Thursday 10 February 2011

Bing Crosby with Glenn Miller - Broadway Label ID. BR 114


Bing Crosby with Glenn Miller - Broadway Label ID. BR 114 - The Golden Years of Bing Crosby

The American Band of the Allied Expeditionary Forces Orchestra

 
Description from the Sleeve
 
Not unlike finding a pot of gold the release of this "lost broadcast" is a treasure designed to gladden the hearts of the legions of Bing Crosby and Glenn Miller enthusiasts all over the world. It also ends almost forty years of speculation over its alleged existence. Impossible as it may seem this is the only known recording of Bing singing with the great Glenn Miller Orchestra. Being the mainstays of two rival recording companies (Miller for RCA and Crosby for Decca) their paths were never to cross at a formal recording session. The purists will note that this is not the only time Glenn Miller himself recorded with The Groaner. They made several sides together in the early '30's for the Brunswick label when Bing was an up-and-coming crooner and Glenn was a much sought after studio musician and arranger with his band-leading days still in the future.

Although much was known about this broadcast such as the date — August 31 1944 the place — the BBC radio studio at the Paris Cinema in London and the musical selections the actual 16" radio transcription discs were thought to be long lost. It was seriously doubted that anyone at the BBC had realized the importance of preserving the only existing waxings made by these two musical legends. However they recently came to light in England after years of searching and we can once more enjoy Bing and Glenn Miller's American Band of the AEF doing their bit to boost morale and entertain the war-weary people of the British Isles.

Sadly it turned out to be their final meeting also. After entertaining troops in the European Theater for about a month Bing returned to the USA to continue his brilliant career. Several months later on December 15 1944 Glenn Miller boarded a plane bound for Paris to make arrangements for his band to play for the soldiers in the front lines. Glenn's plane flew into the fog and out of this life forever. Bing is also gone now but with this record we can enjoy the golden moment when two giants of American music got together and tried to soothe a war-torn world with song. It was potent medicine then and a good dose like this still does the trick in today's hectic world.

Mark Scrimger — Club Crosby - 82
 

ID. 100070 - Bing Crosby with Glenn Miller - Broadway Label ID. BR 114

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