(December 1926 until June 1939)
During this Glenn Miller centenary year, AVID Entertainment are proud to announce a programme of five lavishly re-mastered 4CD Boxsets that document the story of the most popular bandleader of the twentieth century.
Discs 1 & 2 of this collection cover Glenn Miller as sideman and his own early band sides before the days of commercial success. Discs 3 & 4 mark the start of the Victor recording contract.
Jazz aficionados who may dislike what they term as the 'smooth, commercial' sound of Miller will be in for a few surprises on this volume. The first 29 tracks feature Miller as a sideman in his formative years (1926-1937). Here we can admire him not only as an exceptionally fine trombonist but one who could turn his hand to arranging too. When bandleader Ray Noble arrived in New York in the mid-1930s, it was Glenn Miller who set about organising the band for the Englishman.
The majority of Disc 2 focuses on Glenn's early attempts to run a band on his own, starting with two 1935 studio band sides. The 1937 titles are by Miller's first organised road band though this unit failed commercially and broke up in January 1938. Undeterred, Miller reformed a band three months later featuring the immediately identifiable sound of the clarinet lead, which would become the unmistakable hall-mark of the famous Miller band. Even so, it took a further year of struggle before the big-time breakthrough came.
Discs 3 & 4 are devoted to the first recordings for Victor, interspersed with 'live' performances, and marks the 'breakthrough' recording of his signature tune 'Moonlight Serenade' and 'Little Brown Jug' (his first hit). From April 1939 the 'live' performances are taken off-air from the prestigious Meadowbank Ballroom and the Glen Island Casino - Miller had definitely arrived.
CD1
Ben Pollack & His Californians:-
1. When I First Met Mary
2. 'Deed I Do
Benny Goodman's Boys with Jim and Glenn:-
3. A Jazz Holiday
4. Wolverine Blues
Ben Pollack & His Californians:-
5. Singapore Sorrows
6. Sweet Sue - Just You
Sam Lanin & His Orchestra:-
7. Get Out And Get Under The Moon
Mendello & His Five Gee-Gees (Toots Mendello):-
8. Sunday Afternoon
Ben's Bad Boys (Ben Pollack):-
9. The Wang Wang Blues
Dick Robertson & His Orchestra:-
10. Some Sweet Day
Mound City Blue Blowers:-
11. Hello, Lola
12. One Hour
Louisiana Rhythm Kings:-
13. Oh, Lady Be Good!
14. The Meanest Kind Of Blues
Joe Venuti & His Orchestra:-
15. My Man From Caroline
16. I Like A Little Girl Like That
Red Nichols & His Five Pennies:-
17. Bug-A-Boo
The Captivators (Red Nichols & His Five Pennies):-
18. What Good Am I Without You?
The Charleston Chasers:-
19. Basin Street Blues
Benny Goodman & His Orchestra:-
20. What Have We Got To Do Tonight (But Dance)?
The Dorsey Brothers' Orchestra:-
21. Why Did It Have To Be Me?
22. Annie's Cousin Fanny
Frankie Trumbauer & His Orchestra:-
23. Plantation Moods
24. Troubled
Clark Randall & His Orchestra
25. When Icky Morgan Plays The Organ
CD2
Clark Randall & His Orchestra
1. Drifting Tide
Ray Noble & His Orchestra
2. Way Down Yonder In New Orleans
3. St Louis Blues
Miff Mole's (Little) Molers:-
4. How Could You?
Glenn Miller & His Orchestra:-
5. In A Little Spanish Town
6. Solo Hop
7. Peg O' My Heart
8. Wistful And Blue
9. How Am I To Know?
10. Anytime, Anyday, Anywhere
11. Moonlight Bay
12. I'm Sitting On Top Of The World
13. I Got Rhythm
14. Sleepy Time Gal
15. Community Swing
16. Time On My Hands
17. My Fine Feathered Friend
18. Humoresque
19. Doin' The Jive
20. Silhouetted In The Moonlight
21. Every Day's A Holiday
22. Sweet Stranger
23. Don't Wake Up My Heart
24. Why'd Ya Make Me Fall In Love?
25. Sold American
26. Dippermouth Blues
27. On The Sentimental Side 'live'
28. My Best Wishes 'live'
CD3
Glenn Miller & His Orchestra:-
1. My Reverie
2. By The Waters Of Minnetonka (Parts 1 & 2)
3. King Porter Stomp
4. I Never Knew ' live'
5. This Can't Be Love 'live'
6. What Have You Got That Gets Me? 'live'
7. Change Partners 'live'
8. Gotta Get Some Shut-Eye
9. How I'd Like To Be With You In Bermuda
10. Cuckoo In The Clock
11. Romance Runs In The Family
12. Oh, Baby 'live'
13. Don't Worry 'Bout Me' 'live'
14. Deep Purple 'live'
15. My Blue Heaven ' live'
16. Sticks And Stones 'live'
17. Get Out Of Town 'live'
18. The Chestnut Tree
19. And The Angels Sing
20. Moonlight Serenade
21. The Lady's In Love With You
22. Blue Skies 'live'
23. The Masquerade Is Over 'live'
CD4
Glenn Miller & His Orchestra:-
1. Our Love 'live'
2. Wishing (Will Make It So)
3. Three Little Fishies (Itty Bitty Poo)
4. Sunrise Serenade
5. Little Brown Jug
6. My Last Goodbye
7. But It Didn't Mean A Thing
8. Pavanne
9. Runnin' Wild
10. To You
11. Stairway To The Stars
12. Blue Evening
13. The Lamp Is Low
14. Rendezvous Time In Paree
15. We Can Live On Love (We Haven't Got A Pot To Cook In)
16. Cinderella (Stay In My Arms)
17. Moon Love
18. Guess I'll Go Back Home (This Summer)
19. I'm Sorry For Myself
20. Back To Back
21. Slip Horn Jive
22. At Sundown 'live'
23. The Hour Of Parting 'live'
24. One O'Clock Jump 'live'
25. Wishing (Will Make It So) 'live'
