Immortal Concerts

AMG Review of Immortal Concerts

Stephen Thomas Erlewine
All Music Guide

The budget-line release Stan Kenton & His Orchestra is part of Giants of Jazz's Immortal Concerts. According to the liner notes, this is a recording of a January 30, 1960 concert at the Enlisted Men's Club at the U.S. Marine Corps Supply Centre in Barstow, CA. The recording quality suggests that this is true, since it is occasionally muted and often unbalanced. Still, it's a passable recording, as is the performance. There's really nothing special about the concert -- quite clearly, Kenton & His Orchestra treated this as the dance gig that it was, so they played a set list that was nothing but familiar tunes -- but it's hardly an embarrassment, either. This is a fairly solid, workman-like performance, without any missteps, but without any real moments of inspiration either. It's the kind of album that will only be of interest to serious fans, even if they won't be knocked out by the record; this simply fills a gap in the collection.