Smoke Rings - Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orch. (1937) video free download

Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra, recorded in Hollywood on July 23, 1937. This tune, the radio theme song for the Casa Loma Orchestra, is one of the smoothest and most beautiful ballads recorded during the Big Band era. With this arrangement, which juxtaposes Billy Rauch's upper register trombone over a full clarinet section playing in the lower register, the Casa Loma Orchestra approaches the sublety of the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Clarinet solo is by Clarence Hutchenrider. It is said that Billy Rauch practiced his trombone solo for half an hour before each broadcast, so he would continue to play it perfectly. Many other bands "covered" this tune, but none featured a copy of Rauch's solo. From the original 78 rpm record. Accompanied by a slideshow featuring images from the days when Hollywood considered cigarettes to be an essential glamour accessory. Enjoy!