Glen Miller: I’ve Got A Gal In Kalamazoo
Posted by clarkspicks in big band, jazz, movies, music, saxophone, swing, tags: big band, Glen Miller, jazz, movies, Nicholas Brothers, swing, The Modernaires“Orchestra Wives” was a musical filmed in 1942 starring Ann Rutherford and George Montgomery and featuring the Glen Miller Orchestra. It was the second, and last, film that Miller made, both with songs written by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren. The first was called “Sun Valley Serenade.”
Soon after making this film Miller joined the Army and attempted to “modernize” military music. His addition of swing rhythms to Sousa marches outraged military music traditionalists. Miller was lost in an airplane crash over the English Channel in 1944, on his way to entertain the troops in France.
This clip features saxophonist Tex Beneke, singing group The Modernaires and the dancing Nicholas Brothers. The Nicholas Brothers called their athletic dance style “flash dancing.” They are a precursor to the 1990’s break dancers. The “no hands splits,” which they do several of in this routine, are considered physically impossible by present day dancers. Gregory Hines has said that if their biography was ever filmed, their dance numbers would have to be computer generated because no one could duplicate them.
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Hello again!I love this!I saw this movie many years ago!I like Glen Miller a lot!I have most of his music in vinyl still…Probably he was the reason why I started to buy Harry Connick’s records(I have most of them since he was a boy till present days)!I still enjoy this sound today.It’ s fabulous.I also now about that pair of dancers. Fabulous!I never liked Fred Astaire’s vey much.I like the other one, what’s his name,Gene kelly, yes, Kelly!I saw An american in Paris many times.Wonderfull post!
Thank you for all your enthusiastic comments, Belinha.
[…] their dance numbers would have to be computer generated because no one could duplicate them.” Glen Miller: I’ve got a gal in Kalamazoo, Clark Picks, June 1, […]