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Following on
from our last newsletter, we are delighted to tell you all that we
now have sole management of the Glenn Miller Tribute Orchestra
(and as we go to 'press' The Blackpool Tower Big Band -see
back page). The Glenn Miller Tribute Orchestra was too big an opportunity
to miss -and it gives us the chance to present an orchestra which
is modelled on the original AEF band as it was in the U.K. in 1944.
It has disheartened us in the past, to hear the many and various 'Glenn
Miller Orchestras' worldwide (and yes -there are several of them!)
playing Andrew Lloyd Webber and other 'popular' music when there is
a more than adequate supply of good vintage music available. Certainly
we agree that had Glenn Miller lived through the SO's and 60's, he
would have played up to date music. The point we have always tried
to make is that Glenn Miller died in 1944, thereby he became a legend.
The whole idea of playing Miller music should be to remind us of the
wonderful legacy he left us.
In our usual 'pedantic' manner, we have acquired original transcriptions
of the Miller music, enlisted young 'clean cut' musicians, dressed
the~ in 'GI' uniform, and use music desks which especially reflect
the era ~when Glenn Miller was in Great Britain in 1944 with the SHAEF.
The Glenn Miller Tribute Orchestra features the vocals of Paul Barry
who has left the QE2 to join us. Paul is an absolute authority
on the history of Glenn Miller! A tour of this orchestra started in
February -to packed houses! There are many dates con- firmed already
through to November, and these are listed inside along with confirmed
dates for the other orchestras. We hope you will support all of our
orchestras. We have the opportunity here to keep 'our kind of music'
playing through our policy of using the younger generation of musicians.
Let's not lose that opportunity!
Finally, we are now contracted to provide a 14 piece orchestra
for the Blackpool Tower ballroom -six nights a week! We intend to
present our various nostalgia orchestras on selected nights of the
week, each night being a themed event. Further details of the programme
are on the back page of this newsletter.
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Thank
You and Happy Listening
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Report
from the QE2 -The Squadronaires
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What a day that was! We all rolled up at the quayside with our instruments,
bags and suitcases hoping to get aboard early. No such luck!
We knew that we had to play that first evening, and we were
anxious to get our stage set up (flags etc) in good time. After
about 2 hours, Greg sent the musicians aboard the ship and waylaid
a porter who, for a 'bribe' helped to load the heavy fiightcases
aboard. These cases contained the band desks, the uniforms,
and the music. When we were all finally aboard and getting our-
selves settled in, a major 'tradgedy' loomed on the horizon
-we could not locate any of our RAF uniforms or the music. Panic
stations was the word. Eventually, due to the kind assistance
given us by Maureen in the Cruise Directors office, the uniforms
were located and we hurriedly changed and set the scene for
our first night show.
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What a wonderful working environment
the QE2 is. We got so much help from the crew -particularly
resident vocalist PAUL BARRY who is now 'jumping ship' to join
us as vocalist with the Glenn Miller Tribute Orchestra. Being
treated as passengers, we found the service to be absolutely
100% and would thoroughly recommend it- if you have a 'hour'
or so to spare.
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Paul Barry I
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We
met up with some really interesting people too. Particularly
I
of
interest to us all was ex Sands Casino Orchestra lead
Trumpet
player NICK RUSSO. He was leading the Charlie I Spivak
Orchestra and anybody listening and watching would not have
believed that Nick is 82 years old. He played all of the great
Harry James solos -just perfect !
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Also on board we met 89 year old Orrin
Tucker who was leading the Erskine Hawkins Orchestra, and Ray
McVay was aboard v.Jith his band playing Glenn Miller and Andrew
Lloyd Webber music -which he especially dedicated to Greg 'what's
his name' !
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Of course we were playing 'against'
these orchestras in different rooms, so you can imagine that
there was a fair bit of rivalry. We're happy to say that without
any shadow of a doubt, the Squadronaires were the highlight
of the cruise. So many people came up to tell us, and many of
them even went to the Cruise Director to say they would book
again 'there and then' if we were coming back next year. It
was a big 'booster' for the youngsters in our orchestra -just
the sort of thing they needed. We had a 'jam session' one night
after the dancing, and our young star tenor player Mike Hope
went on stage with the young American musicians. He played a
jazz solo for at least 15 minutes non stop! After all that,
the Americans gave up and went to bed! Wish you could all have
been there -maybe next time ?
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Well, that's all to report on the QE2 experience, except to say that we gave
a good account of ourselves, and with our slightly smaller band, we
showed them that size is everthing -especially if you're British! Both
the Squads and our Memphis Belle Swing Orchestra are booked back aboard
the QE2 this winter for a 6 day cruise !
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Besides
the obvious good news about the Glenn Miller Tribute Orchestra,
we have been working on getting the tour dates together for
this year with the Squadronaires Orchestra. Without exception,
all of the dates we performed last year with the Squadronaires
were a great success (ie: we didn't lose any money). Perhaps
you don't know about the inner workings of the business, so
here's some inside info. Normally, if you want to perform at
the theatres and civic venues in the UK you have to work on
a percentage of the box office takings. This can be quite scary
sometimes, because if you don't sell enough tickets you can
be in big trouble. The musicians still have to be paid their
full fees, advertising, handbills posters and everything else
has to be paid, so it's quite easy to lose a substantial amount
of money. Thanks to all of you who supported us this year, that
did not happen. So, hopefully we will see a similar success
this year.
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Several
people have asked us 'is it the same band?'. Because we now
handle ~ 'nostalgia' orchestras, it might seem as though it
could be, but this is not the case. We have a large database
of good young musicians who otherwise would not get the oppor-
tunity to play with a professional orchestra. This latter point
is due to the policy of most 'established' bandleaders to employ
only their friends 'from the old days'. Although these 'senior'
musicians are without doubt among the greatest players around,
it does preclude many young players from gaining the riecessary
valuable experience of play- ing this style of music correctly.
Many of the young players coming out of the various youth orchestras
believe that they can play it -sure they can read the notes
OK -but interpretation is another thing. That's where we come
in with our policy of teaching them to play in the correct style.
Then they begin to love the music -that's our reward !
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We
will continue to move our 'pool' of young musicians around between
the 5 orchestras, so you may see a few faces that you recognise
here and there. However, you can rest assured that with a usual
situation where we have at least 2 or 3 of the bands out on
the same evening, it would be impossible (without cloning) for
us to use the same people, so we just have to have a large number
of young players on our books.
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Lynn Kennedy I
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The Memphis Belle Swing
Orchestra will hopefully be touring this Autumn performing a
'double ended' concert -1 hour of the band and 1 hour of Frank
Sinatra ! Between times, this band is always kept busy with
plenty of private and corporate work.
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The
Blackpool Tower Big Band !
In mid January, we were invited to tender an offer to supply a new Big
Band at the world famous Tower Ballroom in Blackpool.
This is the first time that the Blackpool Tower Big Band has
been in residence at the Tower for 25 years! We set out a pro-
posal to supply a 14 piece orchestra, to be would be versatile
enough to play every style of music -from Glenn Miller to James
Last. We proposed that the orchestra would feature a 'tribute'
to a different bandleader and/or singer on each night. Having
secured the 'gig' which is for 26 weeks -six nights a week,
starting on May 26th, we have set out a programme which utilises
not only a selection of our fine young musicians, but which
will feature a very exciting mixture of musical entertainment
and will allow us to feature one of our 'name bands' on various
night. This is how the programme looks :
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Saturday nights: The Memphis Belle S\\ling Orchestra and the Lindyhoppers. (Also
featuring the songs of Harry Connick Jr. by Mike Sidaway)
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Sunday
nights: The Blackpool
Tower Big Band playing a broad range of music for dancing
and/or listening. The primary feature will be the music of Bert
Kaempfert, Ray Conniff, Herb Alpert and James Last -including
some of the 'Party style' Pop Medleys of James Last.. Music
from the SO's to the late 'SO's !
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Monday nights: The Blackpool Tower Big Band with a tribute to Frank Sinatra
featuring ex QE2 vocalist Paul Barry plus normal
dancing
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Tuesday
nights .The Glenn
Miller Tribute Orchestra -just as it was in 1944 !
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Wednesday nights: The Blackpool Tower Big Band with a tribute to Doris Day featuring
Lynn Kenrledy plus normal dancing.
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Thursday nights: The Squadronaires Orchestra with their usual nostalgia show (and
terrible gags!) for (iancing and/or listening.
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Friday nights. Dance the night away in the magnificent Tower Ballroom to the sounds
of the Mighty Wurlitzer starring tt'le resident Organists
at Blackpool Tower.
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ADMISSION
PRICES: (an unbelieveable
!) £5:00 (Group rate £4"00) from 8pm"
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FREE
PRIZE DRAW (Band C.D.'s)
every evening but Friday!
We
hope you will agree with us that the management at the Tower
Ballroom have been very foresighted to consider the pr!3sentation
of such a wide musical pro- gramme, including a 'healthy' amount
of 1940's music. We also hope that you will consider taking
a few days leisure time at Blackpool this year and give the
Tower management the support -we think you will agree -they
deserve. Thank you.
All this plus the
MIGHTY WURLITZER for dancing each evening !
Tele + 44 (0) 1246 623 1746 for more
details
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