大象传媒

Julian Joseph presents an all Stan Kenton special programme for what would have been the bandleader's and composer's 100th Birthday. The augmented 大象传媒 Big Band conducted by Jiggs Whigham are in concert at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester to play Kenton's band classics, arranged by his star band members of Bill Russo, Johnny Richards and Bill Holman.
As Whigham explains on the programme, Kenton was an encouraging bandleader and never stopped giving his players the opportunity to write and arrange for the band.
This programme includes Kenton evergreens such as Bill Russo's "Frank Speaking" and Johnny Richards arrangements of "Speak Low " and "Stella by Starlight", a feature for Bass Trombone, a rarity in itself.
The second half the concert is a complete performance of "West Side Story" - another Johnny Richards epic when the band are augmented by French Horns and Tuba.
As Julian Joseph points out, all this just a few days before what would have been Kenton's 100th Birthday.

大象传媒 Big Band are:- Craig Wild, Danny Marsden, Brian Rankine, Martin Shaw, Andy Greenwood (Trumpets), Gordon Campbell, Andy Wood, Mark Nightingale, Pete North, Robbie Harvey (Trombones), Sammy Mayne, Dave O'Higgins, Steve Main, Jay Craig, Claire McInerney, (Saxophones), Robin Aspland (Piano), Ian Laws (Guitar), Sam Burgess (Bass), Tom Gordon (Drums), Anthony Kerr (Vibes and Percussion), Adrian Miotti (Tuba), Jim Rattigan, Pip Eastop, Jonathan Bareham, Richard Ashton (Horns), Prof. Jiggs Whigham (Conductor).