Stan Kenton

Head of the ‘heavy metal’ tendency in big bands. Stan’s bands were bigger and louder than anyone else’s and also outlasted most of the others. At various times containing such stars as June Christy, Lee Konitz and Art Pepper, to name but three, Stan tried to promote ‘progressive music’, with jazz mini-concertos and some wizard arrangers, like Bill Russo, Shorty Rogers and Bill Holman.