Tracks

1. In The Mood

2. Tuxedo Junction

3. Serenade In Blue

4. Blueberry Hill

5. (I've Got A Gal In) Kalamazoo

6. Moon Love

7. Over The Rainbow

8. Stairway To The Stars

9. Little Brown Jug

10. A String Of Pearls

11. Juke Box Saturday Night

12. The Woodpecker Song

13. When You Wish Upon A Star

14. Imagination

15. The Boogie Wooglie Piggy

16. Moonlight Cocktail

17. A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square

18. Blue Rain

19. Beat Me Daddy, Eight To The Bar

20. Pennsylvania 6-500

21. Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree (With Anyone Else But Me)

22. Elmer's Tune

23. Chattanooga Choo Choo

24. The Story Of A Starry Night

25. At Last

26. American Patrol

27. Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear To Tread)

28. The Nearness Of You

29. Blue Orchids

30. Song Of The Volga Boatmen

31. Moonlight Serenade

32. The st Louis Blues March

33. Peggy, The Pin-Up Girl

34. Along The Santa Fe Trail

35. Mission To Moscow

36. Medley

37. G.I. Jive

38. Over There

Performer Notes

Personnel: Glenn Miller (trombone); Murray Kane, Johnny Desmond (vocals); Al Klink (tenor saxophone); Dale McMickle (trumpet); Tex Beneke (vocals, tenor saxophone); Marion Hutton, Ray Eberle, The Modernaires (vocals).
Liner Note Author: Mike Plaskett.
Recording information: 04/04/1939-04/29/1944.
Arrangers: Ralph Wilkinson; Jerry Gray; Bill Finegan; Mel Powell; Billy May.
While there's no shortage of Glenn Miller collections, there aren't many that rival Bluebird/Legacy's THE ESSENTIAL GLENN MILLER. This two-disc, 38-track compilation covers the peak years of the iconic bandleader/trombonist's career, and includes a welcome handful of numbers recorded with his Army Air Force Band in 1943 and '44 , shortly before his death.
Though it's difficult for modern-day listeners to grasp Miller's massive stardom during the 1930s and '40s, undeniably catchy big-band tunes such as "In the Mood" and "Little Brown Jug" easily give a sense of the swing giant's wide appeal. This set skillfully mixes Miller's instrumentals (a dynamic take on "A String of Pearls") with numerous vocal tracks (most notably "Over the Rainbow," featuring the butter-smooth voice of Ray Eberle), all of which boast stunning interplay between the rhythm and horn sections. THE ESSENTIAL GLENN MILLER rivals 2003's PLATINUM GLENN MILLER and covers most of the selections featured on 2004's THE CENTENNIAL COLLECTION, making it one of the best Miller retrospectives on the market.