Stan Kenton
December 15, 1911 – August 25, 1979
Stan Kenton was a popular jazz pianist and band leader who made his mark as part of the West Coast jazz scene of the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s. He was considered an innovator in his day – taking what others called a “dance band,” and filling it out to what he preferred to call an “orchestra.” In doing so, he created what was then labeled a “wall of sound,” a term hijacked by Phil Spector in later years. His influence can be heard today across America’s high school and college jazz bands. Stan Kenton died on August 25, 1979 following a stroke. He was 67.
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