GMO Welcomes New Band Members

The Glenn Miller Orchestra recently welcomed four new members and an esteemed alumnus onto the bus. Hailing from Orlando, Florida is Mr. Ben Classon, who will be scorching the stratosphere with his dazzling high notes on split-lead trumpet. From Worcester, Massachusetts, comes the new baby of our band, Mr. Dan Gabel (20 years old!), who will be jazzing it up with his hot licks on third trombone. Our new second alto player is a Georgia Peach from Thomaston, and his name is Daniel Puckett. Jeff Uban, joining the band from Denver, Colorado, is our new jazz trumpeter extraordinaire who will not fail to impress. Finally, GMO is proud to welcome back pianist Mr. Ron Mills, who will be tickling the ivories in addition to running sound for the band.

February Highlights

Topping the long list of exciting gigs this past month was an engagement in Panama City, Florida, where the band was most honored to share the stage with a true jazz legend, clarinetist Buddy DeFranco. Mr. DeFranco not only introduced the band but also treated the audience to a sparkling rendition of “Memories of You,” accompanied by the GMO rhythm section. After the show, the promoter generously treated the band to a party with Mr. DeFranco. Mr. DeFranco graciously “held court,” regaling eager GMO band members with tales of his exploits and answering questions about his times with the likes of Count Basie and Tommy Dorsey. Mr. DeFranco is also an ex-leader of the Glenn Miller Orchestra, having fronted the band from 1966-1974. A brief biography of Mr. DeFranco and all of the leaders of the Glenn Miller Orchestra can be found on our website at:  http://www.glennmillerorchestra.com/former_leaders.html

Other February highlights included wrapping up our Florida tour with gigs from Pensacola to Miami Beach and an annual gig in Mt. Airy, North Carolina. Mt. Airy is famous as the alleged inspiration for the town of Mayberry in the Andy Griffith Show. Actress Betty Lynn, who played Barney’s girlfriend Thelma Lou on the Andy Griffith Show was in attendance at the Mt. Airy show. Ms. Lynn’s appearance was a special treat for both the band and the audience.

Marching Forward

The month of March holds a lot in store for the Glenn Miller Orchestra. The band will be making its way westward via a southerly route, with gigs in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Missouri and Texas. Then the band will do a “mini tour” of the Southwest, heading north to Colorado and then south to New Mexico and Arizona before heading out west to California in early April. Of particular note is a three-night engagement at Dallas’ Myerson Symphony Hall on March 13-15, at which the band will be sharing the stage with the esteemed Ms. Debbie Boone. The GMO will open each night’s performance with a short set and then will back up Ms. Boone for the second half. Get your tickets now and let the Glenn Miller Orchestra and Debbie Boone light up your life!

April 2009

The month of April began with four southern California engagements in San Diego , Arroyo Grande, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles . The orchestra was honored to have trombonist Paul Tanner in attendance at the San Diego concert. Mr. Tanner is one of three known surviving musicians who were full time members of Glenn Miller’s original band. After his time with the Miller band, Mr. Tanner built a successful career as a music educator, composer, author and studio musician in Los Angeles . Current GMO band members were excited to have Mr. Tanner in the audience and delivered a special, “trombone show” featuring solos by all members of the trombone section.

After the California gigs, road-weary band members flew to their respective homes for a well-deserved 10-day break. Post-break, “Meet me in St. Louie,” was the mantra for the mellowed-out musical menagerie, as they met up at the St. Louis Airport to resume the ever-busy GMO tour schedule. 

April showers buffeted the bus as the band finished out the month with gigs in Missouri , Kansas , Illinois , Iowa and Wisconsin .

Newbies

The GMO welcomed two new members to its ranks this month: Mr. Damian Sanchez, of Miami , Florida , who brings el fuego Cubano to the ensemble on the second tenor chair, and Mr. Gary Meggs, of Monticello , Arkansas , who adds a certain professorial dignity to the baritone saxophone chair. Before joining the band, Mr. Sanchez completed a Master of Music degree at University of Memphis , freelanced in the Memphis area and toured with the United States Air Force Band of the West. Professor Meggs is currently on sabbatical from his position as Director of Bands at the University of Arkansas at Monticello , taking some time off from academia to settle up some long-unpaid road dues.

Frequently Asked Questions: A “Top Eleven” List

Audience members often approach Glenn Miller Orchestra band members with questions and comments before and after the show. Some of these questions have been asked so many times that certain band members are actually becoming quite adept at predicting what curious concert-goers are about to ask. Just for fun, we’ve compiled a “Top Eleven” list of some of the most frequent audience questions and comments, along with some typical tongue-in-cheek band member replies. For those who are genuinely curious, the gag answers are followed by a serious answer to each question.

 
But before we proceed with the list, let us address a pressing question that may be on many of our readers’ minds: why a “Top Eleven” list instead of a “Top Ten” list? Well, because it goes to eleven, that’s why! Enjoy—and remember, it’s all in good fun!

11) How come some people’s horns are shiny and others are not?

Some of us get paid more than others… But seriously, some band members, especially saxophonists, prefer vintage model instruments because they feel that these instruments supply the proper tone and response for playing jazz music. Also, removing the lacquer from brass instruments, new or old, mellows out, or darkens the instrument’s tone.

10) Do you guys travel by bus?

We only travel by Learjet, stretch-Hummer limousine and helicopter. As a matter of fact, I think I hear the chopper landing right now…gotta run! But seriously, folks, we travel almost exclusively by bus. From time to time, if we have a very long distance between two important gigs, we will fly on a commercial airliner.

9) So, are any of you guys married?

To each other? Actually, our bandleader, Mr. Larry O’Brien, was married for the first time five years ago—at age seventy! His wife Judy often travels with the band for a couple of weeks at a time. Currently we have one other band member who is married and several others who have long-term girlfriends. Oh yeah, and our chanteuse, Ms. Julia Rich has been married twice!

8) Are these the original arrangements?

Nope. We actually had Gene Simmons from 80’s heavy metal band Kiss rewrite all of the arrangements a few years ago… Just kidding! Most of our arrangements are originals from the Glenn Miller library. Of course, the individual parts in each player’s book have been recopied many times, but the music itself is the same. We also encourage band members to write arrangements, transcriptions and original music for the group. In addition, we occasionally commission arrangers from outside the band to complete specific assignments.

7) I used to play (insert band member’s instrument). Why, I was in (insert name of obscure ensemble) back in ’46. What kind of mouthpiece/reeds/sticks/strings do you use? Lets talk shop while you pack up!

OK, as long as you carry the heavy stuff! I use a Bach mouthpiece. Can you hand me that piano?

6) Any original members in the band?

Yes. I may look 25, but I’m actually 87. Ha, ha, ha! But I jest. In truth, we don’t have any original members. Anyone who played in the band before Glenn Miller disappeared in 1944 would have to be in their mid-80’s, at the youngest. Unfortunately, our touring schedule is simply too grueling for most folks in that age range.

5) So, where was your last gig?

I just flew in from Uzbekistan , and BOY ARE MY ARMS TIRED! Seriously, though, many of our artistically minded band members have trouble remembering what day it is, much less where the last gig was! But if we can’t seem to remember when you ask, you can view our tour schedule on our website at:  

http://www.glennmillerorchestra.com/itinerarybydate.html
 

4) So, where ya headed next?

Once again, we’re artists; we leave the secretarial work to the management!

3) So, how long is this tour?

Actually, this is the last stop. Mind if I stay at your place tonight? In all seriousness, the band has been on the road continuously since 1956. Typically, we’ll do three or four months of touring, followed by a short break of a week to ten days and then head right back out on the road. According to our bandleader, Mr. Larry O’Brien, the band currently averages about 250 dates a year.

2) Where is the band based?

Fiji . That’s where we stay when we’re not on tour…we wish! Truthfully, Glenn Miller Productions is a New York based company with two auxiliary offices in Florida , but the band’s members are from all over the country.

1) You guys all look so young! Aren’t you too young to be playing this music?

Well, every once in a while I like to play some Bach; do I have to be 300 years old? I’m kidding, folks! Actually, we have quite a wide range of ages in the band. Currently, our members range in age from 20 to 75 years old.

That’s all the questions and silly answers we have for you today, but if you’ve got any pressing questions of your own, please feel free to approach any band member after the show, or send me an email at zwola@yahoo.com. We love answering our fans’ questions and we hope you don’t mind us having a little fun with our “Top Eleven” list. Perhaps it was even a little bit informative, too! Thanks for reading.

May 2009

The month of May was exploding with exciting events for the Glenn Miller Orchestra. After an exhaustive four-month search, the orchestra finally found a fantastic new romantic balladeer, Mr. Michael Gullo, of Seattle, Washington. Mr. Gullo is 19 years old and is ousting our third trombonist, Dan Gable (20 years old), as the youngest member of the band. He just completed his sophomore year as a studio music/jazz voice major at the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music. His professors told us they’d allow him to play hooky this coming fall, but we had to promise to return him before too long.

On May 8^th, the band played at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Women’s Association’s 75^th Anniversary Celebration. The event was held in the ballroom of the famous Peninsula hotel in downtown Chicago. Band members were excited to share the stage with three of the most prestigious musicians in the world: the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s principal trumpeter Chris Martin, bass trombonist Charlie Vernon, and bassist Rob Cassinger. The symphonic musicians were asked to sit in by the event’s sponsor, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Women’s Association. Though the trio was asked to sit in for only one tune (“Chicago,” of course), they all decided to sit in for the whole set, much to the delight of band members and the audience alike. In fact, Mr. Vernon was having so much fun that he sat for the rest of the concert! During the intermission, the three orchestral musicians posed for photos with the band, chatted and asked questions about life on the road. Proceeds for the event went to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Institute for Learning, Access and Training.

Perhaps the most exciting event for the GMO this month was the San Francisco Jazz Festival’s Battle of the Big Bands with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. The two bands duked it out in a grudge rematch event, duplicating last summer’s battle at the Montreal Jazz Festival. The bands took turns playing tunes and then the two bands played three tunes together as a “double big band” during the second half.

Also during the second half was a mini-battle between two champion swing dance couples, who joined the bands on stage and danced to a piece that was composed especially for the event. The piece was written by the GMO’s own third trombonist, Dan Gabel and was entitled “Battle of the Blues.” It was a rare composition indeed, because it was specially written to be performed by two big bands, with each band playing its own separate parts. But perhaps most impressive of all is the fact that Mr. Gabel wrote the piece on short notice the night before the event! The bands concluded the show by playing Tommy Dorsey Bandleader Buddy Morrow’s famous version of Night Train, with our fearless leader Larry O’Brien playing the opening section and Mr. Morrow himself playing the bridge. The battle resulted in a tie, although the members of the GMO unanimously agree that we kicked their butts!

The audience responded ecstatically to the event, and their reaction certainly demanded future battles between the two bands. The Glenn Miller Orchestra will play three more battle of the bands events in Canada this summer, this time with the Harry James Orchestra. Check our website for details: http://www.glennmillerorchestra.com/itinerarybydate.html
 

The month of June is full of action for the GMO, but two gigs, in particular, stand out from the rest. The first is an annual performance in Clarinda, Iowa as part of the Glenn Miller Birthplace Society Festival. As requested by the event’s organizers, the band will concentrate on performing rarely heard compositions from deep within the vast GMO library. These will be compositions that the band does not play at any other events, so the concerts are a must-see for any diehard GMO fan. The band will play two engagements for the festival on June 12^th and 13^th. Details are available on the website (see above).

Another exciting upcoming event is the annual gig at the Life Investor’s parking lot in Cedar Rapids on June 14^th. Why in the world would we be excited about performing in a parking lot in June? Here’s why: over a thousand people show up every year to dance to Glenn Miller music, soak in the sun and enjoy refreshments in the vast parking lot of the Life Investor’s Building. In addition, the event will be broadcast live on the radio, and listeners all around the world can tune in and hear the band play live via the Internet. The event will be broadcast live at 6pm Central time on KMRY 1450 AM and online at KMRYradio.com after the baseball game, so tune in and turn your living room into your own private Savoy Ballroom!

A Word From the Editor

It has been my distinct pleasure to bring you the news from the Glenn Miller Orchestra these past five months, and I look forward to bringing you many more newsletters in the future. This is a job that I truly enjoy—so much so that I hesitate to call it a job! If you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions for articles that you’d like to see in our newsletter, please do not hesitate to contact me at zwola@yahoo.com.

I’d also like to announce two new features that will become a regular part of our newsletter, beginning with next month’s issue. Spotlight on the Players will highlight a different GMO band member each month, and will feature biographical information, personal anecdotes and general musings. History Notes, contributed by band member Dan Gabel, will edify you with historical information about the Glenn Miller Orchestra. You won’t want to miss either of these fantastic new features!

Thanks for reading, and please drop me an email!

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Vocalist Walt Andrus and his first days with The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra

I got a call from leader Buddy Morrow to fill in for Steve Calafato (fine singer) with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra for 6 days in 1986.  I met the band in New York City.  The 1st gig was in a High School in Pennsylvania.  NO REHEARSAL!  I was given a tape and was told "this is the set".  Six days later we ended in Chicago and I flew home.  Buddy and I and the guys hit it off and I said give me a ring if you need a singer.  The call came some time later and on January 17, 1988, I flew to Los Angeles and joined The One And Only Tommy Dorsey Orchestra conducted by Buddy Morrow.  The first gig was at Disneyland in Anehiem, CA, at Carnation Plaza.  The band had arrived a day early and checked into the hotel.  We had the night off and were able to access the park to hear Peanuts Hucko performing with a Benny Goodman Tribute Orchestra.   I was able to get seated at the "reserved table".  Alvin Stoller (the drummer who replaced Buddy Rich with the TDO and who replaced Irv Cotler with Frank Sinatra) was playing drums with the band and Don Lodice was on Baritone sax.  Alvin's wife was at the table.  I said hello and introduced myself, and the first words from her were "You look like Mel" (Torme).  I was a bit taken aback.  I was 24 years old..6'3", 220 pounds.  I just thought - I think I'm a bit more good looking than Mel!

Walt Andrus

Walt is presently living in Connecticut and still singing whenever an opportunity comes along.  In addition to local engagements with local bands, recent engagements have included singing with The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra at the Montreal Jazz Festival and with Christopher Riddle and The Nelson Riddle Orchestra.  An upcoming performance this July 18th in Manchester, Vermont with The Nelson Riddle Orchestra should not be missed!