Stan Kenton’s music has been described as “combining formal education with big-band jazz.” Blending jazz with other musical genres, he created what became the popular stage (or concert) band movement of the 1960s and ’70s … and each of these tunes is a prime example.

(Above) is Malagueña … an old Spanish folk song with flamenco stylings,dating back to the 1800s, by Cuban composer Ernesto Lecuona. It’s the story of a man telling a woman––from Málaga, Spain––how beautiful she is, and how he would love to be her man, but that he understands her rejecting him for being too poor. (Below) the Kenton Orchestra’s rendition of George Gershwin’s iconic Rhapsody in Blue. The Rhapsody is one of Gershwin’s most recognizable creations, and a key composition that defined the Jazz Age. The video was shot with a personal camcorder during a 1972 Copenhagen concert, but was never produced commercially. Chuck Carter is out front with a memorable solo on baritone sax.