Las Vegas Jazz – with Wes Hensel
- Posted on 7th December 2016
- in Entertainment, entertainment books
- by Ben
Las Vegas Jazz
is not a genre, it’s part of my story.
In 1962 I got a job in the Vegas production of South Pacific. Until then I’d never been there and even though it was a much tamer scene than it is today it was still quite a shock to suddenly find myself in this bizarro world. After a couple of months I had an idea. The voice over in this vlog is an excerpt from Three Stages.
Author Ben Bryant’s “Three Stages”
This is about my jazz arranging mentor, Wes Hensel, and the “Kicks Band” of 1963 Las Vegas. Alas there are no recordings of the group but I did find a recording of Les Brown’s band playing Spanish Monster (1956) composed and arranged (orchestrated) by Wes. It could easily have been one of the tunes the long gone Vegas Kicks Band of 1963 played.
You’ll enjoy this hard swingin’ big band jazz much more with earbuds, or better yet, headphones. And remember, the video is really about the music. See links at the end of this post.
There was another kicks group, the Trombone Band, six trombonists and a rhythm section who also played one night each week. This was the group for which I started my first arrangement. Alas the show closed and I had to leave Vegas before I ever got to finish it and hear it played.
I used the training I got from Wes to write arrangements for several singers once I settled in The City. My appreciation for big band charts was enormously enhanced by the many hours I spent with this brilliant man and great teacher. I will treasure that relationship forever.
More showbiz and Las Vegas tales are yours when you click here and get Three Stages.
Three Wes Hensel compositions
Les Brown & His Band of Renown – Spanish Monster
Les Brown & His Band of Renown – Montoona Clipper
Les Brown & His Band of Renown – Especially for Two
Tags: Big Band Jazz, Las Vegas, Wes Hensel
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