concerts and held music clinics at colleges. On May 22, 1977, the Kenton Orchestra was in Reading, Pennsylvania. At 8 p.m. the 65 year-old bandleader was found unconscious lying on the floor of the Abraham Lincoln Motor Inn. He underwent neurosurgery for a skull fracture with a blood clot on the brain. On July 8, 1977, Kenton was released from the hospital and headed toward Los Angeles. Two years later at the age of 67, he died of a cerebrovascular stroke at a Hollywood Hospital. Throughout the 727-page tome of Kenton's life, a great number of sidemen eulogized him with the sincerest forms of praise. One said, "no bandleader has ever done more to expose sidemen than Kenton." Trumpeter Chico Alvarez said, "In 1949, while leaving Ohio fora Detroit date, I decided to drive by car. There was an accident in which I suffered a broken ankle and a cracked rib. Stan came to the hospital, paid my bill, picked me up like a baby and carried me out to the bus. Stan was like a loving father to all of us." During a conversation with Machito in the late '70s, he said he felt indebted to Kenton for the re-cording of Machito, it was exposure to his (Kenton's) world of jazz. Frank Sinatra, an admirer of Kenton said, "Stan Kenton is the most significant figure of the modern jazz age. His fight to popularize modern jazz won him a legion of followers, but this was not an easy road. He is a symbol of a vibrant world that finds its voice in jazz." There are many more positive statements uttered by musicians, but the one which adequately describes him is drummer Shelly Manne's moving tribute that appeared in the magazine Overture, Musician's Local 47, Los Angeles.

The following is a condensed version of Manne's Eulogy:

"He was a friend to all musicians...he was a father...a psychiatrist...he ate the same lousy food at a rest stop...he taught me responsibility...he was understanding to wives on the road...he treated all equal...he invented charisma...he was an explorer...he was loved by all...he will never be forgotten...and we will miss him."

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