Glenn Millers Back!

The band grew out of a conviction by manager Willard Alexander, based Glenn Millers Back! on the reception to The Glenn Miller Story movie and the RCA limited edi tion Miller albums, that a Miller-styled With Ray McKinley At Helm, band had a valid spot in the current music scene. He got m touch with Mis. Miller and suggested another try at The Band Finds Biz Is Great launching a Miller band. She agreed, after aflKming that the band would be led by McKinley. Ray By Dom Cerulli Brown Jug than for any number in the took over the book and started out to book,” he grinned. “Now tnat tune THERE’S A Glenn Miller band back fill the chairs. was never really one of Glenn's big “Personnel is the biggest problem a m the ballrooms again. records, at least not as big as In the At the helm is drummer Ray Mc bandleader has to face today,” McKin Kinley, who tirst met Miller when they Mood or Chattanooga Chou Choo. But ley said. “Lenny Hambro was invalua it was a big part of the movie. played together from time to time ih ble when we were recruiting. He’s the “We play it sometimes two, three band’s manager, too, and believe me, the old Ben Pollack band and who times a night.” worked together in the Miller army air our books always match up. I don’t McKINlEY SAID other most-re think he gets much time to sleep, force band up to the time of Glenn’s quested tunes in the Miller book in disappearance over the English Channel though.” cluded In the Mood, String of Pearls, in December, 1944. At Last, Pennsylvania o-5o00, Tuxedo RAY AUDITIONED up to 20 musi There have been several attempts in Junction, and Moonlight Serenade. cians for each chair in the band. Many, the past to recreate the Miller style, to Occasionally, Ray receives a few re he discovered, came out of Texas. We’ve a greater or lesser extent, with bands quests during the course of an evening got five boys from Texas in the band led by Tex Beneke, Ralph Flanagan, for some of t-he Eddie Sauter originals now,” he smiled. “They turn out some Ray Anthony, and Jerry Gray. But the featured by his own postwar band. “We fine musicians at that North Texas elusive quality that made Miller’s name have played one or two,” Ray smiled, State college. Four of our five Texans a sweet and swing byword in the late “but generally we don’t have time. We came from there.” ’30s and early ’40s never was entirely do some of the Miller standards, a After the chairs were filled, unique captured. couple of my Will Bradley things rehearsals began. McKinley’s Miller band uses the book (Down the Road Apiece, Celery Stalks “We’d take an arrangement, and I’d penned by Glenn and his arranging at Midnight) a couple of my things have a phonograph there with the orig staff, and many of the sheets on the (Arizay, You’ve Come ii Long Way inal Miller record. We’d hear how stands today are those used by the From St. Louis), a couple of pieces by Glenn’s band phrased and how they Miller band before it bioke up when Lenny Hambro and the quintet, and the handled the arrangement, then we’d Glenn entered the air force in October, rest of the night is ail requests out oi read it down.” 1942. the Miller book.” McKinley, who fronted the air force “THE ARRANGEMENTS don’t need The band’s book now contains about Miller band after Glenn’s disappear any updating,” McKinley said when 60 original Miller manuscripts, 10 of ance, said he “knew how that band caught at an NBC Bandstand appear McKinley s, several of Hambro’s quin sounded and how Glenn got his results. ance. “I think that's where the others tet pieces, and a constantly increasing The greatest tribute to hrm as a leader, missed the boat. number of pops in the Miller style ar I think, was the organization he set “What we’re doing is marketing a ranged by Joe Cribari and Dean Kin- up. While I was fronting, new arrange product that is familiar. The solos are caide. ments kept coming in, and they swept a bit more modern, in the idiom of Kincaide is also scoring some rock right down the line to the band through today, but the book hasn’t been touched. ’n’ roll tunes for the band. “As far as the organization Glenn had set up.” We’ve got a good sound now, but it I know, we re the only band that does Ray said that if Miller had lived, “I will be a while yet before I’m satisfied this type of thing,” Ray said. “Dean think he would have come back with a that we’ll match up tonally to the orig has even written some of the Miller band like the one he had in the air inal Miller band.” style into his rock ’n’ roll anangements. force. That band had 23 strings. I think McKinley’s orchestra has the familiar I feel you’ve got to pay attention, too, Glenn would have kept about 14, and clarinet lead sound in the reed section, to what the kids want today.” he’s the only one who could have done and the crisp, controlled brass sound THE BAND GOT rolling early in it.” that was one of Miller’s trade marks. June, and has been traveling pretty MckINLEY SAID HE is constantly The only detectable difference, per steadily since then. “Reception so fai approached in this country and in haps an unconscious one by the musi has been just great,” Ray said. "Even Canada by members of the Glenn Miller cians themselves, is that McKinley’s when the crowds were small because of Appreciation society, an organization Miller band displays a looser brass bad weather, they were enthusiastic.” which began in England during the war phrasing than the tight figures that In many locations the band has hit and continues strongly today. were part of the music scene of Miller’s percentage, and in several spots it sold “They know more about my band era. out completely before the ballroom than I do,” he laughed. "A week doesn’t ‘There’s a need for a Miller band doors opened. Appearances on NBC’s go by without one of their members today,” McKinley said “There must be Bandstand show, both on radio and here asking me questions to fill out a a need for this band. People are telling television, have helped spread the form. I guess they review the band for me that all the time, every place we sound. Another factor was the band’s the society. play. selection as Most Promising swing band “When we were in England during “I WAS REALLY surprised to find of the year in Down Beat’s fourth an the war, there were kids there 10 and lot of people comparing this band to the nual poll of the National Ballroom 11 years old who told me about records original Miller band they were familiar Operators’ association. I’d made with Milt Shaw. They even with on records and not to the Miller “Here’s how I gauge it,” McKinley knew what records I’d been on under imitators who were around awhile back. said. “We’ve had a lot of good .things assumed names. They’re a loyal bunch.” “Here’s another thing . you’d ex said by Miller fans, and I’ve yet to run The two biggest items facing McKin pect that a good chunk of the dancers into anyone who is not happy with the ley right now are records and a Euro who come out for this band would be band or what we’re playing. pean tour with his Miller band. people who grew up dancing to Glenn’s “Another thing, I notice that when The band has not been signed to band. It turns out that about 80 per we play dances, the people who come record for any label as yet. “Every cent are kids. They’re the teen age kids are dancing. A lot of them are around where we go, the big question the disc who want a ballad played with a good the bandstand, watching, but most of jockeys and the kids ask us is when are sound and a nice tempo. They get it them are dancing. you going to make records? from this band.” “AND WHAT’S MOST important to “WE HOPE TO M IKE some records McKinley credits considerable interest me, the band has been praised by some this winter and next spring,” Ray said in his band to The Glenn Miller Story, of the musicians who are regulars on “Naturally, we’ll do pops in the Miller the Bandstand show. I knew the people the motion picture based on the hand style, but I don’t think we’ll be record leader’s life. liked us, but it really helped out when “We get more requests for Little I found these musicians did, too.” (Turn to Page 43) 14 Down Beat.

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