Newstalgia Downbeat with Stan Kenton and his New Directions In Music, live in concert at the Students Union, State Teachers College, Terre Haute Indiana, June 16, 1953.
February 12, 2012

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Stan Kenton - gettin' the word out by hittin' the road in 1953.


Another Stan Kenton concert this week - this time it's from a weekly series Kenton did during one of his criss-cross tours of the U.S. in 1953.

Today it's from The Student Union Building at State Teacher's College in Terre Haute Indiana on June 16, 1953.

With a lineup that included many greats from the soon-to-be Cool School of West Coast Jazz, among them Frank Rosolino, Sal Salvador, Conte Condoli, Lee Konitz and Zoot Sims, Kenton pushed hard to get his audience on board. This tour and several others actually did much to establish Kenton as a person of musical note, particularly at a time when Big Bands were no longer profitable and hard to secure bookings at large venues. Ultimately Kenton was forced to abandon this concept as just too cost prohibitive to continue, instead concentrating mostly on his studio work. But the names that passed through the ranks of the Kenton organization were impressive and most all of them went on to successful careers throughout the 1950's and early 60's.

Here is what Kenton referred to a "Concert In Miniature" via NBC Radio.

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