On January 4th, 1965, another historic milestone was reached in contemporary music.

For on that landmark evening the Los Angeles Neophonic Orchestra, the world's only permanent resident orchestra devoted to contemporary music, gave the first of 11 concerts in The Pavilion of The Los Angeles Music Center. 

Significantly for contemporary music, another opportunity for innovative expression had arrived. In a dazzling blend of imaginative writing and superb musicianship the Neophonic Orchestra presented dramatic evidence that it was quite capable of offering the listener a unique musical experience. 

For those who had followed Stan Kenton's eclectic career the announcement that he had been invited to premiere the Neophonic Orchestra at Los Angeles' multi-million dollar Music Center came as one more victory over the many slights contemporary music had been subjected to over the years. 

Who can forget the Carnegie Hall concert of 1948! 

Kenton was permitted to perform in that venerable concert hall with the stipulation he go on at midnight. Carnegie Hall's management insisted their conservative, classically-oriented music patrons would be offended if a ‘jazz concert’ (especially one by Stan Kenton) was scheduled at the more traditional curtain time of 8:00 PM. Imagine their surprise when every seat in the house, including 300 folding chairs placed upon the stage, were sold-out in 12-hours! 

Seventeen years later that same type enthusiastic support for any new musical direction Kenton might take was still very much in evidence. The 11 Neophonic concerts performed in 1965, 1966 and 1968 proved conclusively that audiences would support a new musical concept which challenged them when given the opportunity. A music that was compelling, inventive and very definitely on the cutting edge.

These six compositions, selected from the more than 35 original compositions which received their world premieres during those three triumphal seasons, underscore the stunning harmonies, explosive rhythms and impeccable solo work which became a hallmark of the Los Angeles Neophonic Orchestra. 

For those who questioned why Kenton felt the need to radically alter his Orchestra’ s musical architecture by forming the Neophonic Orchestra, the reason was simple. He felt contemporary music, and jazz in particular had metamorphisized itself through so many different styles, permutations and instrumentation’s, that the term ‘jazz’ was less meaningful. Jazz had become such a catch-all phrase for all types of contemporary music; from ballads to blues; Kenton’s own ‘progressive jazz’ to Bop, that any attempt to build upon traditional forms was not only restrictive, but impossible.

Interestingly, this was not the first time Stan Kenton had elected to reshape his library and instrumentation and move the Orchestra in an entirely different direction. 1950, without a doubt, will long be remembered in music circles as the year he impressed audiences and critics with his 40-piece ‘Innovations in Modern Music Orchestra’. 

Structured along the lines of a miniature symphony -- woodwinds, violins, cellos and a megatherin timpani section augmented his primary 19-piece orchestra – ‘Innovations’ was described by critics as the first positive attempt to begin smoothing  over the gap that had long existed between jazz and classical music. 

Although the ‘Innovations’ Orchestra enjoyed an unprecedented success, the melding together of the two forms was short-lived. For some, it as neither jazz, nor classical, but an exploitation of one while demanding the rigorous disciplines of the other. After weathering two short, but lively seasons marked by a storm of critical controversy, tempered by rave reviews from his audiences, ‘Innovations’ ceased to function as an interpreter of contemporary music.

And so the search continued. 

In New York, Gunther Schuller, John Lewis and George Russell began experimenting with ‘Third Stream’ music, which although a throwback to the classical tradition was yet another meaningful attempt to combine two precise forms into one in an effort to expand upon them. 

Simultaneously in Los Angeles Kenton went through a trial and error period of instrumentation in which he added five E-flat trumpets to the Orchestra’s already muscular 10-man brass section. When that fell short of providing the contrasting tonal patterns he wanted, he changed the five E-flat trumpets to five German flugelhorns. When that, too, left a void he discovered almost by accident, that a brace of four Conn mellophoniums (alto brass horns keyed in F) precisely captured that elusive color range between the trumpets and trombones he had been seeking for so long.

Kenton toured for three years with the 'Mellophonium Orchestra' and played to capacity houses both here and on the continent. Thanks in large part to Kenton’s own deft touch and notable contributions from Bill Holman, Ralph Carmichael, Johnny Richards, Gene Roland, Dee Barton and Lennie Niehaus the library featured some of the most driving and melodic writing ever conceived.

But, like all creative pathfinders, the time had once again arrived for him to elevate his music into yet another dimension.

Just before leaving for England in the winter of 1963, Kenton decided he would remain in Los Angeles for 18-months so he could form an altogether different orchestra. One which could be permanently located in Los Angeles and would utilize many of the people who, from 1941 to present day, had graduated from the band and were playing, composing and arranging for the television and film industries. 

Notably, this recording is a tribute to not only Stan Kenton’s vision, but to everyone who helped make the Neophonic Orchestra a reality and skillfully shaped it into one of the most daring and successful ventures ever undertaken by a performer.

Don’t be surprised when the Neophonic’s clarion trumpet calls, robust trombone passages and soaring saxophone runs begin swirling about you that you, too, sense the same exhilaration these musicians experienced on their way to January 4, 1965; a most historic date for music. 

And for you.