Stan Kenton, byname of Stanley Newcomb Kenton, (born Feb. 19, 1912, Wichita, Kan., U.S.—died Aug. 25, 1979, Los Angeles), American jazz bandleader, pianist, and composer who commissioned and promoted the works of many modern composer-arrangers and thrust formal education and big-band jazz together into what became the stage (or concert) band movement of the 1960s and ’70s, involving thousands of high school and college musicians.
Kenton was responsible for the “progressive jazz” label that some mistake for all modern jazz and some use to identify all Kenton-linked jazz. Some critics place his music in the “cool jazz” category and, being based in California, many of his players—including Shorty Rogers, Bill Perkins, and Shelly Manne—were identified with West Coast jazz, a subcategory of cool jazz.
1950. Stan Kenton - Stan Kenton Presents (LP)
1951. Stan Kenton - Summer Of '51
1952. Stan Kenton - New Concepts Of Artistry In Rhythm
1954. Stan Kenton - Kenton Plays Holman Live!
1955. Stan Kenton - Duet (with June Christy)
1956. Stan Kenton - Cuban Fire!
1956. Stan Kenton - Kenton In HI-FI
1957. Stan Kenton - Stompin' At Newport
1958. Stan Kenton - Back To Balboa
1958. Stan Kenton - The Ballad Style Of Stan Kenton
1958. Stan Kenton - The Stage Door Swings
1959. Stan Kenton - At Ukiah 1959
1959. Stan Kenton - Live From The Las Vegas Tropicana
1960. Stan Kenton - Immortal Concerts
1961. Stan Kenton - A Merry Christmas!
1961. Stan Kenton - Adventures In Blues
1961. Stan Kenton - Adventures In Jazz
1961. Stan Kenton - Kenton's West Side Story
1962. Stan Kenton - Adventures In Time
1962. Stan Kenton - Mellophonium Moods
1966. Stan Kenton - With The Danish Radio Big Band
1970. Stan Kenton - Live At Redlands University
1972. Stan Kenton - Live At Butler University
1972. Stan Kenton - Live In London (2 CD)
1973. Stan Kenton - 7.5 On The Richter Scale
1974. Stan Kenton - Fire, Fury And Fun
1976. Stan Kenton - The Complete Integrated Sunset Ridge Concert (2 CD)
1976. Stan Kenton - Journey Into Capricorn
1988. Stan Kenton - Greatest Hits
1991. The Complete Capitol Recordings Of The Holman And Russo Charts (4 CD)
1992. Stan Kenton - Street Of Dreams
1995. Stan Kenton - City Of Glass
1995. Stan Kenton - Rendezvous Of Standards And Classics (2 CD)
1996. Stan Kenton - Jazz Ladies & Stan Kenton
1998. Stan Kenton - Wagner & Stan'Dart Kenton
2000. Stan Kenton - Painted Rhythm (2 CD)
2001. Stan Kenton - Easy Go
2006. Stan Kenton - The Kenton Era (2 CD)
