Sketches on Standards (subtitled Request selections from the Kenton Dance Library) is an album by pianist and bandleader Stan Kenton featuring performances of jazz standards recorded in 1953 and originally released on the Capitol label as a 10-inch LP.Vosbein, P. Stan Kenton Discography accessed April 11, 2016Watts, R., Edwards, D., Eyries, P. and Callahan, M. Capitol Album Discography, Part 3: 10" Albums: 300 to 449 accessed April 11, 2016The Capitol Sessions of Stan Kenton: 1953Maynard Ferguson Discography accessed April 11, 2016
Critical reception
The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow noted "although these concise interpretations are not essential, the music is quite pleasing". On All About Jazz Jack Bowers said "One can’t help noticing that, unlike many of today’s inseparable clones, Kenton’s soloists — most of them, anyway — are almost instantly identifiable. No one, for example, would mistake Konitz, Candoli, Rosolino or Kamuca for anyone else, and their resourceful improvisations sound as fresh today as they did half a century ago".Bowers, J. All About Jazz Review, June 1, 2002
Track listing "Sophisticated Lady" (Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, Mitchell Parish) – 3:19 "Begin the Beguine" (Cole Porter) – 3:04 "Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?)" (Jimmy Davis, James Sherman, Ram Ramirez) – 2:50 "Pennies from Heaven" (Arthur Johnston, Johnny Burke) – 3:00 "Over the Rainbow" (Harold Arlen, Yip Harburg) – 3:05 "Fascinating Rhythm" (George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin) – 2:46 "There's a Small Hotel" (Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart) – 2:43 "Shadow Waltz" (Al Dubin, Harry Warren) – 2:37 "Harlem Nocturne" (Earle Hagen) – 3:06 *bonus track on CD "Stella By Starlight" (Victor Young – Ned Washington) – 3:18 *bonus track on CD "Dark Eyes" (Traditional) – (2:12) – *bonus track on CD "Malaguena" (Ernesto Lecuona) –(2:31) – *bonus track on CD "Spring is Here" (Rodgers and Hart) (3:19) – *bonus track on CD "I'm Glad There Is You (F. Madeira J. Dorsey) (4:14) – *bonus track on CD
Personnel Stan Kenton – piano, conductor Conte Candoli, Buddy Childers, Don Dennis, Maynard Ferguson, Ruben McFall – trumpet Bob Burgess, Keith Moon, Frank Rosolino, Bill Russo – trombone George Roberts – bass trombone Vinnie Dean, Lee Konitz – alto saxophone Bill Holman, Richie Kamuca – tenor saxophone Bob Gioga – baritone saxophone Sal Salvador – guitar Don Bagley – bass Stan Levey – drums Stan Kenton (track 2), Lennie Niehaus (track 4), Bill Russo (tracks 1, 3 & 5–8) – arranger
References