Ray McKinley Sextet / The Big Band - The Big Band Series: Great Song Hits of the Glenn Miller Orchestra

A spirited tribute to the Glenn Miller Orchestra, this Audition Records release combines performances by the Ray McKinley Sextet with a full big band conducted by Bobby Byrne. McKinley was a major figure in the Miller story—an accomplished drummer and vocalist who performed with Miller's Army Air Force Band and later became leader of the revived Glenn Miller Orchestra.

The album revisits favorites associated with the Miller era, including “In the Mood,” “Tuxedo Junction,” “Moonlight Serenade,” “A String of Pearls,” “Stardust,” “Jeepers Creepers,” “Cow Cow Boogie,” “Hard Hearted Hannah” and “Scrub Me Mama.” McKinley's vocals and sextet performances complement the larger ensemble arrangements, creating a varied program rooted in classic swing.

The full band includes a remarkable group of musicians with direct connections to the Glenn Miller sound, including Jimmy Abato, Hank Freeman, Tex Beneke, Al Klink, Johnny Thaler, Mickey McMickle, Bobby Hackett, Bernie Privern, Moe Purtill and others. It's an appealing piece of big-band history as well as an enjoyable collection of enduring swing-era standards.