Kenton's West Side Story

If you want to hear Lenny Bernstein's score played as he composed it, this is not the CD to listen to. However, if you are a fan of big band swing music in general and Stan Kenton in particular, you will enjoy listening to this CD. Kenton's version of West Side Story is a free interpretation; arrangements, phrasing, and rhythms are altered to fit Kenton's exotic style. For example, the prologue from the opening scene is played with a relaxed shuffle beat, not the tense syncopated rhythms and phrasing that Bernstein intended. One does not tamper with a work of a genius without incurring the risk of degrading it. Fortunately, in this case, Kenton can be forgiven, because this is his band at its best.My favorite track on this CD is Cool, a free interpretation which swings and rocks the rafters. I can listen to it again and again. Another hard-swinging track is Something's Coming.Perhaps the world needed a refreshing new interpretation of West Side Story in 1961, when this CD was recorded. However, a half century after Lenny Bernstein composed his masterpiece, the listener may prefer to hear the music as the composer intended it to be played.

The recording quality on this CD is very realistic. it captures the spread, depth, height, voicing and dynamics of the KENTON orchestra in full swing. You can actually pin point where each soloist is sitting or standing. Addictive sound and amazing arrangements of the West Side Story songbook.

One of the greatest albums ever produced, period.

Fabulous!!! Pure Kenton

The music of Westside Story is fantastic. In this album , Stan Kenton provides a jzzz interpretation of that great music. His use of brass in unique and beautiful Great album.

Most innovative big band ever.

Not my favorite Kenton album , but a good jazz arrangement of Leonard Berstein's classic.

Great service , Fast delivery , product as advertised, fantastic CD

A truly amazing album! The sound quality and stereo effect is brilliant by today's standards, but this recording was made in 1961! After listening to this album, one wonders why Stan didn't stick with the Mellophoniums (they were only there for three years). Despite the inherent intonation problems with the instruments themselves and the "political" problems they caused within the band, the sound that their players make on this album adds a new and unique colour to the fabulous arrangements of Bernstein's music. I am sure that with a bit more work, the Mellophonium could have been refined and become a permanent fixture in many a brass line-up. And let's not forget the rest of the band! Their playing is tight and accurate with brilliant solos from all sections, and the trumpets effortlessly sail up into the stratosphere, and stay there! how do they do that? This album has good sound, imaginative arrangement, fine source material and virtuosity, it should appeal to all lovers of good music.

Stan Kenton is faithful to the original and yet creative inventive and thrilling.I could listen to this version even more often than the vocal/Bernstein's original.Bernstein could not but approve.Sound recording also deserves 5 out of 5.Labels should consider issuing two albums in one cd: this album is actually rather short, 35m?

This is my all time favourite musical.and I obviously already own the original sound track recording. When I spotted this and realised that it was also voted best big band jazz record of 1961,also receiving the Grammy award,I just had to try it. Just lovely to have two differing versions of a great favourite.

I was not pleased with the CG sorry about that,

Bought this for my husband and he is delighted. He had had this on vinyl many years ago and was always wishing he could get it on CD so I did a little homework and found it on Amazon. He is absolutely thrilled and is enjoying it as much as he did originally.