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officer. The Years VII said: "Glenn was also keenly aware of the value of publicity, many times accepting location jobs "Clenn," Tom Shiels said, "bought a station wagon from offering free radio time instead of the higher-paying one- to make friends with as Ralph Brewster's dad. Ralph Brewster was one of the original nighters, and going out of his way then, their Modernaires. His father had the Oldsmobile agency in many disc jockeys as he could, realizing' even By the same token, he Atchison. Kansas. Glenn wanted me to take it on the road and power in making orbreaking a record. by tying the band pri)mote his records. This was 1942. Lypassed large sums of money every week radio shows, calculat- ''He had great business sense. He knew there'd be afreeze up with a series of hour-long Saturday to bring thousands of fans on a lot ol civilian products. So he sent me to Wisconsin to ing correctly that they would tend failed to walk away buy some Shastock mutes for tntmpets and trombones' I in to see us on the road; fans who never wanted it." b<-rught a f'ew hundred of them, bucket mutes, harmon mutes, with Glenn's autograph if they band was Johnny Best, and put them in Manhattan Storage Warehouse on Seventh Among the best musicians in the Johnny was born on Avenue I said. 'What do you want those for?' He said, 'Some one of the finest of all lead trumpets. Carolina, population at day rve'll have use for them.' October 20,1913, in Shelby, North Duke Universitv "subsequently he did. When later on he started these Amry that time about three thousand. He attended probably the most famous of Air Force bands around the country, he supplied all the mutes and played in the Blue Devils, ' ibr tirem. college bands. Eventually he went with was the band," he told "The sante when we did the Sunset Serenade program. He "That's when Billie Holiday with bought all these RCA radio-phonographs from Victor at cost, me. "That was at Roseland State Ballroom. bit. Said I was playing too because he was a Victor artist. He gave them away as prizes "Artie started criticizinga little that I'd rather not talk about' on Sunset Serenade. That's why I never got on the road with many notes. Something went on band at the Capitol the records: he put me in charge of the logistics on that. I It had to do with a woman. I left that joined the Miller band would have to contact the military base and arrange for them Theater in Washington, D'C. and just at Glen Island Casino' to pick tlreir favorite song for Sunset Serenade, and then urge immediately. Glenn had closed a job ayear before that. He said, 'l their friends to send in a penny postcard saying something like Glenn had offered me knew hinr as a friend' He 'My favorite song is I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire,' can'tpay you as much as Shaw'' I play relief lead fiom Fort Dix, New Jersey. Or Can't Get Out of This Mood' said, 'I want you to play solos on ballads and just then. They'd have their families send in these postcards. Whoever trumpet.' He had three trumpets He was alway's nice to me' got the most postcards would win the phonograph. I would go "Glenn was a friend of mine. you got in a crap game with and have the plaque made: 'To the men at Fort Dix, compli- He was a sorehead, in ways. If passes on a ntg in an ments of Glenn Miller.' him, you found that out. I made three and I were "One week five camps picked I Don't Want to Set the apartment in Hollywood. Hal Mclntyre, Glenn hit the wall and Ihorld on Fire. That rveek we sent out five phonographs and piaying. We were on the floor. The dice touch. 'Ihree in a plaques. tounced back. And he said, 'They didn't "l think Glenn would have been successful no matter what row.' joined was riding with Glenn and kind of business he went into. "When I first the band, I said "I ioved Helen Miller. She and my Helen, Helen Burke, Helen Miller. We were talking about mountains' I the Unrted who later became my wife, were close friends' She came to Mount Whitney was the highest mountain in 'Oh there are our wedding with Polly Haynes, Don's wife. I think June States not counting Alaska. He said, - than Mount Whit- Allyson did a good job as Helen N{iller." Don Haynes was fourteen mountains in Colorado higher 'Sure, I'11 bet Miller's manager and later, during the war, his executive ney.' I said, 'Glenn, you wanna bet?' I said, in the Pacific' I you five dollars.' Next day he said, 'You don't bet unless it's Army band going. This was after we'd been with him out at Tenafly, New Jersey' a sure thing, do you?' had Christmas dinner John. Did you try to get in "Toward the end, when the band was losing popularity, I "He said, 'Tell me one thing, you went with Artie?' was walking across the street with him. We were playing the touch with me before you and they said you were in the Stanley Theater. We were coming from the hotel. He had a "I said, 'I tried to call hangover from the night before. Harry James was getting hot hospital in Fort Mead.' mY in record sales. He said, 'Now I know how Benny must have "He wanted to know Preference. soon as Shaw called me' I said, felt when Artie started coming uP.' "My mind was made up as any better than that. The Miller "I could say the same thing about Artie. Artie gave up his 'Well, musically, I can't do band. But today, the band when Glenn Miller was coming up. We were both band was . . . Well, it was the Miller a thing. But Artie was a great player' booked in at the same time. He was booked at Miller band is still huge the Strand Theater and Glenn was booked at the Paramount' A brilliant man. FunnY too' late Dave Dexter are revealing' This would be in late '39. Some comments by the Dexter wrote freelance "I rode it out with Glenn to the end, three years' When he Born in Kansas City, Missouri, then moved to the broke up the band, he wanted many guys to go with Charlie articles for Down Beat, - as a staff member. He recalled Spivak, who he was backing. I was one of them. I guess I magazindsheadquarters - Archives of his alma .iid, 'Okuy.' I had spoken to Charlie on a long distance call in an interview now in the Marr Sound at Kansas City: from Chicago to New York for thirty minutes, trying peace- mater, the University of Missouri I had no expense account' If I fully to get out of that. I liked Charlie very much, but I didn't "My big problem was that at the Black Hawk, the want to go with a trumpet-playing leader. Thal wouldn't be wanted to see the band get seat at the bar and have a any fun. wanted me, and I talked to him' best I could do was maybe a the musicians And I talked to Bob Crosby. I went with the Crosby band. Budweiser and nurse it for two hours and meet would invite me They were doing nothing but theaters. Every band started between sets. Once in a while a bandleader he would pick up the check' breaking up. I had my draft notice in my pocket. I knew I had to sit down and have dinner and that way. Benny Goodman to go in December. Miller had said, 'Don't do anything until was marvelous was always picking up you get in touch with me. I'm going to do something in the used to do that a lot too' Glenn Miller military.' the check on me. had won for the first time "You want to hear a million-to-one shot? We were at the "The first time I met Glenn he days that was a big, prestigious Chicago Theater. We were all through, finished the last show' the Down Beatpoll.In those took the train to New York We were walking to the hotel. I was with ' We victory for a bandleader. And I plaque that must have got half a block away, and Yank says, 'Walk back to the from Chicago, and presented a little show. That was in '39' iheater with me. I want to send my jacket out and have it cost four dollars, on the Chesterfield good middle-westem man' pressed.' The theater was dark. The night watchman let us in' "Glenn was a nice man. A talk with l-rim. He had a nice i stayed there by the door. Yank went over to the'dressing He'd size you up. You'd sit and so many times and he'd had room. The night watchman took off. The pay phone rang' I wife, Helen. He had been burned a tough 1ife. So he was a picked it up. Operator said, 'Long distance call from Artie a couple of failed bands. He'd had but he wasn't a black slapper Shaw for John Best.' little cautious. He was cordial, wasn't that way at all' "So he said, 'What's your draft status?' like some of the bandleaders. Glenn "I said, 'I'm 3-A.' But he was very helPful to me. the Pennsylvania Hotel' "Artie said, 'I have permission from the Navy to recruit a "I remember catching the band at the people loved that band' band for the sole purpose of going up to the front in this war Boy, how they would scream band- but I do believe it was the and entertaining the troops, as close as they will send us' And It wasn't my all-time favorite band of all time. I have a place for you, if you're interested.' most popular big o'Glenn in on a couple of his record "I flew to New York and took a day off' The guys came in was a tough boss. I sat He'd sit in with medical deferments. I didn't know what mine was' dates for RCA Victor. He was really astonishing. run down a new tune' Davey Tough, Max Kaminsky, both ofthem. I signedup with the booth with the producer and they'd lead alto chair six inches closer, Shaw. That's how I came to spend ayeat in the He'd go out and move the just a little bit to the with Artie instead of going to England with Miller. and maybe have the trumpets all blow I never saw any other "The next time I saw Glenn, I was in the Navy. He had the side instead of directly into the mike.

December 2007 service, and I don't want the word bandleader do that. He'd move each man in the band maybe 'Look, I'm going into the yet. you stay with me until I have to break a few inches. They'd each have instructions when to standup' to get around Will a commission to come through' ' Boy, he was some leader. upihe band? I'm waiting for Paul Lavalle "Glenn had really made it when I rnet him. I didn't know nllly and Dale McMickle went with the in New York and write' him when he was struggling so hard and all that. Orchestra so Billy could stay the middle of September' "He was very courteous. But he didn't talk or tell jokes or "I think Glenn went into service New Jersey. I remember that try to impress you. He didn't try to impress anybody. But he We were at a theater out in the best way we know was awfully good to me. l'd go over to the Pennsylvania night. He said, 'I'll say good-bye Marion Hotel. They'd have all these top music publishers who just how.' Then they went into ' was crying. That was a sad swarmed the place. All of them had number one plug songs Hutton was crying, everybody they wanted to get to Miller. Jack Robbins and all these big- night. because I'd got my Greetings from name guys. Dozens of them. He'd walk right past them, come "I had given my notice had to leave. He got Chummy over and sit clown at my table. And then he'd say, 'Let's go Uncle Sam. So I told him I job in the office. Chummy was not that have some jelly pancakes after I'm through.' We'd go over to McGregor to do my want to do it. I got married on Lindy's or some place. He and Helen would sit and we'd talk' kind of worker. He didn't to go on the l5th for my That was of course after I got to know him better. Once you December 12, andl was supposed we go ahead and get got to know Glenn, and if he accepted you, he was loyal and exam. My wife and I talked. Should were there and I think generous. He'd always send you Christmas presents. married? So we did. Helen and Polly in New York City' "l remember one Christmas I went to the Pennsylvania Chummy too. On Park Avenue other draftees at Grand Hotel, and in the lobby was a brand-new big black Buick' I "I went down there with all these final guy and don't know how they got it in there. It had enormous red Central Palace in New York. They came to the saying Accepted, one saying ribbons wrapped around it. The guys in the band had bought he's got one rubber stamp Your whole life's future is that for him. Rejected. And you're watching. very patriotic. All my "'l'here rvas another Christmas when he had a sixteen- in Lis hands. He hits it Reiected- I was 1 was gung-ho to go' I riiillinieter movie outfit. That was in the Paramount Theater' buddies had gone into the service. me for?' I went backstage. He'd make movies of everybody who came said, 'What did you reject you have severe hay fever'' back there. He was so excited. "He said, 'It says "l liked Glenn. Some of the musicians didn't like him, but "I said, 'So what's the big deal?' in a jungle somewhere most of them did. He was so strict. Boy, they had to dress a "If we're attacking the Japanese middle of the night and you certain way, move in and off the bandstand a certain way' and we're approaching in the blorv out a whole battalion'' "l clid a long feature on him in Down Beat. I very rarely start to sneeze, you could back, to run whatever aifairs he showed my copy to somebody before publication, but in this "So then Glenn hired me Tex and we signed the Modemaires and case I did, because it was a long involved story. I took it over had. When he signed an employment contract, there was to Glenn at a theater and showed it to him. He said, 'Whoa, Ray Eberly, in addition to as a result of their whoa, it's fine up to here. You've got a paragraph in here a personal management clause if, notoriery- they obtained, and they about . I sure wish you'd change it some way" working for him and any hire him as their manager' "I said, 'What's wron$ with it?' went on their own, they would that if for any reason he "He said, 'Well, she's not a good singer, Dave' But she's "He had another clause saying services, he could delegate a good little showman. She walks out there with that blond was unable to perform his behalf. He delegated me' I was halr and a pretty gown. Play that up. Don't mention much someone else to act on his Tex and Ray. We did a few jobs about her vocal abiliry."' representing Marion and Marx at the Roxy Theater in Tom Shiels told me: *ith T"r. One was with Chico singers as guests' "Last night I was playing a cassette of Glenn's next to last New York City, with the Glenn Miller Navy. Marion was making radio broadcast before he went into the service. It was a "After that Tex went into the potentially, we decided to put her Wednesday night Chesterfield' They did Juke Box Saturday so much money, or could Kelly back with the Night.If you remember the recording, they do an impression out on her own and put Paula to collect, I think it was, ten of Harry James, which my friend John Best used to play' Modernaires. We were supposed anything from Eberly' " said they were playing a lot of military bases' or fifteen percent. We didn't collect He figured Ray was strug- Billy was going to leave to go to another band. Miller said, Glenn said, 'Don't bother him.'

December 2007 gling." that were not orchestrated song-form but true developed into them' And said: "Glenn had planned to give me a band, works with solos beautifully integrated before the war, like he had done with Hal Mclntyre, Charlie that band swung like hell. Francy on those Spivak, . I said, 'Glenn, I'm not ready yet.' I worked in close consultation with He had two tastes I Then the draft started to hit him hard. We said that we'd keep charts, and we became intimate friends' and in particular together, keep in touch, and I said, after the war, 'I want to found surprising. He likefl miliary music he a cassette in the car come back with you and learn a little more about leadership.' that of John Phillip Sousa. And kept because "He was a great businessman as well as fine lead section of Miller's Air Force band. It may have been bootleg Francy trombonist. Look, all leaders have to lay the law down, once I don't think any of that stuff had ever been issued. a lot of Prokofiev. He in a while, even though they love all their guys' They gotta played that tape incessantly along with one the say, 'Look, you made the mistake here, this time. Next time thought that the Miller Air Force band was of make it someplace else, if you gotta make a mistake. And if greatest in history. down you don't want to play the way I want you to play, take your Miller wanted to join the navy, but he was turned was to take horn and go. Forget the two weeks notice. Just go.' because of his age. The Army Air Corps willing to put a band "Being in the Navy, being in charge of two bands, being in him. He set up shop in Atlantic City and started touch with Glenn, overseas, I learned an awful lot and it together. And the first thing he wanted was a string section. worked out beautifully for me when I did take the band over This desire goes back at least to the days with Pollack. problem. They in'46. We had the strings and a total of 36 people. This was String sections in popular music present a the Miller Air Force group that came back, which he had have very little volume compared to brass. And the "dance" music planned to keep together. instrumentationthathad evolved in American Tex went into the Navy with the rank of Chief Petty in general three or four, maybe even five, trumpets, three, - plus rhythm Officer and was posted to the Technical Command at Nornan, four or five trombones, and five , string section of sixty . section - could drown a symphony He formed two dance bands, the Gremlins the term men without breaking a sweat. No bandleader could even - his needs. But Miller originated as U.S. Army Air Force slang because of strange dream of hiring enough strings to fill and he things that could go wrong with an aircraft in flight, suppos- now had the extended resources of the U.S. military, who had edly the hand work of invisible little elves called gremlins was able to get such'players as George Ockner, - York. ancl the Corsairs. The repertoire of neither band was in the been with the NBC Symphony in New that, seen Miller style, or very little of it. "Most ofthe music was written In Atlantic City, he had one of those encounters an eighteen-year- by boys who were in the band," Tex said. As an adjunct to the in retrospect, change history. It was with universally bands, there was a training program for young musicians old Juilliard student named , years coming into the Navy. called Hank. (His birth certificate says Enrico.) Many "People would ask me later on what I was doing in the later, after he had changed the character and direction of Navy on the middle of Oklahoma," he said. "I always an- American film music and I was helping him write his swered that if you noticed, I fought so effectively that a autobiography, Hank told me: Japanese plane never got within ten thousand miles of for the Norman, Oklahoma." I turned eighteen in April and registered draft. I was soon called up. Had I been drafted in my been sent to the 66th Division, Mil ler su ffered incessant conde scensi on fr om i azz critics and home town, I'd have panther's head on an orange even some musicians. The band wasn't hot enough, it didn't whose patch was a black I would have swing. The band was "too" polished, too sentimental. I was circle. They were the grunts of that era. But because I was called not one of its most ardent fans, I must confess. My tastes ran been in the band of the 66th' the Army Air to the crackle of and the effortless swing of up from New York, I was assigned to weeks in Atlantic Count Basie. But my vision of the band was radically altered Corps. Forbasic training, I spent six go to the TTC, the in 1984, in Switzerland. I was in Geneva, writing the lyrics for City, in winter. I was supposed to an album to be recorded by . The arrangements Technical Training Command. the were by Francy Boland, co-leader with Kenny Clarke of the All the old hotels along the Beach them- Clarke-Boland . I consider him one of the greatest Traymore, the Marlborough-Blenheim among the Traymore'- writers jazzhas ever known, with an ability to turn out pieces were full of service men. We were at

December 2007 assuredly wouldn't have been At the Knights of Columbus Hotel on a little side street, Glenn or the tail of a B-17. I for all the brevity of Miller was forming his band, putting all the elements together assigned to a band. Glenn Miller, nice to me. He didn't have in preparation for going to Yale. Arnold Ross was the pianist; that conversation, was very hadn't come in yet. was on bass to do that for me. and Ray McKinley on drums. war, when a new I used to hang around with them in the evenings There was more to it than that. After the under the leadership of' after dinner, and despite my awe of them, I got to know Glenn Miller band was organized piano and write for it' The them pretty well. They knew what I did and asked, Beneke, Hank joined it to play veterans of the wartime band, "What are you going to do after basic training?" band included a number of the experience at I said, "I'11 probably be a tail gunner or some- and it gave Mancini his first professional Miller Story was thing." They said, "You'll be finished basic training in writing for strings. And when The Glenn the composer two weeks, why don't you talk to Glenn? filmed with James Stewart and June Allyson, I saiil. "Gee, I don't know him'" I was embar- assigned to write its score was Mancini. Artie Shaw, who rassed and frightened. Miller had gone into service at Unlike the compulsively contentious every Navy officer he tire peak of his career. People today don't realize how seemed to tangle with almost cultivated the higher brass, and big these bandleaders were then, as big as Elvis Presley confronted, Miller smoothly one high general to issue or the Beatles later on. I knew everything the Miller even had the written authority of sign the general's name' Thus band had ever recorded. But my new friends got me an any order he chose and simply out into the armed forces appointment with him and pushed me through the door' Miller had immense power to reach he wanted' Then- The office was quite small, sparsely furnished with for the musicians, now in uniform, that a Juilliard graduate and award- a desk, a chair, and a coat rack' The man I knew so well Sergeant Harry Katzman, leading New from photographs was sitting there in his captain's winning violinist who had spent many years recalled to British writer uniform. I remember him as very trim. He was about York network radio orchestras, time: thirty-seven at that point and I was eighteen. I didn't Geoffrey Butcher his experience at the Force al Boca Raton, Florida' even sit down. I stood there and saluted. "I was stationed in the Air dance Most of the great bandleaders of that era were I was the director of a symphony orchestra and a large also had a small dance band, six or severe disciplinarians because musicians in groups can band,lT or 18 men, and I players most of them behave like children, and if you don't control them, seven men, and all really superb - New York they'll control you. And Miller had a reputation for down from New York. I got arrangements from Mark Warnow, discipline. But then the only other big band leader I'd through the people I used to work for, like who sent arrangements to met was Benny Goodman. Each of them had a kind of Leo Reisman, and Al Goodman, play instead of the chill about him, but Miller seemed to me to be very help the orchestras get something to straight and his men liked him, and he was cordial to regular stocks. late August 1942 a:nd me. "I enlisted in the Army in, I think, City who were on the He looked at me through those rimless glasses and brought a lot of men from Nerv York field, also in the sym- said, "I hear you're an alTanger. Do you write well, are staff in the studios and the musical you a good writer?" phonic field. was , a first- I said, "Well enough, for what I've done. I also "One of the men in the band About January or February. play flute and piccolo and piano." He said, "Okay," and class trumpet player of course. Zeke Zatchy to be took down my name and serial number. He dismissed 1943, suddenly orders came in fot the band being formed by me, I saluted again and I left. That was the only conver- shipped. We had all heard about that as long as he was going sation I ever had with Glenn Miller and I thought that Glenn Miller and we suspected . . . was the end of it. up there, he was going to be with Miller. at the USO and I finished basic training. To rny surprise I was "l was conducting a dance for the soldiers me and said, 'Hey, you're assigned not to gunnery school but to the 28th Air Force ong of corporals came up to it because here Band, later designated the 528th. I have read that the getting shipped tomorrow.' I couldn't believe the dance band, and the small life expectancy of a tail gunner in combat was measured i was with the big orchestra, rumor. But when I not even in minutes but in seconds. Without Glenn dance band, and I thought it was an ugly trombone players, Jack Miller, I might have been fire-hosed out of a ball turret came home that night one of the

December 2007 Miller band. In fact, the Lacey, who used to work with Kostelanea .. . said, 'Hey as we did later with the Glenn wanted to do this, was you're getting shipped tomorrow.' Well . . . when I came in commanding officer of the base, who got there. The whole big the Captain called me in and said, 'You know, you have to transferred out a week before we Everybody had to scramble and leave today. We're going to try to do everything we can to do plan had fallen on its face. that Miller was organiztng stop it.' I said, 'Where the hell am I going?' He said, 'Your do something else. I found out so wrote him a letter which orders will be there, we can't say anything about that.' There this Air Force orchestra, I supposed to go- through was another violinist there, Nat Kaproff, who was on the same you're not supposed to do. You're the channels would never get out of orders as I was to go up to Yale. This was in April and I think thannels, but I figured for an answer' Everybody laughed at me' the band had moved [from Atlantic City] to New Haven'" the base. I waited Captain Glentt Miller' Katzman continued unhappy with the reassignment. In Two weeks later I got a letter from you in my band, if Florida, he'd had his own orchestra and he and his wife were And he said, 'Yes. I would like to have from the Flying Command,' whiclt living in a little home off-base near the sea. Miller sensed his you can effect a transfer Command, which discontent and said, "You seem a little unhappy." Ka1zman I was a part of, to the Technical Training said, "Well, yes, tr am. I was very happy where I was." he was. talked to the commanding Miller said, "Well, you'Ilbe making a mistake if go back "I went to headquarters and get me, I guess. He said, 'Sure' there because you think it's going to last forever but it will be officer. He was glad to rid of and tell hinl that, and broken up. I think you'd be wise to stay here." He urged All you've got to do is tell him this we'11 okay it, and you'11 be Katzmanto talk it over again with his wife; if they were still when the request comes through, determined, Miller said he'd authorize the transfer back to on your way."' got the transfer, Florida. Next day Katzman told Miller they had decided to Desmond did as he had been instructed, City. stay, and Miller told him he was glad. and joined the band in Atlantic "When I got there," Katzman said, "George Ockner was "They were there for about a month," Desmond said' needed, and then they moved us the concert-master. They had already had rehearsals. They had "They got everybody they eight or nine French horns. The arrangers were , to in New Haven. We Danny Gool (who arranged for Hollywood pictures), Will "The band was doing its show. went on at eight o'clock Hudson (who had been making stock affangements for the were on NBC Saturday nights. We at eleven o'clock song publishing companies in New York) . . . and Perry in New York. We'd do a repeat broadcast Burger. Of the strings who were there already I remember for the West Coast." format Miller's old there was George Ockner, Henry Bryan at least ten or The shows were based on the of - old, something twelve. Chesterfield Supper Club shows, something blue. "I asked George, 'How the hell did I get up here?' He said, new, something borrowed, something 'Well, you know, Miller would ask Zeke if there were any "That was Miller's thing, his way of doing a medley. 1-hat show' good guys where he came from and he mentioned you and was always a part of the show. It was a wonderful Kaproff."' God, we were getting to everybodY. Ray Eberley had been with One of the witnesses to the assembling of that remarkable "Everything was brand new' band had twenty-two orchestra was singer , who came to it from the civilian band, and Miller's army was written specially for the band. Desmond was born in l9l4 in strings and French horn. Everything We had three and named Giovanni Alfredo De Simone. Schooled at the us. We had a battery of about five arrangers. repair men. We had a band Detroit Conservatory, he formed a vocal group that went with copyists. We had two instrument with the group' the Bob Crosby band, billing themselves as the Bob-O-Links' of forty-six, including , o'I really' Glenn Miller was Then he joined Krupa as a single. wasn't getting an1'where, is, He's the "I was about to get drafted," he told Fred Hall in a 1982 magic in those days. And he still incidentally. a great stroke of interview. "I decided to beat the draft and was sent down to biggest thing in music, even today. It was in those days was Enid, Oklahoma, with a band. In fact, four of us left Gene good luck. Anybody with the Miller band And the Krupa's band in Baltimore. We went down to Enid and just immediately accepted by eleven million GIs. band. We were very enlisted in the Air Force base down there. They made it easy rest of the world that got to hear the for us to get into the Air Force. They were developing a big popular wherever we went." place at Yale University unit to raise money and do shows for enlistment. We were The band's final assembly took change from Miller's going to be on the radio and go out and do shows, very much in New Haven, Connecticut. And the

December 2007 was some sort of library, not as civilian band was monumental. A numberof factors contribut- organized, although there Haven, but enough to play' ing to this, but th€ biggesi, I think, was Ray McKinley, whom large as they had later up at New the piano, Jimmy Harwood Miller had known since the Pollack days' Let's see, we had with of fellows from my band' Johnny Desmond said, "Ray was wonderful. He has a with the trombone, a whole bunch were all brought up to marvelous time playing and singing. He's one of the most I'd told Glenn about them, too. We there three weeks. Next thing I under-rated talents in the whole world." Atlantic City. I think I was New Haven, where the Fred Hall said, "Miller never really had a swinging rhythm knew I had orders to report to had taken over Yale Univer- section until then." Technical Training Command Desmoncl said, "We sure had one with Ray, Mel Powell on sity for training of the O.C.S. City for a while. We didn't piano ancl Trigger Alpert on bass." "Mel Powell was in Atlantic than privates. They called Fred said "You listen to those old things like Song of the even have uniforms. We were less fatigues. Volga Boatmen and listen to the difference that McKinley us jeeps. We had on overall player, Dave Schwafiz, down at makes with that band," "I remember one viola work. He told me "He's marvelous. He always played with a sense of humor Atlantic City. He had some sort of clerical said, 'Give me your too. which is kind of nice." the symphonies he'd played with. I minute I found they had McKinley almost didn't make it into the Miller Air Force name.' I gave his name to Glenn the glad to know it. Dave's credentials band. He tried to enlist in the Marine Corps. some strings. Glenn was just Ray said, "I ran into an old friend from Fort Worth who were super. He was wonderful." tell you what a diff"erence was in the recruiting section of the Marines. Draft notices Fred Hall told Ray: "I want to A1l the things that were were flying around like snowflakes to all the orchestras' I you made rvith that Miller sound. that the Air Force band think seven ofus got our notices in a couple ofdays. That did iecorded for Bluebird and Victor came to life' I never it. This friend convinced me we could go in as a unit, The began to do sounded so vital. They good drummer, to tell you the band took theirphysicals in downtown . We had thought Glenn hatl a very Purtill was a fine fellow and a couple of guys that physically couldn't have joined Troop truth- I know that Maurice it didn't have the sock to it." C of the Boy Scouts. Lou Stein, the pianist for one. The guy highly-McKinley, respected, but modest man, said, "It wasn't just said. 'Walk up to that eye chart until you can see.' He wound who was a McGregor wasn't much of'a piano up with his nose right up against the board. Perry Burgett, the me. After all, Chummy you had Mel Powell in there' And of u.rung.., too looked like he'd already been in a death camp in player,either, and now Trigger swung that Europe. you had Trigger Alpert. I think "or.." He was the mainstay, he was a "I called Tommy Dorsey. I said, 'What do you need? I've pre-war band all by himself. Mastren was a fine guitar' got this, got that. Guys who were 4-F'' There was no way teautiful bass player. Carmen things rhythmic rvas they could go in the Army. He took about four guys' Pete player. Also, I think, the commitment to Army band than it was in the Candoli was one. Another trumpet player, Larry Brooks' A u tttf. stronger in the Miller player and a guitar player. They all went with prewar band. a little ponderous is ail' Tommy. The rest of us got tagged. "Maurice was a good drummer, Haven, there was a "Ratings were assigned. I was to have a Marine gunner Glenn once said that to me. Up in New Connecticut, I think' I had rating, whatever it was, eQuivalent to a warrant officer in the little radio network that covered broke up at the Golden Gate^ army. The Marines were fighting a war on Guadalcanal' my library from the band that where the cadets t-ed' We'd go "I had seen Glenn in Boston. He said, 'should you go in, We'd go up to the mess hall were there one time and the band was let me know. I think I'll be able to get together with you'' I up there and play. We discussion, and Glenn said, contacted him when I went in at Camp Walters, right outside swingin'. We got into a little quite achieved."' of Forth Worth. I got hold of Glenn and he said,'Give me 'That's one thing we never was marvelous' He was such your serial number.' And first thing you know, here come the McKinley said, "Mel Powell than that, he was a fantastic ar- orders down there. 'Report to Atlantic City, a cadre of one'' a great player. But more than A great big thick thing, orders written. It looked like a .urg.r. He did some of the best writing, diff'erent things the Glenn Miller band playing' telephone book. And somewhere in there was my name' I you ordinarily would hear talents as well as his playiug thought it was plans for the invasion or something. it4itt"t wanted his arranging Pearls on Velvet, which is an "ZekeZarchy wasin charge of some fellows and they were talents. Mission to Moscow. playing around Atlantic City. The band had not truly been almost classic comPosition."

December 2007 restricted by Powell also brought into the band some of the pieces he on to other orchestras, as in Mancini's case), not freed of the necessity had written for Goodman. Theoretically, those charts were union rules on the length of rehearsals, performance, Miller built Goodman's property, but then Goodman was one of Miller's of turning a profit each night of best friends, and their association, like that with Ray one of the most remarkable orchestras ever. shortly McKinley, went back to the Pollack days. He was an extraor- I visited Ray McKinley at his home in Florida, resting in"a dinary musician. before his death in May 1995. He was very ill, and made motions to He was born Melvin Epstein in . He got his draft recliner chair, and I felt I was intruding we talked about notice and was shipped to Fort Dix where, he told me, "I leave, but he said, "No, stay a little." And relations with . encountered a southern sergeant who had a genuine hatred of the Miller Air Force band. In his was cruel. "No," Ray Jews, and when he saw the name on my papers, he assigned and others, it had been said that Miller word." And me immediately to latrine duty. I changed it legally. An uncle said, drawing for breath. "Cold is a better had done it before me, taking the name Powell from remember, they had been friends since 1929. words Poljanowsky." Then, he said of the Miller Air Force band, his He would not have stayed on latrine duty in any event: coming out spaced and well considered through his struggle almost immediately Glenn Miller commandeered him. for air: "That. . . was the greatest. .' orchestra. . . ever to Because Mel had an extensive classical education, Miller set play . . . American popular music." him to work writing string quartets and chamber pieces for As for the famous or infamous string section, - - consideration. I members of the string section he was assembling. certain factors have to be taken under jazz Probably the youngest member was a trombonist from remember that one of tlie militantly leftist uilics said of that "the white Brooklyn named Nat Peck who, at eighteen, was not long out the 1949 with Strings album did of high school. A Swing Sextet was organized within the man shoved those strings up Bird's ass'" The white man was to study Miller band, with Mel as its director. Long afterwards, Peck no such thing, and Parker's unfulfilled ambition problem with that said that "Mel took a liking to me for some odd reason and I composition with Edgard Vardse. The album, quasi- was chosen to do it . . . The reason I was picked, I think, was comment'is that the string writing on that was Parker's greatest that I was the only one in that trombone section who had any Tchaikovsky, is crappy. The albunr sort of experience in playing jazz . . .. Mind you, at the time commercial success. of"the I was very nervous about it I didn't know Mel that well. Strings were little used in the big-band era hecause and bras-q Mel was avery distant sort of- a personality-not that he was problems of balancing them against saxophones very essence of unkind, or anything like that, buthe was alreadyverybig-time sections. But balancing and mixing are the yet the knack and the . . . and I used to sit in (the) band a little worried about things orchestration, and no one had acquired jazz. and he misinterpreted my attitude. He thought that I was knowledge to use strings in When in the mid-, putting him down, or being critical about what was going on Gunther Schuller, J.J. Johnson, John Lewis and some others called Third Stream in the band, when, to tell you the truth, I was more scared than made some recordings of what Schuller regret) the music anything else. He discovered that, though, soon enough and music (a coinage I think even he came to wasn't very good, we ended up really very, very good friends." seemed oddly sterile. The writing simply memory) said in Peck made these comments to the British writer Geoffrey and Miles Davis (I am paraphrasing from (so like his playing) that Butcher. That Miller thought as highly ofPowell as Goodman his usual tart and laconic manner section and make before him is evident in Peck's comment: John Lewis could take a symphony string that a Third "Mel had a completely free hand. The only time Miller it sound like four fiddles. And Andr6 Previn said than Percy ever turned up was on the first rehearsal . . .. Probably it Stream would have to comprise something more v,,asn't from lack of interest, but he listened to the broadcasts Heath walking four in front of a string section. from the dark and he found them eminently satisfactory and decided not to The general disdain toward strings derives jazz intervene in any way and Mel was free to do as he wanted." ignorance of "classical" music among the so-called Miller continued to expand the string section until it critics in the music's formative years, the spectacular was a stabilized at twenty. It was superb. He could never have had exception being Robertson Darrell. Indeed, Darrell who "discov- such a section or such an orchestra in civilian life' Here were classical music critic schooled in composition jazz knew next to the wages of naughty wicked socialism' Able to draw on the ered" jazz. But most of those eatly writers resorlrces of the entire U.S. military for personnel, able to nothing of classical music, Ralph Gleason and George Feather, who had a selected the best ofthem (and he sent other excellent players Hoeffer among them, and even Leonard

December 2007 pretty good knowledge of harmony and played passable was the motto of the Air Technical Training Command, of piano. All of them would have been at sea in a conversation which the band was a part. It took part in morale-building locations' about Debussy or Shostakovitch. That is why the "moldy performances, playing for the troops in sundry letter that Miller had figs" found the harmonic and other practices of bebop arcane Johnny Desmond said, "There's a get to the Air Force and incomprehensible, when they weren't really all that new. written to Washington. If you ever hand-written letter The musicians harbored no such ignorance. Bix Beiderbecke Museum in Dayton, Ohio, they've gothis the powers to allow him to was a devotee of Ravel, Debussy and Stravinsky, in which he really pleaded with was over the age knew the classical piano literature well, as did Fats Waller, enlist in the Air Force. He was too old, he Hap Arnold, I believe, and said that attending a symphony concert limit. He was married. itwas General was accepted. And he was like going to church. Many jazz musicians, in fact, were he wrote the letter to. And finally he as a unit' conservatory trained. And so the hepsters at Down Beat had to plead again, so that we could go overseas at Yale Univer- projected that there was some vast gulf between jzzz and "Before we went, we had this big meeting going to do' This classical music, and I think they did a lot of damage. Growing sity. He said, 'Fellows, this is what we're doesn't want to do what I up. I thought there must be something strange about me, since is my dream. Now anybody who know privately' I had a taste for both. The first records I remember buying want to do and go with us to Europe. Let me your reasons are' ..vere Coieman Hawkins' Bodlt and Soul and Tchaikovsky's You can meet me in my office. Whatever to see that you can Nutcracker Suite. if you don't want to go, I'll be very happy you now with my band Down Beat in fact ran a contest among its readers to find secure a position somewhat like have except maybe one a new term fbr jazz. Since classical music was called long- with some other group.' Everybody left hair, the winning entry was crew cut. Oog, as Pogo used to guy. going to happen when we get say. "Glenn said, 'Here's what's And The implication was always that strings were somehow over there. We're going to set up a broadcasting studio' with sissified, incleed downright faggoty. But every musician we're going to do all kinds of programs. We'll do some going to have a show' knows that there is nothing as magnificent against which to the big band, and then the strings are show, and then Ray set a solo or for that matter a passage by one of the other and then Johnny's going to have a and choirs than strings. They offer an exquisitely transparent McKinley's going to have a show with the dance band, jazz going coloration. You can hear all the way down through the Mel Powell's going to have alittle show. We're ws're irarmony, like looking through clear running water at the to fiIl so many hours a day in broadcasting, and when doing iitones on the bottom of a creek. Interestingly, when this not broadcasting we'll be flying to some air bases and sirntiresis of strings and "classical" music with jazzwas finally in-person shows. This is my dream.' got lost. achieved, it would be in movies, where like Miller with Air "It was all realized before he - career is that Force money budgets made it possible, and one of the "The incredible thing about Glenn Miller's years as the top band' pioneers in this- area was the kid who had stood before Miller he really only had about two and a half in Atlantic City and immediately after the war joined the That was from the day that he made his first hit record to the Force. When you led by Tex Beneke: Henry Mancini. day thathe gave it all up to go into the Air has made on And they never even met again. think about the impact the Glenn Miller music see how incredible the There is no direct linli of the Miller military band to the the whole world, then you've got to Third Stream, bu1 there are indirect connections. The arrang- whole thing seems." in England, the Artie ers in that band got experience in using strings with big band While the Miller band was resident Pacific. Sam Donahue and very American music. Then there is Mel Powell. After the Shaw band came home from the South band was then sent to England' war, he did not return to a jazz career' He studied with Paul took over its leadership. The persisted Hindemith, back at Yale in New Haven, then became his One of its members was Johnny Best. Rumors have die. Johnny Best told me teaching assistant and finally head of the classical composi- that Miller was ill and wanted to tion department. Mel was athitd stream. that this was absolute bloody nonense: "The thirteenth of December, our band came to town' We The Miller Air Force band, gradually assembled at Yale were a hundred and fifty miles away. There was a message at the Mount Royal Hotel in U niversity in New Haven, worked in the United States for two for me to call Glenn Miller he wanted me to years, performing regularly on a network radio show out of London. He was having a little parfy and his home in ' New York City on a show called I Sustain the Wings, which come. He showed me plans for

December 2007 he would have "He had a ten-year contract with Fox, one movie a year. He think if he had gone into the classical field, wanted to play six months and then take off. He loved to play been just the same. But he found, of course, liis mediunr and golf. He wanted the strings, just about like he had in the army it was original, and that's what he went with. I think he was band. and do concerts only. I don't think he wanted to do a musical genius, and I had the greatest respect for hinr as a dances any more." musician and as a man too. I think everybody felt the same Indeed, Miller wanted to set up a latge company whose way." projects would include sponsoring and managing other bands, Johnny Desmond said, "The band played in the U.S. for as he had already done with Hal Mclntyre, , two ye&rs, with Miller all the time pressing to go overseas and Claude Thornhill. He planned to build a compound where and perform directly for the troops." Nerv he and other musicians could live under amenable conditions. Miller finally got his way. The band sailed from join In psychology, it is known that there is a certain progres- York on June 21, 1944. Miller flew to England to them, sir:n in life, particularly in creative people, especially in the and they forthwith began irerformances and broadcasts to the sciences. The brilliant breakthroughs usually come from the troops and civilian audiences on the BBC. young. ln the years later, they explore and consolidate their After Allied troops landed on the continent and overan discoveries. As they reach their forties, they develop a desire France, Miller became anxious to play for them in person. young get The band went to Paris before him. On December 15, Miller to delegate the work and supervise it - to let the their arms in the soapy water. Thus reporters become editors. left in bad weather in a Norduyn Norseman, a high-winged I think Glenn was that way. An executive ability was monoplane. It never reached Paris. The mystery of is disap- evident from the beginning, and it appears to have been pearance is unsolved. growing. Thus he loosened up and let Ray McKinley run the It has been said that if everyone who claimed to have been big band, Mel Powell run the small group, while he handled on that foggy English airfield when the plane took off were the problems of their military superiors and the sometimes assembled, it would take a hall of 14,000 seats to accomlro- annoying policies of the BBC, on which network he was date them. broadcasting. I don't suggest he liked doing it, but he ac- Billy May told me: "I've got to t()11you a story. After the cepted the responsibility. That is part of the reason the band war, Willie Schwartz rvorked a one-nighter with Tex Beneke band was so brilliant: he had loosened the reins. He knew how to at the Palladium. It was a Miller memorial. Wherr the handle things. He was at first assigned to building conven- was off the stand, a guy came up to Willie with a shoe box, tional marching bands, and he did so, but he wanted to play He opened it. He had some straw or dirt or something in swing arrangements of conventional material. The military there. He said, 'Do you know what this is?' Willie said, brass fought him on this, with one officer saying, "Sousa's 'No.' The guy said, 'That's the last piece of dirt that Gienn he marches were good enough for our troops in the last war." Miller stepped on.' He asked Willie what he thought Miller said, "Tell me, major, are we still flying the planes should do with it. Willie said, 'Why don't you sntoke it?"' we flew in the last war?" One day in 1972,Iwas having lunch with Guy Lombardo, In collaboration with Ray McKinley, Miller set up plat- and Miller's name came up. Guy said, "If Glenn had sur- and it forms on the backs of two jeeps to carry the rhythm section vived, I think he would still be in the music business. when on occasion the band was forced to march. would be a better business for it." Copyright A2007 Gene Lees Harry Katzman, who Jrad not wanted to leave Florida to join the band, said that "In New York, all the studio musicians of the Crew woul d come in for rehearsal s and they were all fl abbergasted. " Dedicated to the nrcmory of Miller's was not a jazzband. He never intended it to be, Chiefs, who after the war becatne a highly successJul studio although he appreciated and made excellent use of jazz singer in Hollywood. soloists. Katzman said: "l felt that Miller was really an In the t980s, I v,as on several of the Carribean.iaz: subscriber to the extraordinary musician with immaculate taste and a wonderful cruises of the S.S. Norway. Artie, a charter He urged me to idea of how music should really sound. For a man who had Jazzletter, was also on one of those cruises. that I thought it all never really used strings in his civilian band he used them so write something on Glenn Miller. I said 'No and what has been much better than anyone else has ever done even to this day. had been written. He said, it hasn't, You'd get it right.' Generally he used the strings as a cushion to soften the sounds written mostly isn't right. is Artie. of the brass. The sound was really extraordinary . . . I hope so. This for "He was just a natural musician, with immaculate taste. I

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