Glen Miller's "I Want To Be Happy"

[JSngry]

Heard this on KNTU while driving home from work this AM, and during the tenor solo (not Beneke, probably Al Klink then, right? And a good one it was, too), the drummer starts playing on the ride cymbal! Just like Papa Jo on those Basie sides. I couldn't believe it!

So, who was this drummer, and when was this recorded? This might well be the least "Miller-like" of all the Miller "jazz" sides I've heard (although it still "rocked" more than "swung", to use Lon's apt (and non-derogatory) description). Not a bad side, actually, but shot way up on my curiositymeter by that little maneuver of the drummer. TOTALLY unexpected.

As always, thanks in advance!

[ghost of miles]

Jim, if it's the Aug. 1939 recording, it's Maurice Purtill (thanks to EKE BBB for correction). I have it on a Miller CD that Berigan hipped me to--THE SPIRIT IS WILLING, a nice collection of Miller's jazzier sides.

Now, here's an odd coincidence--after I read your post, I went hunting for that CD, which I was pretty sure had the song in question. It was in a huge stack of CDs on top of my left speaker--the stack of "listened to a couple of times, liked 'em and want to listen to them again before filing" CDs. It was right beneath--ta da!--Quartet Out's WELCOME TO THE PARTY.

Edited December 6, 2004 by ghost of miles

[ghost of miles]

The arrangement was by Eddie Durham (if it is indeed the Aug. 1, 1939 recording). Here are Loren Schoenberg's notes for it and the preceding track, "Glen Island Special":

These Durham arrangements could very well have been written for the 1937-38 Basie band... The second tune ("Happy"), originally a hit from the 1925 Broadway show No, No, Nanette, is turned into a Kansas City riff-fantasy, a genre that Durham helped create and codify.  (Soloists:  Hurley, Beneke, Miller, Purtill.)

[JSngry]

That sounds like the one all right.

"Glen Island Special" I've heard. It's a good'un too.

So that was Beneke? What happened to HIM?

1939, eh? Interesting...

[EKE BBB]

Lord lists TEN recordings of "I want to be happy" by the Glenn Miller Orchestra, from July 1939 to August 1940. In all of them, Maurice Purtill is listed as drummer.

I made a combined search for "I want to be happy" and Bob Spangler, and got no replies.

Anyway, one can´t always trust Lord!

Edited December 6, 2004 by EKE BBB

[ghost of miles]

Lord lists TEN recordings of "I want to be happy" by the Glenn Miller Orchestra, from July 1939 to August 1940. In all of them, Maurice Purtill is listed as drummer.

I made a combined search for "I want to be happy" and Bob Spangler, and got no replies.

Anyway, one can´t always trust Lord!

EKE BBB, you are absolutely right. When I looked at the notes, I missed Purtill's replacing Spangler on the June 2, 1939 session, and staying at the drum chair thereafter. My mistake.

[mmilovan]

So that was Beneke? What happened to HIM?

1939, eh? Interesting...

God knows what happened to Purtill...

I can think of the exact date when, about 20 years ago I first heard Purtill doing drum solo on "Bugle Call Rag" - long, exciting drum solo. The record was badly worn LP from collection of my parents.

Like those showmanship (included part of that solo), strong and very fast drumming, and using all devices in a drum kit. Later I learned it was take from some Miller Carnegie Hall concert. Still have that record, somewhere.

As addition, once saw some film clip of Miller's band. Again, it was Purtill. Spot lights on, great scene. Comparible to Gene Krupa.

It is interesting to point that Miller's band borrowed something from any other band. But the most noticeable thing is how they borrowed visual act from Lunceford big band.