Alan Glasscock arranger

Alan Glasscock, of Dallas, Texas, became interested in swing music while still at school. He began collecting big band recordings and studying piano with the dream of one day leading his own big band. At age 18, he formed the "first edition" of the Alan Glasscock Orchestra, and soon became very popular among the local dancers. His orchestra began attract quite a following, as they were becoming uniquely famous for playing the original arrangements of the great bandleaders such as Glenn Miller (Glasscock’s personal favorite), Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Harry James, and many others. His “book" was soon filled with the original charts, which he himself transcribed from the original recordings.

His arranging talents soon began to flourish, mostly out of necessity because the original big band charts had long been out of print, or had never been published at all. And the titles that were available through regular retail outlets had lost much of their original flavor, either modernized beyond recognition or very watered down to make them easy enough for high school musicians.

"Sometimes I get perhaps way too picky when transcribing a chart. I really visualize the bands that made the original recordings, and notate things that were idiosyncratic about that particular band. Especially the Glenn Miller charts — I write the saxes just as they were in Miller’s reed section. Right down to the doubles on their parts."

His arranging credits include writing for former Glenn Miller saxophone star, the late Tex Beneke, many local Texas big bands, The Esquires of Torrance, CA., the Rick Gerber Big Band of Los Angeles, CA, and the Alan Glasscock Orchestra.

Alan Glasscock, when not fronting his own 16-pc. orchestra, spends much of his time at the computer writing charts, listening to big band music, and even swing dancing as a hobby.