Big Band Tribute – F. W. Meacham & J. M. Manone arr. & ed. Dan Price & Barry Forgie

American Patrol started life as a march by American composer and arranger Frank White Meacham in 1885. However, Jerry Gray introduced it into the big band repertoire when he arranged the march for Glenn Miller’s swing band in 1941.

In the Mood is attributed to Joe Garland, but again it was Glenn Miller and his swing band who brought the chart to prominence in the big band era when their recording topped the US Hit Parade for 13 straight weeks in 1940.

The Glenn Miller RCA Bluebird recordings of both American Patrol and In the Mood were released as a V-Discs, a series of recordings sent free by the U.S War Department to overseas military personnel during World War II, making them appropriate selections to include in this new arrangement made especially for Robert Childs and the Grimethorpe Colliery Band’s 2014 Brass in Concert winning set: Lest We Forget.

Barry Forgie, 2014

Duration: c. 4.30