Thursday 10 February 2011

Glenn Miller - In the USA and Europe - Magic Label ID. AWE 9


In the USA and Europe   - Magic Label ID. AWE 9 - The Golden Years: 1938-1942 (4CD)
The Glenn Miller Service Orchestra




Description from the Sleeve
 

Like Volume I the music on this record comes from Radio Broadcasts and transcriptions done in the U.S.A. England and on the Continent; also back in the U.S.A. when the orchestra returned in 1945 prior to it being disbanded. Quite a few of the titles on this record have not previously been available on record. Those that have we feel you will find avast improvement in sound quality. So enjoy this rare and in some cases unique record which opens with a really rip roaring version of SNAFU JUMP; good trumpet and saxophone solos and fine assembly work by the band. For those who don't know SNAFU stands for 'Situation normal all fouled up'.

I DON'T WANT TO BE LOVED is a lovely melody beautifully sung by Johnny Desmond-real proof of the tide given to him by the French of "Le Creamer".

Ray McKinley on drums leads the band off with this superb rendition of the old Glenn Miller civilian band favourite AMERICAN PATROL.


On the beautiful Gershwin tide SUMMERTIME we hear the full range of the Glenn Miller service orchestra.


HAVE YA GOT ANY GUM C HUM ? was written by Murray Kane who sings it here with the Crew Chiefs. This very topical period piece would not be appreciated by today's younger generation but to those of us brought up at the time of sweet rationing we understand every word.

ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT is very short but very sweet and shows exacdy how restrained and subtle the orchestra could sound.

AUTUMN SERENADE has a symphonic opening to a lovely Johnny Desmond vocal number from which we take the title for this album.

SIDE TWO opens with Jerry Gray's CARIBBEAN CLIPPER written as a swing number for Glenn's civilian band and the power-house playing of Glenn's service orchestra really blows new life into this tide.

CHATTANOOGA CHOO CHOO was Glenn Miller's first million selling disc with his civilian band. Ray McKinley and the Crew Chiefs do an excellent job on the vocal usually sung by Tex Beneke and the Modernaires.

ENLISTED MEN'S MESS sounds as if it was recorded with a microphone under the stage of the theatre; thus one gets rather strange acoustics but what an exciting sound it makes on this very good instrumental swing number.

The full orchestra supports Johnny Desmond's vocal on this superb arrangement of MY PRAYER. It's all here - the saxes the strings the "Miller" sound.

This version of Glenn's theme MOONLIGHT SERENADE was recorded whilst the band was here in England in 1944.


THE TROLLEY SONG - who could forget Judy Garland singing this song in the film "Meet Me in St. Louis". Well this extended arrangement with the full orchestra plus Johnny Desmond The Crew Chiefs and assistance in French from Ray McKinley will certainly make you think again. A really swinging close to this album by Glenn Miller and his orchestra and vocalists in the U.S.A. and Europe.
 

ID. 100059 - Glenn Miller - In the USA and Europe   - Magic Label ID. AWE 9

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