Customer Reviews

The Glenn Miller Story: Centenary Collection, Vols. 9-12

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There are many Glenn Miller collections featuring his unique big band sound and his contribution to popular music has also been fuelled to iconic status by the 1954 biographical movie, and his mysterious disappearance whilst in flight over the English Channel. With 2004 marking his birth centenary THE GLENN MILLER STORY is a series of 20 CD's in five volumes which provide the ultimate tribute and adds so much additional material to the usual popular numbers which normally turn up on such compilations. The previous two volumes concentrated on Miller's solo days as a trombonist with various big-bands before establishing his own embryonic unit in 1935 which soon moved into the top four listing of the most popular bands in the USA. This four-disc set covers a sixteen-month period (April 1940-August 1941) with the featured 100 tracks gleaned from recording studio and radio-broadcast material, and clearly showing prolific output spurred on by the American public's demand for the orchestra's material. During this period, Miller did much to consolidate the quality of his musicians and hired star trumpeters, Ray Anthony and Billy May; both of whom went on to become icons, as did Bobby Hackett who was hot on cornet. No wonder the band leapt to number one in the WNEW radio station listeners' poll! Amongst the tracks are a surging ANCHORS AWAY, TIGER RAG, ON THE ALAMO, EVERYBODY LOVES MY BABY and the chanted SONG OF THE VOLGA BOATMEN. Regular vocalist Ray Eberle displays much improved voice and technique on THE NEARNESS OF YOU and YOU WALK BY, whilst the band's guitarist, Jack Lathrop also contributes a vocally adept MISTER MEADOWLARK, CROSSTOWN and lively BEAT ME DADDY, EIGHT TO THE BAR. Marion Hutton excels with FIVE O'CLOCK WHISTLE, and the comedic THE GENTLEMAN NEEDS A SHAVE but taking temporary time off she was replaced by Dorothy Claire (SENTIMENTAL ME and PERFIDIA) and the excellent Paula Kelly who seemed to be frequently linked with Miller's prime sign-up, The Modernaires who brightened up the vocal aspect considerably. But the most important development during this period was a favourably negotiated movie contract and the completion of the first film SUN VALLEY SERENADE which found box office success and included amongst the Harry Warren/Mack Gordon score, the fantastic CHATTANOOGA CHOO CHOO, the agreeable IT HAPPENED IN SUN VALLEY and THE KISS POLKA all of which showcased the Orchestra, solo singers and The Modernaires to great affect. The sound quality is quite superb for recordings of this age which are well documented within the extensive notes, rare photographs and the band's musician line-up with dates fitting and following the chronological running order. There's certainly enough quality here to want to seek out all the volumes in this excellent anthology.

Where to begin? Well, it's a pretty darn good collection no doubt about it, with all those great RCA/Bluebird classics and choice cuts from the radio broadcasts. But, the sound quality is heavy on the noise reduction. Some may like it, but I did not. That's what's keeping me from giving this collection 4 or 5 stars. Where as the RCA collection (5 stars) breathes better, and has all the sparkle and fire that is missing from these Avid collections. So, if you're not afraid of a little surface noise, go for the RCA collection. Finally, the Avid booklet is alright, but not great. For example, the pictures are really small and the story wasn't in depth. Where as the RCA booklet was much better on both counts.