Back To Balboa

Gold, Don. "Record Review. Back to Balboa." Down Beat 10 Jul. 1958: 25, 28.

Stan Kenton
BACK TO BALBOA—Capital T 995: The Big Chase; Rendezvous at Sunset; Speak Low; My Old Flame; Out of this World; Begin the Beguine; Get Out of Town; Royal Blue; I Concentrate on You; Beyond the Blue Horizon.

Personnel: Kenton, leader and piano; Sam Noto, Phil Gilbert, Lee Katzman, Billy Catalano, Jules Chaiken, trumpets; Lennie Niehaus, Bill Robinson, Bill Perkins, Richie Kamuca, Steve Perlow, reeds; Kent Larsen, Jim Amlotte, Don Reed, Archie LeCoque, Kenny Shroyer (bass trombone), trombones; Vince DeRosa, Jimmy Deckker. French horns; Red Kelly, bass; Jerry McKenzie, drums.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★

Back to Balboa marks Kenton’s return to the Rendezvous ballroom in Balboa Beach, Calif. It was recorded last January, before Kenton abandoned the project of using the ballroom as a permanent residence for his band.

Recorded at the ballroom, the sounds tend to be somewhat hollow, with some of the soloists sounding out in left field. However, this is a big band, one that is not hampered by such limitations.

Much of the dignity and discipline of Kenton's approach is manifested here. It is not a flawless band. At times, it displays a rigid dynamic sense. The use of Afro-Cuban rhythmic foundations tends to impose a stiffness, too. But this is an orchestra of incomparable vigor. The Kenton discipline produces sections that can work with equal facility as units in themselves and as interacting ingredients in Kenton's master orchestral plan. The band's book is varied (at least as indicated here) and contains contributions from some of jazz' most able composers.

Kenton, in describing Holman's Royal Blue in the notes, terms it "exciting, powerful, and positive." He could have been describing this band.

In Perkins, Kamuca, Niehaus, Noto, and Katzman, Kenton has several key soloists. Most of the charts in this LP are by Johnny Richards; at his best—as in Sunset—Richards uses the orchestra as an illuminating device. Other charts, by Marty Paich and Holman, take advantage of the orchestra's capabilities, too. The vivid over-all Kenton sound is precisely executed.

This is an important orchestra. It is a sad commentary on the jazz scene that Kenton was led to hire his own hall in order to sustain the band. The jazz audience should sustain the life of one of its most significant contemporary voices, if this LP is any evidence of the potential of the Kenton band. (D.G.)

"Record Review. Back to Balboa." Billboard, 19 May 1957: 22.

BACK TO BALBOA (1-12”)—Stank [sic] Kenton. Capitol T 995

An exciting new effort from the swingin’ Kenton crew than can make a strong showing in pop and jazz markets. The arrangements are by Johnny Richards, Marty Paich and Bill Holman. The band has never sounded better, and the orkster’s fans should find this set an easy one to take. Sound quality is excellent. Selections include an explosive Latin beat styling of “Speak Low,” “I Concentrate on You” and “My Old Flame.”

MH. "Record Review: Back to Balboa." Jazz Journal Apr. 1963: 33.

Shera, Michael. "Record Review: Back to Balboa." Jazz Journal Apr. 1963: 33.

STAN KENTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA:
Sam Noto, Phil Gilbert, Lee Katzman, Billy Catalano, Jules Chaikin (tpt); Kent Larsen, Jim Amlotte, Don Reed, Archie LeCoque (tbn) Kenny Shroyer (bs-tbn); Vince DeRosa, Jimmy Deckker (fr-h); Lennie Niehaus, Bill Robinson (alt); Bill Perkins, Richie Kamuca (ten); Steve Perlow (bar); Stan Kenton (p); Red Kelly (bs); Jerry McKenzie, drums.
Rendezvous Ballroom, Balboa—January 20, 1958.

The big chase
Rendezvous at sunset
Speak low
My old flame
Out of this world
Begin the beguine
Get out of town
Royal Blue
I concentrate on you
Beyond the blue horizon

CAPITOL T995 (12-inch)—33/8½d.

Some confusion exists as to the personnel which is given on the sleeve as above. However, the baritone solos are credited to Robinson in the solo sequence listed and one Fitzpatrick is given as the soloist (presumably on trombone) on Speak Low. Definite information on these points lacking. Musically this record can only be taken seriously as a joke; perhaps as a shaggy dog story without the relief of an anti-climaxial ending. Seven of the titles were arranged by Johnny Richards with a dead-panned heavy-handedness that robs them of all their character. Begin the Beguine and Kurt Weill’s beautiful Speak Low suffer most. For Richards and many of Kenton's other arrangers the scoring of standards seems to be an end in itself in that it becomes a process whereby every melody is treated in the same way quite without regard for its individual character. Begin the Beguine, for example, should be scored so that its rhythm and the shape of its melody are clearly defined. But, like all the others, it is tricked out with the heaviest possible orchestration and loaded with every unnecessary detail imaginable. This business of systematic over-scoring reaches its hight in Flame. The melody is imparted with a ponderousness that is almost laughable.. The arrangements arc matched by the majority or the solos—especially the trombones. Perhaps the most consistent thing about Kenton’s records has been the really remarkable emptiness on the trombone solos to be found on them. With the exception of Kai Winding they all have had that staccato, a-rhythmic barking sound.

Could it be the result of over-blowing on so Kenton arrangements? Even Niehaus can do nothing in this context. On Beguine and World he has of the ingredients of good solos but l defy any altoist in jazz to swing against (and ‘against’ is the right word) the backings he receives here here. M.H.