May 28, 1941

HOLLYWOOD DREAMIN’

Glenn Miller and his Orchestra arrived in California on March 25, 1941, to film the 20th Century Fox production “Sun Valley Serenade.” While in Hollywood to work at Fox, the band broadcast their Chesterfield Moonlight Serenade programs from the CBS Vine Street Theater and played an engagement at the Hollywood Palladium. Moreover, they had three RCA Bluebird recording sessions at the Victor Hollywood Studio. The Glenn Miller May 28, 1941, date was the third of the sessions, preceded on May 7 and May 26.

Glenn Miller and his Orchestra
Bluebird Recording Session
Wednesday, May 28, 1941
Victor Studio
1016 North Sycamore Street
Hollywood, California

SOUND CHANGES

By May of 1941, Glenn Miller had completed a transition of his music to a rich and resonant sound, with depth that was noticeably different from the phrasing and tempos that made him popular in 1939. Furthermore, comparing recordings from 1939 with those from 1941 and beyond, the contrast is immediately apparent. Consequently, the Glenn Miller May 28, 1941, session encapsulates this clear evolution brilliantly … and featuring a twist with one historically fascinating chart.

MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM

Popular WNEW, New York disc jockey Martin Block deeply respected Glenn Miller and took every opportunity to promote the Miller band. However, he also delved into songwriting. Therefore, on October 11, 1940, Miller recorded a theme song for Block’s “Make Believe Ballroom,” titled “Make Believe Ballroom Time.” This was the first record that the Four Modernaires, Ralph Brewster, Bill Conway, Hal Dickinson, and Chuck Goldstein recorded with Miller. Hal was married to Paula Kelly. “I Guess I’ll Have to Dream the Rest” is one of Martin Block’s songwriting team efforts.

PBS-061265-1
Bluebird B-11187
I GUESS I’LL HAVE TO DREAM THE REST
(Harold Green-Mickey Stoner-Martin Block)
Vocal refrain by Ray Eberle and the Modernaires

PBS-061265-2
Unissued
I GUESS I’LL HAVE TO DREAM THE REST
Vocal refrain by Ray Eberle and The Modernaires

MELLOW “A” TRAIN

The best record made on the Glenn Miller May 28 session was probably “Take the ‘A’ Train.” Billy May turned Billy Strayhorn’s medium tempo swing classic and Duke Ellington’s theme into a warm ballad. When Edward William May left Charlie Barnet to join the Miller trumpet section and arranging team, his impact was immediate and electrifying. Firstly, he would compose and arrange many important Miller performances. Moreover, his growling trumpet drove many memorable recordings and broadcasts. Furthermore, his against-type treatment of “Take the ‘A’ Train” is itself a classic.

PBS-061266-1
Bluebird B-11187
TAKE THE “A” TRAIN
(Billy Strayhorn)
Billy May arrangement

PBS-061266-2
Unissued
TAKE THE “A” TRAIN

MILLER AND MERCER

Youthful writer and singer Mel Torme remembered that when he asked Miller for composing and arranging advice, Glenn unhesitatingly told him to study Johnny Mercer. The legendary Savannah Songbird was clearly Miller’s favorite lyricist. Although it can be argued that the team of Harry Warren and Mack Gordon were essential to Miller’s success in 1941 and 1942 with their scores for his Fox motion pictures, Miller recorded numerous Mercer tunes. But in 1942 and 1943, “Skylark” and especially “That Old Black Magic” were big Miller hits; the latter charted for weeks as #1 after Miller had disbanded and joined the Army. Meanwhile, “Peekaboo to You” features Paula Kelly and the Modernaires singing Johnny’s effervescent lyrics.

PBS-061267-1
Bluebird B-11203
PEEKABOO TO YOU
(Joseph Meyer-Johnny Mercer-Carl Sigman)
Jerry Gray arrangement
Score 597
Vocal refrain by Paula Kelly and The Modernaires

PBS-061267-2
Unissued
PEEKABOO TO YOU
Vocal refrain by Paula Kelly and The Modernaires

CUBAN CONNECTION

Ernesto Lecuona is perhaps the most famous Cuban composer of popular music. Miller’s staff took Lecuona’s “The Angels Came Through” for the Glenn Miller May 28 session and made it into a classic example of the evolution of the Miller musical style. The lovely, muted trumpet opening the tune before Ray Eberle’s vocal is possibly that of Johnny Best or perhaps another member of the trumpet section. We do not know for certain. The tenor sax is Tex Beneke.

PBS-061268-1
Bluebird B-11215
THE ANGELS CAME THRU
(Ernesto Lecuona-Al Dubin)
Vocal refrain by Ray Eberle

PBS-061268-2
Unissued
THE ANGELS CAME THRU
Vocal refrain by Ray Eberle

Dennis M. Spragg of the Glenn Miller Collections, American Music Research Center, University of Colorado Boulder, the author of the definitive and critically praised book Glenn Miller Declassified, is Glenn Miller’s authorized biographer and archivist. He also serves as Historian of the Glenn Miller Birthplace Society. Discover Glenn Miller: