Stan Kenton was an American jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader. He is best known for leading his own big band from the mid-1940s to the mid-1960s. Kenton's music was often considered progressive and experimental, and he was one of the first to incorporate Latin and Caribbean influences into jazz. He was also a pioneer in the use of electronic instruments in jazz. Kenton's career spanned five decades and he was inducted into the Down Beat Jazz Hall of Fame in 1971.