See also: Miller

Glenn Miller (Alton Glenn Miller) is a Tromboniste but especially Leader of American Jazz , born on March 1st 1904 with Clarinda (Iowa) and disappeared, probably with the top of the Manche, the December 15th 1944.

Biography

Born in 1904, Glenn Miller learns the trombone towards the 11 years age. About 1921, still high-school pupil, it has his first professional contracts in an orchestra of Dixieland, the “Senter' S Sentapeeds”. He occurs in several local orchestras. He gives up his studies in 1924, to join the formation of Ben Pollack. At the time, one also finds in this orchestra some Benny Goodman. In 1928, Glenn Miller settles with New York where he plays for Pollack, but also for Red Nichols and Paul Ash. It also starts to write arrangements for these various orchestras. From 1932 to 1933, it directs “Smith Ballew Band”. In 1934, it helps the Dorsey brothers to assemble their first Big band. In 1935, it takes part in the “Ray Noble' S American Band”.

In 1937, it assembles its clean big band. Unfortunately, success is not with go and it must dissolve the orchestra.

In 1938, it makes one second attempt. This time, it is a success. As from March 1939, the orchestra animates establishments of the area of New York and New Jersey. It takes part has many radio broadcasts. The orchestra records discs and connects the tubes. The orchestra appears even in films like “ Sun Valley Serenade ” (1941) and “ Orchestra Wives ” (1942). The " son" Glenn Miller is immediately recognizable: the principal melody line is played most of the time by a clarinet leading the section of sheers while being doubled to the lower octave by a saxophone tenor.

In 1942, at the time of the Second world war, Glenn Miller engages in the Air force. Promoted to the rank of Captain, it directs then “Glenn Miller Army Air Force Band”, a jazz band and military dance which gives concerts (more than 800) “for the moral one of the troops”, takes part in hundreds of radio broadcasts and records many discs. In 1944, the orchestra is based in London. December 15th, 1944, Glenn Miller embarks on a small aircraft for France, the day before a great concert which it must give in Paris. There is this day a thick fog and the plane will never arrive at destination. Perhaps according to some, the plane would have been touched by a bomb lightened by a allied plane of return of a mission on Germany.

However, this version of the facts would have been assembled of all parts in order to a share preserve the honor of its widow and, in addition, not to skin the image of a large soldier, great symbol of the American army. Glenn Miller would have in fact made a turning by a closed house of the district of Pigalle to Paris, house in which he would have succumbed to an heart attack.

The posterity of the orchestra and the musician

The orchestral music of Glenn Miller, to the border between the jazz and the music of dance, belongs to the collective memory by immediately evoking the Second world war, the release, and more largely the Forties. Everyone has the " at the head; tubes" of this big band: “ In the mood " , “ Moonlight serenade ”, “ Tuxedo junction ”, “ Pennsylvania 6-5000 ”, “ Anvil chorus ”, “ Chattanooga Choo Choo ”, “ American patrol ” (1942)… They were often taken again with the cinema, in particular by Woody Allen.

The life of Glenn Miller was carried to the screen in 1954 by Anthony Mann under the title “The Glenn Miller story”. The role of the leader was interprêté by the actor James Stewart.

The orchestra of Glenn Miller continued to exist after the disappearance of its leader. It was successively directed by Ray McKinley, Buddy DeFranco, Peanuts Hucko, Buddy Morrow, Jimmy Henderson, Al Porcino and Dick Gerhart. Today, at least three formations occur while bearing this name (American, the orchestra " officiel" , English and allemande).

Discography

Titles n°1

• The Song off the Volga Boatmen - US n°1 on March 15th, 1941
• Elmer' S Tune - US n°1 on December 21st, 1941
• Chattanooga Choo Choo - n°1 US December 1941 - January 1942
• has String Pearls off - US n°1 on February 21st, 1942
• Moonlight Cocktail - n°1 US March-April 1942
• (I' ve Got has Gall in) Kalamazoo - n°1 US September-October 1942
• That Old Black Magic - US n°1 on May 29th, 1943