The Pulse
of Entertainment: ‘The
Glenn Miller Orchestra: 80th Anniversary of The Army Air Force Band' Album Release
(April 23, 2024) - "We (The Glenn Miller Orchestra) have this album...been
working on it for a while," said Erik Stabnau, music director of The Glenn Miller Orchestra, about their
latest recorded project "The Glenn Miller Orchestra: 80th Anniversary of The Army Air Force Band"
(Hindsight Records) featuring Grammy winning Crystal Gayle (Grand Ole Opry member).
"The Glenn Miller Orchestra..." project offers 15 classic tracks which includes
"Sentimental Journey" featuring Crystal Gayle ("Brown Eyes"). The Glenn Miller Orchestra reached a milestone
when awarded a Gold Record in 1942 for "Chattanooga Choo Choo." Miller's orchestra is the only Big Band era orchestra
still on tour. The orchestra performs over 100 dates a year.
"The
producer got in touch," Erick said when I asked how they come to have the Hollywood Walk of Famer Crystal Gayle on the
album. "He has some kind of connection or relationship. They are both based in Nashville."
Miller was an American patriot who brought the country together during the darkest hours of World
War II. He was a well-known big band conductor, arranger, composer, trombonist and recording artist at the time (Glenn Miller
and His Orchestra from 1939 - 1942) when he decided to serve in World War II as an officer of the US Army Air Forces. While
serving Glenn Miller formed the Major Glenn Miller Army Air Forces Orchestra. Just two years later in 1944 he disappears when
his transport plane to Paris never arrives. A year later in 1945 he was declared dead.
"It took a little over a year or more in the studio," Erik said about the making of the 80th
anniversary album. "We recorded Crystal's vocals on top. She sang beautifully!"
After learning that The Glenn Miller Orchestra had been constantly on tour since he formed it, I asked
about that and Erik said with a slight laugh, "Yes, we tour all the time! The band is active. We have another one coming
up."
Glenn Millers' music has been performed by Swing bands, Jazz bands and Big
Bands since his passing. The orchestra was reorganized in 1956. They have been performing annually in Japan since 1964. Fast
forward 80 years later the Miller Estate is keeping the Glenn Miller legacy alive with The Glenn Miller Orchestra, lead by
music director Erik Stabnau. The orchestra is owned and operated by Glenn Miller Productions, Inc. under license from the
Glenn Miller Estate. Their road-book of selections consist of 300! Its' library includes 1,700 compositions that include originals
from his civilian and Army Air Force bands.
"I joined the band
in 2017 as a saxophonist," Erik told me when asked about how he became the director of the renowned Glenn Miller Orchestra.
"I've been director for 2 ½ years, since 2020. During the pandemic people were in and out of the band. I stepped
up. I sing in the band too. I emulate the 1940's singing. It was a great era....Frank Sinatra... It's (The Glenn Miller Orchestra)
the embodiment of that era."
Originally The Glenn Miller Orchestra
was built around the tenor sax playing the melody, so Erik's instrumental role in the orchestra was major when in joined in
2017. Stabnau is a native New Yorker (Western) who earned a bachelor's from Eastman School of Music in music in Jazz and contemporary
media and a master's from Syracuse University in audio arts. His work as a bandleader throughout the Northeast ended with
him joining The Glenn Miller Orchestra in 2017 as a tenor saxophonist. He went on to perform throughout the country and abroad
in Canada and Japan. Just three years later he is now music director of the most famous orchestra in the world. www.GlennMiller.com www.CrystalGayle.com www.HindsightRecords.com
The Pulse
of Entertainment: Filmmaker Arthur Muhammad's
Twelve Premiers on Fandango/Vudu
by Dr. Eunice Moseley
(April 16, 2024) - "The dirt will come out in the wash," said
Arthur Muhammad, a film writer and director, about the storyline his new film Twelve is about. "Skeletons."
Filmmaker Arthur Muhammad was inspired to write Twelve from his own life, finding out
that he had a brother. The film Twelve, airing on Fandango at Home (Vudu), is a horror/comedy that stars Ted Lange (The Love
Boat) as the family patriarch who passes away, Lance E. Nichols (NCIS: New Orleans), Tiffany Black (P-Valley), and Norman
Nixon, Jr. (Grey's Anatomy).
"Me and my dad played dominoes
a lot, that's the reason for the concept," Arthur said about the inspiration for the film. "In doing research on
dominoes I learned they were originally made with bones, which connected (skeletons in the closet)."
The veteran filmmakers said 12 starts the game of dominoes, and that there are 12 zodiac
signs, 12 months in a year, 12 days of Christmas, and 12 notes in a music scale. In the film as the family gathers because
of "Pops" death, they start playing dominoes as they talk about his life. They become trapped in the house and the
only way to get out is to find the family secrets. The number 12 shows up throughout the film.
"I've done 16 feature films. My films are on Tubi, Amazon Prime, BET and Netflix. My first
film release was on VHS," he told me when talking about how long he has been making films..
Muhammad is looking to get his films on Hulu, Starz, and HBO. His film credits include Carter High
(Charles Dutton), First Impression (Lisa Arrindell, Lamman Rucker), Recession Proof (Clifton Powell), Step Dad (Porsha Hall),
The Elite Society: The Tokens (Miguel Nunez, Jr.), The Lil Voice (Fabian), Bid for Love (Blac Chyna, Eva Marcille), Gutta
Mamis (Porsha Hall), No Better Love, and The Starter Marriage. As an actor Arthur appears in A Heart That Forgives (Charles
Whitfield), and Quintessential.
www.vudu.com/content/browse/details/Twelve/3031744
SYNDICATED COLUMN: Dr. Eunice Moseley has an estimated
weekly readership of over one million with The Pulse of Entertainment. She is also a Public Relations
and Business Management Strategist and Consultant at Freelance Associates, and is Promotions Director (at-large) for The
Baltimore Times. www.ThePulseofEntertainment.com EVENTS: "Uplifting Minds II" Entertainment Conference
(ULMII), founded by Eunice in 1999, is into its 25th year. Next events are coming to Baltimore via Zoom Saturday
April 20, 2024, presented by Security Square Mall and The Baltimore Times, and Los Angeles
via Zoom Saturday, November 9 2024. The ULMII event is a free entertainment conference offering
a Professional Industry Panel Q&A Session, a Professional Talent Showcase
and National Talent Competition (vocal, songwriting, dance and acting) where aspiring artists have a chance to receive
over $19,000 valued in prizes/product/services. Log onto www.UpliftingMinds2.comor to RSVP for Zoom Access at EventBrite.com or email info@ThePulseofEntertainment.com.
