City of Glass (Stan Kenton album)

City of Glass
Studio album by Stan Kenton
Released	-1951 original LP -1995 re-issue CD
Recorded	- 1947-1953 -in Hollywood, CA. (1951 original 10" LP) -other tracks in in Hollywood, CA. or New York City, 1947-1953
Genre	Jazz, Big band, instrumental, Experimental music, Third stream, Avante Garde
Length	63:15
Label	Capitol Records
Producer	Pete Rugolo, Jim Conkling Lee Gillette CD by Michael Cuscuna
Stan Kenton chronology
Stan Kenton Presents (1950) City of Glass (1951) New Concepts of Artistry in Rhythm (1952)
cat # Capitol H353 (10" LP) Capitol Jazz 7243 8 32084 2 5 (CD)

City of Glass is originally a 10" LP by Stan Kenton, the album consists entirely of the music of (Bob) Robert Graettinger. The original album has been reconstituted in different LP re-issues and the entire set of Kenton/Graettinger Capitol Records sessions are on the digital CD City of Glass.

Background

There is a great deal written in music history books about the period of artistic experimentalism after World War II in Europe and the United States. Much like the period in France after the Franco-Prussian War (Impressionism) and in the late 19th century, the pre/post World War I period of (Expressionism), the post World War II period of Modernism was no different with composers trying to 'write music for the sake of music' and not attaching it to a social meaning or meant for a social cause (see Darmstadt School). The LP City of Glass and the whole body of work from the Stan Kenton orchestra and Robert Graettinger (1947–1953) is a direct product of the experimental American music scene of the post World War II era. Though overshadowed historically by other compositional endeavours in jazz at the time attributed to George Russell, Neal Hefti or Lennie Tristano, Graettinger and City of Glass is important in the progress that was to be part of Third stream jazz.

This overall period of the Kenton orchestra (1947–1953) was the most innovative and fertile in terms of purely artistic output. Stan Kenton had reformed his orchestra in September 1947 with the avowed intention of playing "progressive" jazz designed specifically for the concert hall.^[1] Graettinger's music (as well as Pete Rugolo, Manny Albam, William Russo, Franklyn Marks, and Shorty Rogers) involves a great departure for Kenton so to produce a new American music. City of Glass and those Capitol Records recording sessions become a logical step starting with band leaders such as James Reese Europe, Paul Whiteman, and others earlier attempting to elevate the art form of jazz beyond just "hot jazz" and jam session playing. There is a very clear connection to be made in the progress of large ensemble music that Graettinger's opus's would not just 'appear out of nowhere.' Contemporaries of the Kenton/Graettinger collaboration during that time such as Boyd Raeburn (w/Eddie Finckel and George Handy) and Claude Thornhill (w/Gil Evans) help to clarify the important place where City of Glass sits in jazz history. The City of Glass sessions are part of a bigger portrait making Graettinger an important figure in the painting.

Robert Graettinger's "Thermopylae" (from the City of Glass CD) is the first Graettinger work recorded with the title referring to the famous Battle of Thermopylae fought in 480 BC between the Greeks and Persians. Venudor's and Cox's comparison to Dimitri Mosolov's Iron Foundry is not too far off^[2] but Thermopylae can better be compared to Italian Futurism music as well as larger more involved movements of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn's suites of the time (George Antheil's music would be another). Graettinger's treatment of the sax section juxtaposed against the straight 8th note pulse with Weidler's muscular 'Hodgesesque' lead alto playing places the work firmly in the camp of Ellington's 'Jungle Music,' the influence of Benny Carter's playing and writing is clearly evident also.^[3] Graettinger's intention is far closer to jazz than to the modernism of Russians or any classical music of the time; this makes it no less innovative but merely assigns the lineage to a more accurate place. Second alto saxophonist/clarinetist Art Pepper sums up the comparison to Ellington this way, "...Graettinger didn't just write for a band, or for sections; he wrote for each individual person, more or less as Ellington did. It was so difficult to play because you were independent of the guy next to you." ^[4]

The arrangement of Matt Dennis's Everything Happens To Me (June Christy, vocal) was not done under Kenton's aegis but with Christy's later to be husband Bob Cooper as the leader just after the second AFM recording ban. This is added to the CD and shows the continuity of Graettinger's writing and recorded works for Capitol; the chart had originally been done for the full Kenton instrumention but was never recorded. The small 11 piece group (to include violin and cello) provides some real insight to the inner workings of Graettinger's writing. The aesture nature of his arrangement and use of pantonality (one might call it atonality in spots) makes one wonder how June Christy is able to pick off the 9th of the F minor chord at the top of the tune; there is basically no clue given by Graettinger as to what pitch is coming for the singer (the glue that holds this together is the Bb pedal point at the bottom). Interestingly, after first stating the entire tune there is a tutti ensemble section that gives way to the 'last 'A' of the form'.^[5] Also, his harmonic transitions between sections are key in their departure from the tune compared to the established harmony while June Christy sings.

Of the works recorded by Capitol Records, Incident in Jazz is probably the most compositionally unified of Graettinger's and shows his full capabilities as an orchestral writer in progressive jazz or as a Third stream music composer. This is part of the new 'Innovations in Modern Music' orchestra that Stan Kenton had marshalled into the studio to record these groundbreaking sides. Kenton comments on the unprecedented conditions this orchestra operated under, "The Capitol people were with me all the way. There were tremendous sums of money involved in recording this orchestra and selling the music that was of such an unusual nature. I remember hour upon hour in the studio while we were recording, and there was no thought of how much it would cost: the thought was only to make the finest recordings that we knew how." ^[6] The largesse of Capitol Records and Kenton himself would only last (roughly) six months until a more conventional, financially solvent Kenton 'dance' orchestra would be reformed to cut sides with the popular Capitol artist Nat King Cole. Graettinger's "House of Strings" (Aug 24, 1950) is recorded on a split session with popular Les Baxter sides; the Kenton 'Innovations Orchestra' as a regular touring and studio unit had come and gone quickly due to financial failure.^[7]

Original 10" LP
album cover for City Of Glass

After a years hiatus from the recording of Graetinger's works, both producer Lee Gilllette and Stan Kenton were able to cajole a reluctant Capitol Records management into assembling a 1951 version of the 'Innovations Orchestra' to record.^[8] The group's studio time on December 5 and 7 was entirely devoted to Graettinger's music; primarily the four movement City of Glass suite (add "A HORN" from This Modern World). This was the rewritten version from the original premirered and Civic Opera House in Chicago in 1947 (the reception of the premiere by public was quite indifferent).^[9] Olivier Messiaen's "Mode de Valeurs et Dintensites" (1949) comes to mind with the first opening music of Graettinger's Entrance Into The City (in two parts). The fascinating aspect are the 'jagged edges' (akin to Anton Webern) and use of free dissonance by each composer while (simultaneously) writing across the Atlantic from one another. In essence, the same effect was being achieved with little to no knowledge of one anothers work. The second movement (The Structures) is quite effective to the level of Incident in Jazz recorded almost two years before. Both are well balanced works successfully set in jazz 'grooves' juxtaposed to tonal dissonance like George Russell's groundbreaking 1949 "A Bird in Igor's Yard" (also recorded by Capitol during that time). The third and last movement is much more romantic in approach; almost to the point of imagining it being a set of opera scenes from Richard Strauss's Elektra or Alban Berg's Wozzeck (Graettinger was long a fan of opera and ballet).^[10] There is some stunningly beautiful lyrical playing by members of the Kenton orchestra in this final movement.^[11]

The remaining works on the CD primarily comprise the later released This Modern World. Graetinger's trombone feature on the standard "You Go To My Head" is included here and was aimed at the first release of "New Concepts of Artistry in Rhythm." ^[12][13][14] Each piece stands on its own and do not really comprise a unified theme or 'set' of concert works. Some of the works ("A Thought", "Some Saxophones") were not even supervised in the recording process by Stan Kenton himself^[15] in that he was out on tour with the orchestra. This would be Graettinger's last tenure with the Stan Kenton recordings in the studio as composer, conductor, or supervisor.

(Bob) Robert Graettinger died an untimely dealth to lung cancer in 1957 at the age of 33; he lived a great deal of his personal life enigmatic and as a loner. "I've never had a technique to execute my ideas. I work from the idea, and have acquainted myself with the physical laws of sound. I use a different technique for each idea." He elaborates further, "The way I hear music is a series of constantly changing tensions. What I hear isn't individual melodies or harmonies, but something more like abstract shapes in motion."^[10] This set of recordings from the CD City of Glass are a vitally important archive to American 20th Century music and jazz history. The Robert Graettinger compositions and subsequent recordings will stand the test of time and are important to the history of American music.

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Robert Graettinger (except #2 and #12, Graettinger as arranger). 

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Thermopylae"	2:53
2.	"Everything Happens To Me (Matt Dennis)"	2:59
3.	"Incident In Jazz"	3:26
4.	"House Of Strings"	4:15
5.	"A Horn"	4:04
6.	"City Of Glass (1st Movement-Part 1): Entrance Into The City"	4:30
7.	"City Of Glass (1st Movement-Part 2): The Structures"	3:46
8.	"City Of Glass (2nd Movement): Dance Before The Mirror"	4:22
9.	"City Of Glass (3rd Movement): Reflections"	3:53
10.	"Modern Opus"	3:14
11.	"A Cello"	4:59
12.	"You Go To My Head (Coots/Gillespie)"	3:20
13.	"A Trumpet"	4:46
14.	"An Orchestra"	4:03
15.	"A Thought"	4:52
16.	"Some Saxophones"	3:13
Total length:		1:03:15

• Track 1 is first issued on Capitol T-172, A Presentation of Progressive Jazz! LP (1950)
• Track 2 was never issued
• Track 3 is first issued on Capitol T-189, Innovations In Modern Music LP (1950)
• Track 4 is first issued on Capitol T-248, Stan Kenton Presents LP (1951)
• Track 5, 11, 13-16 are first issued on Capitol H-460, This Modern World 10" LP (1953)
• Track 6-9 are first issued on Capitol H-353, City Of Glass 10" LP (1952)
• Track 10 and 12 are first issued on Capitol T-569, The Kenton Era LP set (1954)

Recording sessions

• Dec. 6, 1947 in New York City at RKO-Pathe Studios :Track 1
• March 28, 1949 in Hollywood, CA. at Capitol Studios :Track 2
• February 4, 1950 in Hollywood, CA. at Capitol Studios :Track 3
• Aug. 24, 1950 in Hollywood, CA. at Capitol Studios :Track 4
• Dec. 5 and 7, 1951 in Hollywood, CA. at Capitol Studios :Tracks 5-9
• March 19 and 20, 1952 in Hollywood, CA. at Capitol Studios : Track 10-11
• September 15, 1952 in Chicago, Ill. at Universal Studios :Track 12
• February 11, 1953 in Hollywood, CA. at Capitol Studios :Tracks 13-14
• May 28, 1953 in Hollywood, CA. at Capitol Studios :Tracks 15-16

Personnel

Musicians

Dec. 6, 1947

• Conductor – Stan Kenton
• Alto saxophone – George Weidler, Art Pepper
• Tenor saxophone – Bob Cooper, Warner Weidler
• Baritone saxophone – Bob Gioga
• Trumpet – Buddy Childers, Al Porcino, Harry Betts, Chico Alvarez, Ken Hanna
• Trombone – Milt Bernhart, Eddie Bert, Harry Betts, Harry Forbes, Bart Varsalona (bass)
• Guitar – Laurindo Almeida
• Bass – Eddie Safranski
• Drums – Shelly Mann
• Bongos – Jack Costanza

March 28, 1949

• Vocal – June Christy
• Violin – Jasper Hornyack
• Alto saxophone – Art Pepper
• Tenor saxophone – Bob Cooper
• Baritone saxophone – Irv Roth
• Trumpet – Buddy Childers
• Bass Trumpet – Johnny Mandel
• Trombone – Billy Byers
• Cello – Casare Pascarella
• Piano – Hal Schaeffer
• Bass – Joe Mondragon
• Drums – Don Lamond

February 4, 1950

• Conductor – Stan Kenton
• Alto saxophone – George Weidler, Art Pepper
• Tenor saxophone – Bob Cooper, Warner Weidler
• Baritone saxophone – Bob Gioga
• Trumpet – Buddy Childers, Maynard Ferguson, Shorty Rogers, Chico Alvarez, Don Palandino
• Trombone – Milt Bernhart, Eddie Bert, Harry Betts, Harry Forbes, Bart Varsalona (bass)
• Guitar – Laurindo Almeida
• Bass – Eddie Safranski
• Drums – Shelly Mann

Aug. 24, 1950

• Violin - George Kast, Lew Elias, Jim Cathcart, Earl Cornwell, Anthony Doria, Jim Holmes, Alex Law, Herbert Offner, Carl Ottobrino, Dave Schakne
• Viola - Stan Harris, Leonard Selic, Sam Singer
• Cello - Gregory Bemko, Zachary Bock, Jack Wulfe
• Alto saxophone, flute – Bud Shank
• Alto saxophone, clarinet – Art Pepper
• Tenor saxophone, oboe, English horn – Bob Cooper
• Tenor saxophone, bassoon – Bart Cardarell
• Baritone saxophone, bass clarinet – Bob Gioga
• Trumpet – Buddy Childers, Maynard Ferguson, Shorty Rogers, Chico Alvarez, John Copolla
• Horn - John Graas, Lloyd Otto
• Trombone – Milt Berhart, Harry Betts, Bob Fitzpatrick, Bill Russo, Bart Varsalona (bass)
• Tuba - Gene Englund
• Guitar – Laurindo Almeida
• Piano - Stan Kenton
• Bass – Don Bagley
• Drums – Shelly Manne
• Congas – Carlos Vidal

Dec. 5 and 7, 1951

• Violin - Alex Law, Earl Cornwell, Phil Davidson, Barton Gray, Maurice Koukel, Seb Mercurio, Danny Napolitano, Dwight Muma, Charlie Scarle, Ben Zimberoff
• Viola - Paul Israel, aaron Shpiro, Dave Smiley
• Cello - Gregory Bemko, Zachary Bock, Gabe Jellen
• Double Bass - Abe Luboff
• Alto saxophone, flute – Bud Shank
• Alto saxophone, clarinet – Art Pepper
• Tenor saxophone, oboe, English horn – Bob Cooper
• Tenor saxophone, bassoon – Bart Cardarell
• Baritone saxophone, bass clarinet – Bob Gioga
• Trumpet – John Howell, Maynard Ferguson, Conte Candoli, Stu Williamson, John Copolla
• Horn - John Graas, Lloyd Otto, George Price
• Trombone – Harry Betts, Bob Fitzpatrick, Bill Russo, Dick Kenney, George Roberts (bass)
• Tuba - Stan Fletcher
• Guitar – Sal Salvador
• Piano - Stan Kenton
• Bass – Don Bagley
• Drums – Stan Levey

March 19, 1952

• Alto saxophone – Dick Meldonian, Lennie Niehaus
• Tenor saxophone – Bill Holman, Lee Elliot
• Baritone saxophone – Bob Gioga
• Trumpet – Buddy Childers, Clyde Reasinger, Conte Candoli, Don Dennis, Ruben McFall
• Horn - John Graas, Lloyd Otto
• Trombone – Bob Fitzpatrick, Bill Russo, John Halliburton, Gerald Finch, George Roberts (bass)
• Guitar – Ralph Blaze
• Conductor – Stan Kenton
• Bass – Don Bagley
• Drums – Frank Capp

March 20, 1952

• Cello - Gregory Bemko
• Alto saxophone, clarinet – Dick Meldonian
• Alto saxophone, oboe - Lennie Niehaus
• Tenor saxophone, English horn – Bob Cooper
• Tenor saxophone, bassoon – Bart Cardarell
• Baritone saxophone, bass clarinet – Bob Gioga
• Horn - John Graas, Lloyd Otto, Fred Fox
• Bass – Don Bagley
• Drums, tympani – Frank Capp

September 15, 1952

• Conductor – Stan Kenton
• Alto saxophone – Vinnie Dean, Lee Konitz
• Tenor saxophone – Bill Holman, Richie Kamuca
• Baritone saxophone – Bob Gioga
• Trumpet – Buddy Childers, Maynard Ferguson, Conte Candoli, Don Dennis, Ruben McFall, Pete Candoli
• Trombone – Bob Burgess, Frank Rosolino, Bill Russo, Keith Moon, George Roberts (bass)
• Guitar – Sal Salvador
• Piano - Stan Kenton
• Bass – Don Bagley
• Drums – Stan Levey

February 11, 1953

Same as September 15, 1952 but add Pete Candoli to trumpets.

May 28, 1953

• Conductor – Robert Graettinger
• Alto saxophone, flute – Bud Shank
• Alto saxophone - Herb Geller
• Tenor saxophone, oboe, English horn – Bob Cooper
• Tenor saxophone, clarinet, bassoon – Bart Calderell
• Baritone saxophone – John Rotella
• Horn – John Graas (on 15 only)

Production

• Producer: (1,3,4) Jim Conkling, (2) Bob Cooper, (5-16) Lee Gillette
• Re-issue producer (CD): Michael Cuscuna
• Digital transfers and mastering (CD): Malcolm Addey
• CD design: Patrick Roques and Lisa Cuscuna
• Liner notes: Max Harrison and Gunther Schuller

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Billboard Magazine Nov. 1, 1952	#9 sales for Capitol Records
Billboard Magazine Nov. 22, 1952	#6 sales for Capitol Records
The Penguin Guide to Jazz	[16]
Allmusic	[17]

The 16 pieces arranged by Bob Graettinger which make up this CD number among the most exacting works Kenton was ever responsible for. Graettinger's two major pieces, City of Glass and This Modern World are extraordinary works...

Scott Yanow, Allmusic Guide

Note: There are many reviews in books written about jazz and classical music in the past 10–15 years which unanimously place City of Glass as a breakthrough and milestone in American music (far more than we have room for).

References

1. ^ Sparke, Michael. Stan Kenton: The Studio Sessions. Balboa books (1998). ISBN 0 936653 82 5 p. 68
2. ^ Sparke, p. 72
3. ^ City Of Glass, Capitol Records H-353, 10" LP (original liner notes), Bob Graettinger was a saxophonist with Bobby Sherwood and Benny Carter.
4. ^ Harrison, Max. City of Glass CD, liner notes (1995), Capitol Jazz, 7234 8 32084 2 5
5. ^ (normally you might come back to the bridge, the lyric from the tune/story would lend itself this way)
6. ^ Sparke, p. 77
7. ^ Sparke, p. 90
8. ^ Sparke, p. 88
9. ^ Harris, Steven. The Kenton Kronicles. Dynaflo Books (2000) ISBN 0 9676273 0 3 p. 70
10. ^ ^{a b} Harris, Steven. p. 47
11. ^ any person who is a detractor of woodwind doublers (Multireedist) being able to play as well as pure 'one instrument' players REALLY needs to listen to this movement. The woodwind section is quite amazing with jazz stars Bob Cooper, Art Pepper, and Bud Shank playing oboe, clarinet, and flute respectively. They compare VERY favorably to any major symphony orchestra woodwind sections you hear on recordings.
12. ^ Graettinger's arrangement was included on the CD re-issue of "New Concepts...", that and two other cuts did not make the original release in 1952
13. ^ Side note: "New Concepts of Artistry in Rhythm" is widely regarded as one of the top, masterpiece recordings in the entire history of jazz. It is the combination of phenomenal musicians in every seat of the orchestra combined with the very best output from the top composers and arrangers of American jazz during that era. Very few jazz recordings equal this one.
14. ^ Cooper, Jack. note from author: I played alto sax on this chart in a Kenton rehearsal band in Los Angeles around 1986 with many Kenton alums who knew how to play it. I heard the chart played correctly, it is a masterpiece of jazz arranging (in my opinion). Yes, there is a bias in this respect, go hear it for yourself on the CD. Hearing the music live..that is what it is all about...right(?)
15. ^ Sparke, p. 101
16. ^ The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD, 5th Edition, Richard Cook and Brian Morton, ISBN 0 14 051452 X p.832
17. ^ "All Music Guide, SCOTT YANOW, review". http://allmusic.com/album/city-of-glass--this-modern-world-r142070.