[Dixielandjazz]Beating Up Glenn Miller-was Beneke & Klink sax solo

[PATRICK LADD]

his "smooth/sweet" book was crammed with
> sentimental schmaltz, often sung with dreamy malaise by bland
> vocalists, with a few fine tunes showing up.>>

Hi all,
 those tunes on which you are pouring scorn were the stock in trade of every 
top line band of the era. They paid the wages. Known, whistled and sung by 
every body who was aware of music at all. The sheet music flew off the 
shelves of music stores and onto every parlour piano.
Sure they were sentimental and gooey but they reminded soldiers abroad of 
the girls they left behind and girls at home of brothers and husbands who 
were away. It was a ready made era for songs which struck a chord from 
`American Patrol` to `Dont sit under the apple tree`. On this side of the 
world,  There`ll be Blue birds over the White Cliffs of Dover, for the 
Germans `Lili Marlene`, until the Desert Rats adopted it.
What is a really interesting point is Why Miller? Why not Dorsey,   James, 
Kayser, Goodman, Shaw. Certainly they were all in there but Miller was `the 
Man`.
Millers films certainly helped but he was featured in the films because of 
his existing fame.
Certainly Miller leading the Band of the AEF and their broadcasts from 
Europe was a significant factor. If Harry James had been leading that band 
would we be having this exchange of views?

It may be of course it was the fact that Miller was killed. There are many 
stars who were cut down in their prime and one wonders how many would have 
survived as stars if they had just meandered on into a uneventful old age. 
Pick any one from James Dean to The Big Bopper.

In the local celebrations for the remembrance of VE Day a nearby transport 
museum has opened its doors as a venue. What are we getting? A hangar full 
of people in uniforms, tin hats and gas masks dancing quicksteps and 
foxtrots in front of a DC3 and a Constellation and the band is......THE GLEN 
MILLER BAND.

Cheers

Pat



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