The eeriest moment on this wonderful CD comes early on when Glenn Miller steps up to the microphone to speak and one realizes that, jeez, Jimmy Stewart (in The Glenn Miller Story) really did sound a lot like him. But it's a nice kind of eerie, and the rest is pure gold -- all of the major big bands of the period were almost hyper-professional and proficient, on levels that exceeded perhaps any orchestra in the world this side of the Vienna Philharmonic, but one can fully appreciate Miller's exacting standards on broadcasts ...
Read More
The eeriest moment on this wonderful CD comes early on when Glenn Miller steps up to the microphone to speak and one realizes that, jeez, Jimmy Stewart (in The Glenn Miller Story) really did sound a lot like him. But it's a nice kind of eerie, and the rest is pure gold -- all of the major big bands of the period were almost hyper-professional and proficient, on levels that exceeded perhaps any orchestra in the world this side of the Vienna Philharmonic, but one can fully appreciate Miller's exacting standards on broadcasts such as this; every nuance is spot-on perfect, yet there is still the excitement of a live performance and the ambience of an audience's very vocal presence between numbers. And one can appreciate in this setting even better than on the records why Miller was so imposing a musical presence even among jazz musicians who didn't necessarily respect the music he made -- the Miller band's renditions of "Georgia on My Mind" or "Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto" may only touch upon jazz in the most oblique, peripheral way, but there's enough of a jazz presence there, and enough elsewhere in this performance at a high enough level, so that even his harshest critics among the big-band jazz and even the bebop set had to acknowledge him. And numbers like "Dreamsville, Ohio," "Chattanooga Choo Choo," and "The Nickel Serenade," extended here to well over four minutes (much longer than the official studio releases), have a kick and an immediacy that's totally beguiling when heard today; and jazz enthusiasts may have to hear this just for the prominence of Bobby Hackett on cornet for many of the songs. The singers also acquit themselves well, Ray Eberle, Marion Hutton, and Tex Beneke all sounding exceptionally good, so much so that even those listeners who prefer to overlook the singers may be impressed. The sound is flawless -- why BMG/RCA never reached out to grab this and the other performances from the Cafe Rouge at the Hotel Pennsylvania is beyond this listener's understanding, but the essential point is that this is an essential part of any Miller collection, or any big-band swing collection, and it's done with class, including excellent notes. There's also an interesting biographical element about Miller behind these broadcasts and performances, which were aimed at supporting the USO -- this was in November of 1941, weeks (a little more than one week, actually) before the United States was in the war, and Miller was already throwing himself with both feet into supporting the morale of the nation's servicemen. ~ Bruce Eder, Rovi
Read Less
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Fair. All our items come in the original case with artwork, though manuals and slipcovers are not always guaranteed to be included as these items are donated goods and will show some wear and tear from normal use. Jewel cases will be included but may be damaged and/or cracked. We typically resurface discs that are visibly scratched prior to shipping, but we do not test disc(s). Digital codes may not be included and have not been tested to be redeemable and/or active. Thank you for shopping with Goodwill Colorado! Orders shipped Monday through Friday. Safe and Secure Bubble Mailer! Your purchase helps put people to work and learn life skills to reach their full potential. Thank you!
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
New. Buy from insomniacs! We dont sleep until your order is shipped! Professional packaging, same day shipping on most orders. View our feedback and buy with confidence.
Portions of content provided by Rovi Corporation. © 2024 Rovi Corporation.