DOWN BEAT Chicago. February 1, 194|
Benny’s band. I pointed out that maybi there was another way to play sax in a section, and w I Doni Want a Jazz Band slowly worked «»ut the style w» use now. Sure it was tough, bu all the boyi- know what I want and they’re fast to learn.” He Claims Harmony, Hol a Beat, Result? Miller’s saxes are the most famous in the land today. For the record?, Miller wa- born From i Is What Counts With the Public March 1, 1905, in Clarinda Iowa. Circle of BY DAVE DEXTER, JR. But he didn’t stay in the con c juntry long. His parents moved to or stolen) New York—“I haven’t it great jazz band, and I don’t want Denver, ana ut there, in the uid take« qui of the Rockie- and “tall” air, pro,' ed. one. Glenn learned to play trombone. Glenn Miller isn’t one to waste words. And he doesn’t He was still a moppet when ho aervationa waste any describing the music his band is playing these started playing professionally. amount l nights at the Hotel Pennsylvania here. Soft-spoken, sincere Rose From Noble Band Instance 1 and earnest in his conversation, Miller is now finding him Glenn first became prominent, like com self at the top of the nation’s long list of favorite maestri. nationally, while with Ray Noble’» it docan'l first American dance band fiv» If you’rt “We leaders are criticized for a lot of things.” says Miller. State ball “It’s always true after a band gets up there and is recognized years ago in New York. It «-as a great outfit—Miller, Spivak, Mince, eomnierci by the public. Some of the critics, Down Beat’s among them, C umon, Freeman, Irwin, Thorn the» ther point their fingers at us and charge us with forsaking the hill, D’Andrea, and a lot of other jng plena terrific musicians—all were mem- aeem to real jazz. Maybe so. Maybe not. It’s all in what you define as for I heat ’real jazz.’ It happens- that to outw beis. And it was with Noble that Glenn worked out his early .deal cording*. ears 1 unnony comes first. A d1. zen the hist time I knew it was play Moat gen colored bands have a better beat j on harmony. He also played with ing like I wanted it to. It sounded the Dorsey Brothers’ band. His de Lawrence than mine. < of the w wonderful. I didn’t say anything— cision to form his own crew wm somewhat sudden; he hadn’t, u west. Thii “Our band stresses harmony. How Miller Wrote the storybook! say, “alwayi ■lari und Eight brass gives us a lot of lee dreamed” of leading his own outfit, tinging h way to put to use scores of ideas His Theme Glenn doesn’t claim to be a star alanding we’ve had in mind for a long time. Glenn Miller give* hi- -lip soloist on his horn. Not as long u folk» wit Glenn Miller didn't write hi« horn a workout as he knock* out Tommy Dorsey lives. Tommy, to T. Dorsey The years of serious study I’ve had famous Moonlight Serenade for some yodelin' jive with the An Glenn, plays the greatest tram in Tucker, t with leg.timate teachers finally is a theme song. He confesses, in paying off in enabling me to write drew* sister-, Patti, Maxene and the business. But as a section man, ind hj stead, that the fir*I portion of LaVerne, all featured thrice weekly Glenn Millers on trombone don’t tai trlepa arrangements employing unusual, the lune was an original warm rich harmonies, many never before Chesterfield bob up often. That’s why Glenn new* iter up exercise he used for getting show on CBS. Below, Gordon (Tex) chose to organize a band which they shou used in dance bands." hi* chop* in shape. It was while Wright ' Glenn isn’t fooling either. How Beneke, whom Miller consider« the stresses excellent musicianship and he was with Ray Noble’* band. greatest white tenor -*xi*t in the perfect ensembles rather than a Obersteiii he war the first to use a clarinet Later he took the melody, com panied b lea< above four saxes is fairly old bu-ine—. take« off on a farewell band which gets by on one hot pleted it. and arranged it. By Blue* choru«. Glenn'« idea* on mu- ■tuff at this late date. And how he the time he organised his bund soloist jumping up after another went on from there to experiment revealed in Dave Dexter’* to take hot choruses. On his the ditty wa* identified with hi* timely story on thi* page. with trombone-trumpet combina name, And Miller »« proud, to Men All “Great” Guy* Lasky si tions tc achieve entirely original day. that every note in the tunc The men in the Miller band? few week ensemble effects is what is keeping san written and arranged by years he worked like a fool, bor Once he starts talking, Miller won't Todd one thi Miller band a step ahead of him alone. rowed money, traveled constantly, stop. They’re all great. And they for the t competition. “Moonlight i* my baby,” say* and fought like a wild man tn keep were “great" before last Christina» home to Did No» Gripe About Chester he. “and -til! my favorite hi the his bai i—and his ideas on dance eve when they all got together, Veloz & book.” It is Mrs. Miller’s favor- music—intact. He doesn’t gloat pooled their money, purchased a Moran, । (n recent weeks reports bios- to Me” i ■omed forth that Miller, hearing about his victory today. He’s too huge shiny new Buick Roadmaster big a man, and he is wise enough for their boss, and presented it tu Shony in Bob Chester s band, which employs latteaon a somewhat similar ir-trumenra just diove home and told the wife. t< know that a great group cai. him in the lobby of the Pennsyl slip fast in a hurry. He’s proud vania Hotel a few hours after the ud tmml style, “hit the roof" and demanded But I prayed it would last.” porting 1 that RCA-Victor drop the Chester that he ha. a band of virtual “un- band had broken a 14-year attend It did. known” kids wires to bail fn>m its list of recording Later on, the second spurt hit business. Ht u imi ration for Ben kids ance record up in Harlem at the which he found himself and whicl Savoy Ballroom tern. . . combos. No report cculd be more the band the same way. ny, as a friend and as a clarinet in the n untrue. Leonard Joy, Victor chief “We were then at Glen Island he haf taught personally. Most of But Gordon (Tex) Benekt—the playing leader, isn’t easy to re them are in their early 20’-.; all Store, V tain, was checked and denounced Casino, and it hasn't been long strain. Glenn today will do battle (Modulate to Page 18) his name the rumor. ago," says Glenn. “Bang; again of them have become professionals arguing that BG is the greatest since Goodman made hi* historic Sammy “Neither Glenn nor .tny mem the boys hit me hard. They sounded clarinetist ever to lick a reed. And Kysei fi bers of his orchestra has ever ap wonderful; better than ever before, he doesn’t hide his admiration for CHESTER E. GROTH bandlead proached RCA-Victor -egarding better than any band I had ever Benny The twe get along great, Trouble With “Styles’ Penn in the Chester baud,” said Joy. heard. When I drove home that and why not? They’ve known each had a time with SELMER DEALER (Exclmlv*) torch for Small talk irks Glenn He’s no night 1 knew we had hit the top. other 15 years, shared rooms, split them,” he declares. ‘‘Take Hal Mc- MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. ward of tin god, and he has his faults like And believe me, from that night on dimes to eat, and risen to fame Intyre alto. phrased, Plenty e all of us, but he isn’t the kind to everything broke right. My problem similarly. breathed and played in every re 47% So. Ith St. Upstair* when W bellyache about competition. He’s now is to keep it there I don’t Actually, this Miller man spect like he was playing with Tromar had plenty of it, all down the line, expect any more bangs coming quiet sort of guy. He does little ago. Ont and until eight months ago, when right off the stand at me any back-slapping; employs less loud appeared his platters Halted clicking and talk. When he discusses his band, ■the answer to all our reed troubles' until the aent the band’s -tock up bullishly Glenn thinks Benny Goodman is you feel a subtle sarcasm behind he just i to the heights, he was a pretty sad the hardest working leader in the his words, because for nearly two and sat an - disillusioned guy. mu/ EDDIE MILLER and IRVING FAZOLA leader “I thought I had swell ideas, and MODERN SECRETS REVEALED ace reedmen BOB CROSBY'S ORCHESTRA months . wonderful musicians,” he 'ecalls, with and whe “but the hell of it, no one else did.” KELLAR S MODERN TRUMPET METHOD
Then it happened Glenn remem- here the night, and so dot's his OTHER MODERN METHODS: Art Horn*« Saxophone Method and Lozano* wife. “We were playing the Mead Trombone Method. Price, (each) SI.00 owbrook early la st spring,” he says, “and up front, all of a sudden, the Pub. by NICOMEDE MUSIC COMPANY, Altoona, Pa. band hit me. It was clicking. For
KER ALL CONN S^EcS10>N 1
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