Glenn Miller

After a series of disappointments during the early days of his career, Glenn Miller's star rose rapidly in 1939, with a number of hit records and successful live appearances. With this in mind, L&M (a cigarette company) agreed to sponsor a series of radio shows for its Chesterfield brand, featuring the trombonist's orchestra, with the addition of a popular singing group, the Andrews Sisters. The swinging band provides a perfect backdrop for the Andrews Sisters' playful vocals, which include both individual solos and tight harmony within most numbers. The numbers heard in this compilation, drawn from live performances recorded over the 13-week period in which the band and the vocalists shared the stage, feature a mix of songs that became standards, then-current pop material, and some novelty numbers that haven't aged all that well. The most enduring numbers are "Begin the Beguine" and "Bei Mir Bist du Schoen," while fluff like "Chico's Love Song" proves to be forgettable. The audio throughout this anthology is excellent, while the liner notes provide ample background about how the radio series came to be. ~ Ken Dryden, All Music Guide