AMG Review of Missing Chapters, Vol. 5: The Complete Abbey Road Recordings

Scott Yanow
All Music Guide

With much fanfare, in 1996 RCA put out The Lost Recordings, a two-CD set comprised of six Glenn Miller propaganda broadcasts that were unwittingly his final recordings. This particular two-CD set from the English label Avid (which is probably not as widely available domestically) is actually superior for it contains the complete broadcasts (with opening and closing themes), more dialogue in German and English by Miller and announcer Ilse Weinberger plus four additional selections (including two with Dinah Shore vocals) taken from an unrelated performance from the previous September. The Army Air Force Band purposely sounded closer to Glenn Miller's earlier orchestra on these performances than it usually did in 1944. Not all listeners will be enchanted by the German dialogue and vocals, but the liner notes give a complete translation and Miller does crack a couple of good jokes. As for the music, it gave the large orchestra plenty of opportunities to swing on numbers as "Here We Go Again," "Caribbean Clipper," "Tail End Charlie," "Everybody Loves My Baby" and "Jeep Jockey Jump." In addition, there are some smooth Johnny Desmond vocals, fine dance music and spirited remakes of Glenn Miller's earlier hits. And yes, the Abbey Road Studios used for these broadcasts is the same one immortalized later on by the Beatles.