Stan Kenton – who released a 10″ Capitol EP Artistry in Rhythm in December 1946 – was a progressive voice in jazz, just as Tex Williams, who answered Kenton in 1948 with “Artistry in Western Swing,” was likewise a forward thinker within the realm of western swing and country music.
Kenton had actually kicked off this whole “artistry” thing back in 1943 with the composition, “Artistry in Rhythm” – one of the year’s big hits. The Capitol EP, curiously, does not include the actual title track but does offer “Artistry in Percussion and “Artistry in Bolero” instead.
You can compare and contrast yourself – first, here’s 1943’s “Artistry in Rhythm” by Stan Kenton And His Orchestra:
Next, click on the triangle below to play “Artistry in Western Swing” by Tex Williams And His Western Caravan from 1948:
“Artistry in Western Swing“
Tex Williams (1948)
In The Jazz of the Southwest: An Oral History of Western Swing, Jean A. Boyd writes,
The Western Caravan at this time included Tex Williams (bandleader, vocals, guitar); Smokey Rogers (vocals, guitar, banjo); Deuce Spriggins (vocals, bass); Pedro DePaul (accordian, arranger); Cactus Soldi (fiddle); Rex ‘Curly‘ Call (fiddle); Max ‘Gibby‘ Fidler (fiddle); Johnny Weiss (lead guitar); Ozzie Godson (piano, vibraphone); Muddy Berry (drums); Spike Featherstone (harp); Earl ‘Joaquin‘ Murphey (steel guitar). [Guitarist] Benny Garcia was also part of the Western Caravan band that recorded the magnificent Artistry in Western Swing album, a western swing response to Stan Kenton’s monumental Artistry in Swing. Benny recalls that he had to hire jazz flutist Ezzie Morales to play the flute parts on the Kenton arrangements.
Note that songwriting credit is given to Stan Kenton
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Stan Kenton:
The Original “Wall of Sound“
As Jim Gilchrist of The Scotsman points out in his piece, “Bringing Back the Original Wall of Sound,” Stan Kenton gained distinction for his orchestra’s famed Wall of Sound “way before Phil Spector annexed the term.”
