I going to be really contrarian here--and I love Ray dearly, but I really wish there was some way he that he was able to devote more of his musical life to his own big bands and their contribution--rather than revivals and rehashing Miller's old stuff. I would REALLY argue that many of McKinley's recordings from both the latter 1930's and also when he again had his own group in the late 1940's--those recordings were FAR more interesting to listen to than any of Miller's stuff--hands down.
@callmeBe Oh My...I was thinking the same thing. Ray had more of a swinging band with tighter, poppin' ensembles....tempos were faster tho.....yet his bands were alive! Smart comment 'Be". John-Hans Melcher
@johnnyzing The Gods of counterpoint and alternative voice leading are looking down upon you and smiling! Glenn Miller had some very adept arrangers working for him (especially Jerry Gray, and , of course Glenn was a rudimentary arranger himself), but never to the facultys of guys like Eddie Sauter or Dean Kinkade--who both wrote for Ray in the late 1940's and into the 1950's. Ray lead some highly swinging groups at that time--and very interesting to listen to as far as the arrangements.
@callmeBe Hi 'Be'! Glad the god's are smiling down on me. And you too! You mentioned Dean Kinkade. I played with him [on percussion] At Disney's Top Of the World Orch in 1973. Don Lamond was on Drums [and Gene Traxler, T. Dorsey's Bass Player]. I was a young kid playing with the top pros. I loved it. We played shows and many of Dean's charts of course! Did/Do you play? John-Hans Melcher
@johnnyzing You are far, far more blessed than me! I have never played (or conducted) such wonderful names. I am more known for symphonic writing (see my You-tube Variantions For Orchestra) and teaching compostion and theory. At one time I wrote a bit of big band music (played by Rex Allen when he conducted the Gene Krupa big band), but my true love is the symphony. I do jazz score study, though, and so am keenly aware of Kinkade's charts (have conducted his symphonic work before). Regards
I remember that PBS special. Could someone please post AMERICAN PATROL and ST. LOUIS BLUES MARCH. Mac is one of my all time favorite drummers and I love to see him play.
i think Willie Schwartz is on alto
annanoli 7 months ago
Comment removed
greychurch 1 year ago
@greychurch Thanks everyone for great comments.
swinginkatz 1 year ago
Is that Art Depew on trumpet?
greychurch 1 year ago
@greychurch it looks like Zeke Zarchy
annanoli 7 months ago
Ray had some great hits of his own and with Will Bradley, many years ago, and your point his shared. Thanks for watching.
swinginkatz 2 years ago
I going to be really contrarian here--and I love Ray dearly, but I really wish there was some way he that he was able to devote more of his musical life to his own big bands and their contribution--rather than revivals and rehashing Miller's old stuff. I would REALLY argue that many of McKinley's recordings from both the latter 1930's and also when he again had his own group in the late 1940's--those recordings were FAR more interesting to listen to than any of Miller's stuff--hands down.
callmeBe 2 years ago
@callmeBe Oh My...I was thinking the same thing. Ray had more of a swinging band with tighter, poppin' ensembles....tempos were faster tho.....yet his bands were alive! Smart comment 'Be". John-Hans Melcher
johnnyzing 1 year ago
@johnnyzing The Gods of counterpoint and alternative voice leading are looking down upon you and smiling! Glenn Miller had some very adept arrangers working for him (especially Jerry Gray, and , of course Glenn was a rudimentary arranger himself), but never to the facultys of guys like Eddie Sauter or Dean Kinkade--who both wrote for Ray in the late 1940's and into the 1950's. Ray lead some highly swinging groups at that time--and very interesting to listen to as far as the arrangements.
callmeBe 1 year ago
@callmeBe Hi 'Be'! Glad the god's are smiling down on me. And you too! You mentioned Dean Kinkade. I played with him [on percussion] At Disney's Top Of the World Orch in 1973. Don Lamond was on Drums [and Gene Traxler, T. Dorsey's Bass Player]. I was a young kid playing with the top pros. I loved it. We played shows and many of Dean's charts of course! Did/Do you play? John-Hans Melcher
johnnyzing 1 year ago
@johnnyzing You are far, far more blessed than me! I have never played (or conducted) such wonderful names. I am more known for symphonic writing (see my You-tube Variantions For Orchestra) and teaching compostion and theory. At one time I wrote a bit of big band music (played by Rex Allen when he conducted the Gene Krupa big band), but my true love is the symphony. I do jazz score study, though, and so am keenly aware of Kinkade's charts (have conducted his symphonic work before). Regards
callmeBe 1 year ago
@callmeBe Thank you so much.
swinginkatz 1 year ago
Thank You for your comment.Might have it.
swinginkatz 2 years ago
I remember that PBS special. Could someone please post AMERICAN PATROL and ST. LOUIS BLUES MARCH. Mac is one of my all time favorite drummers and I love to see him play.
jfmjr1968 2 years ago
You are right. These clips came from that tape, I transferred to a DVD. Thanks for watching swinginkatz.
swinginkatz 3 years ago
I have a tape of the complete show. Ray plays drums on American Patrol and St Louis Blues March. Wonderful stuff with Johnny Best and Zeke Zarchy.
4205lr 3 years ago