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Yvonne Cloutier
Stan Kenton was Artistry in Rhythm
Musical Moments
Stan Kenton, a remarkable band
director named his band, “Artistry in
Rhythm.”
He featured a strong brass section
with trumpets, trombones, clarinets
and a strong drumbeat. Along with his
own piano skills, the music made them
sound like a “Wall of Sound.”
Metronome magazine said “kids
are going haywire over the sheer
noise of this band. Its a danger of
an entire generation growing up
with the idea that jazz and the atom
bomb are, essentially, a sane natural
phenomenon.”
He kept the swing sound, but
Kenton had a vision. It was not of a
swing dance band, but of a concert
band featuring progressive jazz, using
unusual rhythms and harmonies.
Kenton was developing a new
era. Band members came and went.
Amongst them were Maynard
Ferguson, Stan Goetz, and Buddy Rich.
In the 1930s, Kenton played in
several big bands. In 1940s, amongst
his many hits, he had success with
Ali Guggenheim
Every February 14th, all over the United
States (and a handful of other countries),
people celebrate Saint Valentine’s Day by
spending billions of dollars. Nearly 50% is
spent on candy alone.
Last year, an estimated 1 billion cards
and 198,000,000 roses were bought - not
to mention the gifts, romantic getaways,
dinners, etc., all in the name of St. Valentine.
But, wait! Does anyone really know who or
what we’re celebrating?
St. Valentine’s Day’s history is yet another
historical event that’s shrouded in mystery
and has many versions of its evolution. One
theory claims that Valentine’s Day, evolved
from the Pagan, Roman, “Lupercalia Fertility
Festival.”
Others attribute it to “Juno Day”, the
Queen Goddess of women and fertility.
Both of these holidays began on February
“Eager Beaver” followed by having
his new singer, June Christy, (replacing
Anita O’Day, whom he married) come
out with “Tampico” and “Across the
Alley.”
His hits helped him finance his many
ambitious projects. Kenton also owed
much of his success to Pete Rigolo, his
chief arranger.
His “Peanut Vendor” was radically
different from other band’s swing
music. He also delved into a Cuban
beat such as his “Machito”, “Cuban
Fire”, and arrangements for “West Side
Story” and “Send in the Clowns.”
Celebrating St. Valentine
14th and were observed for an entire month.
Ritualistically, young maidens’ names were
written on slips of papers and placed in a jar.
The men would pick their evening’s mate
from the jar. This love partnering could last
a night, up to a year, and at times, even led to
marriage.
Pope Gelasius banned the Lupercian
festival (494-96). However, he retained the
lottery and replaced the women’s names with
Saints.
Once picked, both men and women
were expected to live up to their chosen
saints’ attributes for an entire year. As time
progressed, more and more Romans strayed
from this custom.
Instead, young men wrote notes to the
girls of their choosing. It became a tradition
to give the beloved and admired one
handwritten messages of enamored and
He did a beautiful rendition of
“Laura” for that film. Joe Green wrote
the lyrics for his hit songs such as
“And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine” as
well as “Don’t Let the Sun Catch You
Cryin’.”
Kenton experimented with
mellophoniums, (similar to bugles or
French horns,) but had trouble with
keeping them on pitch. He worked
with young musicians, gave them his
charts, taught them in seminars, wrote
music for school bands, and employed
many young musicians in his bands.
He also left his music collection to the
University of North Texas.
Kenton was born “out of wedlock”
in 1911, not 1912 as often cited. His
parents kept it a secret, even from Stan,
until years later. He learned to play the
piano at age 4.
Kenton was consistently
controversial - a polarizing pianist/big
band leader. Although a top jazz cult
figure, he couldn’t last with Bob Hope
as his backup radio band, but was
beloved on college campuses.
Kenton had a new vision. Young
people latched onto his sound and it
started a new era.
Stan Kenton had three marriages and
they all ended in divorce. His second,
to Ann Richards, his singer for a while,
shot herself at age 46.
Kenton also had a long battle
with alcoholism. In 1977, he fell and
fractured his skull. He died two years
later in 1979, after a stroke. He had
three children.
Stan Kenton, who has a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame, is also in the
Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame.
Yvonne Cloutier, a former teacher/principal, with a music background, specializes
in ragtime piano. She is an author and has written an easy-to-read book on Scott
Joplin. She reports about music on SCA-TV.com/Anthem Alive! You can contact her
at www.mytimeisragtime.com.
romantic intention, containing St. Valentine’s
named inscribed.
There are many more versions to the
Valentine’s Day story. In fact, the Roman
Catholic Church counts at least eight saints
by the name of Valentine, three of the eight
having February 14, as their feast day.
The most popular lore comes from the
third century in Rome where Emperor
Claudius II was defeated by a humble
Christian martyr, Priest Valentinus. The
Emperor was convinced that single men,
without emotional anchors, made better
soldiers. So he outlawed marriage for young
men.
Priest Valentinus thought this to be wrong
and unfair. He therefore continued to
Psychic Phenomenon
secretly wed young couples.
Emperor Claudius II became enraged
when he found out and had Priest
Valentinus beheaded. Legend states that on
the day he died, February 14th, Valentine
left a note for one of his many supporters,
thanking her for being there for him. He
signed it, “Love from your Valentine.”
We will never know for sure the exact
details of how this legend transpired. What
we do know is that in 1969, the Roman
Catholic Church removed Valentine’s Day
from their list of holidays.
If you do not have someone “special”
to celebrate this year, don’t despair! Instead,
celebrate you! After all, the world will always
treat you, the way you treat yourself.
To learn more about Ali, spiritual consultations, coaching, classes, workshops, and
readings, call, give her a call: 702/373-9081.
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