Sketches on Standards

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[5]

The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow noted "although these concise interpretations are not essential, the music is quite pleasing".^[5] On All About Jazz Jack Bowers said "One can’t help noticing that, unlike many of today’s inseparable clones, Kenton’s soloists — most of them, anyway — are almost instantly identifiable. No one, for example, would mistake Konitz, Candoli, Rosolino or Kamuca for anyone else, and their resourceful improvisations sound as fresh today as they did half a century ago".^[6]

1. "Sophisticated Lady" (Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, Mitchell Parish) – 3:19
2. "Begin the Beguine" (Cole Porter) – 3:04
3. "Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?)" (Jimmy Davis, James Sherman, Ram Ramirez) – 2:50
4. "Pennies from Heaven" (Arthur Johnston, Johnny Burke) – 3:00
5. "Over the Rainbow" (Harold Arlen, Yip Harburg) – 3:05
6. "Fascinating Rhythm" (George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin) – 2:46
7. "There's a Small Hotel" (Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart) – 2:43
8. "Shadow Waltz" (Al Dubin, Harry Warren) – 2:37
9. "Harlem Nocturne" (Earle Hagen) – 3:06 *bonus track on CD
10. "Stella By Starlight" (Victor Young – Ned Washington) – 3:18 *bonus track on CD
11. "Dark Eyes" (Traditional) – (2:12) – *bonus track on CD
12. "Malaguena" (Ernesto Lecuona) –(2:31) – *bonus track on CD
13. "Spring is Here" (Rodgers and Hart) (3:19) – *bonus track on CD
14. "I'm Glad There Is You (F. Madeira J. Dorsey) (4:14) – *bonus track on CD

• Stan Kenton – piano, conductor
• Conte Candoli, Buddy Childers, Don Dennis, Maynard Ferguson, Ruben McFall – trumpet
• Bob Burgess, Keith Moon, Frank Rosolino, Bill Russo – trombone
• George Roberts – bass trombone
• Vinnie Dean, Lee Konitz – alto saxophone
• Bill Holman, Richie Kamuca – tenor saxophone
• Bob Gioga – baritone saxophone
• Sal Salvador – guitar
• Don Bagley – bass
• Stan Levey – drums
• Stan Kenton (track 2), Lennie Niehaus (track 4), Bill Russo (tracks 1, 3 & 5–8) – arranger