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Things Ain't What They Used to Be
Bill Allred's Classic Jazz Band

This CD is respectfully dedicated to the late Dean Harvey, super jazz fan, devoted husband of Lois Harvey and co-founder of our loyal fan club.

Dean was always after us to play Things Ain't What They Used To Be. We played it often as a head chart, but never could find an appropriate arrangement of it. Enter: talented arranger, percussionist Terry Waddell. Terry crafted a super version of this Ellington composition and it seemed to be the perfect title tune. Terry also arranged the wild treatment of Lady Of Spain. The arranging genius of Dave MacKenzie is again present in Jay's bass solo, In A Sentimental Mood, Bill's Route 66 and the classic Old Man River. The eclectic mixture of tunes on this, our actual 12th CD, features all of the guys including our piano battalion, Randy, Jeff and Bill. Usually in this business you are really scraping for piano players. Not us, in this case. As in all of our other CDs we still leave room for some works of our mentor, Matty Matlock. In our estimation, no one could capture the excitement of music of the period and write it for 8-10 guys quite like Matty. He was also a wonderful clarinet player. Highly underrated. 2007 will mark the 100th anniversary of his birth in Paducah, Kentucky. Too bad there is no Matty Matlock plaque there.

So, here we are, still roaring along in this our 12th effort to embrace stuff from early trad to hard core swing. We still enjoy a loyal fan base and a substantial market for good music, played well. Yes, Things Ain't What They Used To Be.
Why, there used to be a band in every corner saloon. Most towns had a real jazz club, some even had a radio station that played jazz. Man, those were great times. We need to bring them back.

Thanks, and enjoy our number 12. Good Listening!

BILL ALLRED

Musicians:

BILL ALLRED: trombone, leader, vocals
JOHN ALLRED: trombone
CHARLIE BERTINI: trumpet, vocals
BOB PICKWOOD: trumpet, vocals
TERRY MYERS: clarinet, tenor, baritone saxes
DALE MENDENHALL: clarinet, tenor sax
BILL HUNTER: piano
RANDY MORRIS: piano, trumpet, vocals
JEFF PHILLIPS: piano
JAY MUELLER: bass, tuba
WARREN SAUER: drums
BOB LEARY: guitar, banjo
MAX CORZILIUS: drums

Record Label: SunJazz Records
Catalog # CD0075

Produced by Charile Bertini
Recorded at Starke Lake Studios, Ocoee, FL April, 2006

PRICE: $15

1. THINGS AIN’T WHAT THEY USED TO BE 5:38
2. I’M COMIN' VIRGINIA 4:07
3. WHEN MY DREAMBOAT COMES HOME 5:18
4. YOU CAN DEPEND ON ME 3:04
5. TRAVELIN' BLUES 4:03
6. I’M GONNA STOMP MR. HENRY LEE 2:45
7. CARAVAN 5:33
8. AT THE JAZZ BAND BALL/THE JOINT IS JUMPIN' 3:43
9. THE MAN I LOVE 7:23
10. LADY OF SPAIN 4:03
11. MEMPHIS BLUES 4:23
12. YES SIR, THAT'S MY BABY 4:55
13. ROUTE 66 5:08
14. HIGH SOCIETY 2:58
15. YOU MUST HAVE BEEN A BEAUTIFUL BABY 3:20
16. IN A SENTIMENTAL MOOD 5:09
17. OLD MAN RIVER 6:00

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