Stan Kenton launched his jazz orchestra in 1941, and while big bands would soon lose their primacy to the bebop revolution, he boldly carried on for decades, never gathering dust. He reveled in his band's power: a muscular saxophone sound with exciting staccato patterns, soaring brass lines, and a furious rhythmic thrust. His infectious hit version of the Cuban standard “The Peanut Vendor” revealed his interest in Latin rhythms. The title of his episodic classic “Artistry In Rhythm” reflected his ambition, but he could also please crowds, framing June Christy's sassy voice with jaunty brass stabs in “Shoe Fly Pie and Apple Pan Dowdy”.