Search - Tex Beneke and His Orchestra :: The Complete Tex Beneke And The Glenn Miller Orchestra Part Two

This is the second part of the six part discographical series following the fortunes of Tex Beneke leading the post war Glenn Miller Orchestra. Musically, the band was a mixture of the old civilian and the A. E. F. groups, Mrs. Miller had turned over to the band the pre-war scores, and they also had the A. E. F. arrangements (indeed, the sidemen probably used the same music sheets they'd had in the Army), and of course there was smattering of new material, mainly current pops of the time. Their programme at the Capitol set the pattern the band was to follow. Just like the old days. The band was billed as 'The Glenn Miller Orchestra with Tex Beneke', and reviewing their show at the Capitol 'Metronome's' George Simon wrote; '. . . it sounds good, it looks good . . . Glenn would be mighty proud of this band'. Once again the Miller music came over the American radio (guest singer on their first broadcast was ex-Sgt. Johnny Desmond), and when Beneke felt they were good enough the band began to record once more for R. C. A. Victor - mainly current pops at first, but for all that, very well orchestrated and played. Later, they put some of the famous A. E. F. scores on wax (mostly shortened versions to fit on to 10-inch discs) and for this alone the Beneke-Miller Orchestra have a place in popular music history, for up to the present time they are the only really authentic and worthwhile commercial recordings available of the famous A. E. F. arrangements, played in large part by some of the same men who had played them under the direction of Major Miller in the Army.