I havent posted to this page for quite a while. Been busy with the Prescott Jazz Summit and other activities. I am VERY excited to report that I had a long conversation with Leslie Kenton in New Zealand tonight, where she has lived for many years. For those of you who dont know, she was Stans first born. She and I are almost the same age. As with Stans son Lance, she is thrilled at what we are doing with the Alumni Band. She loves that we are carrying on the tradition and legacy of Stan Kenton, bringing the music to new audiences on tour, and continuing his belief in jazz education. Because of my talk with her and with other people who were closely associated with Stan when he was alive, I am considering a name change for the band for the second time. I have always stayed away from The Stan Kenton Orchestra, because without him, it just isnt that. Also, we all know that he didnt want a ghost band in his will. We have done a good job, I think, in presenting much new music in the Kenton Style, and tried to make sure that we carry on his legacy without infringing on his original wishes. So - I would love to get some feed back from fans out there to see what you think. Because we now actually have the blessings of the family as to what we are doing, I am strongly considering calling the band THE STAN KENTON LEGACY ORCHESTRA, DIRECTED BY MIKE VAX. What do you think? I think it just might help us with bookings and publicity, and it does put his name even more forward, without calling it just The Stan Kenton Orchestra.
Posted on: Thu, 11 Sep 2014 07:26:59 +0000
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