Bill Allred's Classic Jazz Band - 2 the Max

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:49
Size: 167,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:22)  1. Matty's Royal Garden Blues
(3:41)  2. Song of India
(3:12)  3. Jumpin' at the Woodside
(3:37)  4. New Orleans
(3:32)  5. April in Paris
(4:50)  6. Blue Skies
(4:17)  7. Late Date
(5:21)  8. Makin' Whoopee
(5:27)  9. The Mooch
(6:18) 10. Skyliner
(4:14) 11. You Took Advantage of Me
(4:22) 12. Singin' the Blues
(2:58) 13. The Kid From Burbank (Redbank)
(4:34) 14. I Cover the Waterfront
(3:56) 15. Davenport Blues
(5:05) 16. The Battle Hymn of the Republic
(2:55) 17. America the Beautiful

A solid Dixieland trombonist who is a fixture at classic jazz festivals, Bill Allred started playing in bands while in high school. He worked locally with the Dixie Lads, the Davenport Jazz Band, and the Reedy Creek Jazz Band. In 1971, he settled in Florida and has often played at Disney World. Allred, who toured with Wild Bill Davison, has recorded as a leader for several small labels (including Fat Cat's Jazz, World Jazz, and in 1995 for Nagel-Heyer), and his son, John Allred (who plays in a similar style and sometimes teams up with his father), had a quartet date for Arbors in 1993. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/bill-allred-mn0000067864

2 the Max

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Bill Allred's Classic Jazz Band - Versatility

Styles: Trombone Jazz, Big Band
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:51
Size: 169,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:14)  1. Tiger Rag
(2:24)  2. Fascinating Rhythm
(7:09)  3. The Beale St. Blues
(4:08)  4. I'm Shoutin' Again
(5:49)  5. On the Trail
(3:34)  6. Si Tu Vois Ma Mere
(4:30)  7. Dardenella
(4:50)  8. The Blues In The Night
(3:29)  9. King Porter Stomp
(5:06) 10. Cherokee
(3:45) 11. Basin Street Blues
(5:13) 12. Gin Mill Blues
(3:39) 13. In The Mood
(4:37) 14. Dark Town Strutters Ball
(4:01) 15. High Society
(2:37) 16. Milenburg Joys
(4:37) 17. Farewell Blues

Veteran trombonist Bill Allred has been leading his Classic Jazz Band for quite a while. Based in Florida, the group often appears at Dixieland and trad jazz festivals, performing a style that is basically swing with improvised ensembles à la Dixieland. This excellent CD has Allred and his son, fellow trombonist John Allred, featured in a five-horn octet along with trumpeters Charlie Bertini and Bob Pickwood, with Terry Myers on reeds. The spirited group romps through such songs as "Beale Street Blues," "On the Trail," "King Porter Stomp," "Cherokee," and "Milenberg Joys," with several of the songs utilizing Matty Matlock's arrangements of the 1950s. Fun music by an underrated band. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/versatility-mw0000008526

Versatility

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Bill Allred - Swing That Music

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:57
Size: 121,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:01)  1. It Don't Mean A Thing
(5:20)  2. The Mooche
(4:59)  3. Struttin' With Some Barbeque
(3:36)  4. Basin Street Blues
(5:15)  5. Swing That Music
(3:35)  6. Limehouse Blues
(4:17)  7. Royal Garden Blues
(2:39)  8. Wabash Blues
(2:47)  9. King Porter Stomp
(7:27) 10. Beale Street Blues
(4:02) 11. Ole Miss
(4:52) 12. Running Wild

Lend an ear to Bill Allred’s Goodtime Jazz Band from Orlando, Florida. They might just be as one recent review claimed“the greatest Dixieland band in the world!” Try to isolate what makes Bill Allred’s Goodtime Jazz Band so well good, and I would come up with three key words: organisation, energy and adventure. Combining the first two is often difficult. Lesser bands who first lay out, then play within a cultivated Dixieland-scape often sound guarded or even hemmed in, as if anxious not to ruffle the grass. Not, of course, how Nick la Rocca, the first jazz punk, saw and heard the music in 1919 or how Eddie Condon did 20 years later. Seventy years on, it takes musicians as gifted as Allred’s, first to create the written landscape with sensitivity and then play through it like American footballers thundering down the grid. For great examples of this listen to It Don’t Mean A Thing or Limehouse Blues right here. 

The third quality adventure finds its way, appropriately in triplicate, into Allred’s compliment of soloists, arrangements and repertoire. This last may include anything from King Oliver-style replays (via Lu Watters) to elegant Goodman-esque swing tributes and beyond. This repertoire wherever appropriate (and only then) is irresistibly decked out in arrangements offering a capella passages, key changes, dynamic ups and downs shifts in texture and style and fine touches that turn each selection into a kaleidoscope of jazz colourtones. And from this luxurious background Allred’s soloists regularly spring to devour solos as if, in Irving Townsend’s marvellous phrase, “they hadn’t had one in weeks!” That’s Bill Allred’s Goodtime Band. Dixieland at its very best. As Bob Haggart himself might ask in smiling approval: “What is there not to like”? ~ Digby Fairweather http://www.bigbearmusic.com/product/swing-that-music/

Personnel:  Bill Allred – Trombone/Vocal; Don Lord – Cornet; JJ Argenziano – Trumpet; Terry Myers – Tenor Saxophone/Clarinet; Jim Maihack – Piano/Trombone; Boyd Bergeson – Guitar/Banjo; Sam Noto – Bass/Tuba; Warren Sauer – Drums.

Swing That Music

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Ed Polcer All-Stars - Jammin' A La Condon

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:59
Size: 162.5 MB
Styles: Big band, Swing
Year: 1994
Art: Front

[5:54] 1. California, Here I Come
[6:47] 2. Condon Medley At Sundown Big Butter And Egg Man Back In Your Own ..
[4:01] 3. Jubilee
[5:22] 4. Somebody Stole My Gal
[5:47] 5. Home
[7:04] 6. Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives To Me
[4:33] 7. On The Alamo
[4:56] 8. Bye Bye Blues
[3:10] 9. Can't We Be Friends
[8:02] 10. Linger Awhile
[6:47] 11. Wild Bill Medley Blue Again The Vanderbilt Confessin I Can't ..
[8:30] 12. Wolverine Blues

With Tom Saunders, Bob Havens, Bill Allred, Ken Peplowski, Allan Vache, Mark Shane, Marty Grosz, Greg Cohen, Joe Ascione.

During the past several years, Ed Polcer has become one of the most sought after performers on the jazz festival circuit. He has appeared in hundreds of concerts, festivals and jazz parties throughout the United States, Canada and Europe, including numerous return appearances at the Newport/Kool/JVC Festival in New York. Ed's musical versatility and leadership have earned him a reputation as a dynamic bandleader, and he is often called upon to organize festivals, concerts, dances and parties.

Ed joined Benny Goodman's Sextet for an American tour in 1973. An expert showman, Ed has led numerous concerts with varied themes, including his extensive U.S. tours for Columbia Artists. In 1992, '93 and '94." A Night At Eddie Condon's", transported the audience back to the famous nightclub and gave a musical retrospective of American jazz over the last 100 years.

Jammin' A La Condon

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Bill Allred - Allred Hot & Blue I&II

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:27
Size: 154.4 MB
Styles: Trombone jazz, Dixieland
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[6:20] 1. Sugar
[6:47] 2. I'll Never Be The Same
[6:13] 3. On A Slow Boat To China
[3:48] 4. Seems Like Old Times
[3:34] 5. Some Of These Days
[4:22] 6. St. Louis Blues
[4:17] 7. Singing The Blues
[4:39] 8. My Honey's Lovin' Arms
[4:39] 9. Old Folks
[6:40] 10. Indian Summer
[5:53] 11. The Song Is You
[4:55] 12. Too Little Time
[5:14] 13. Dinah

1984: BILL ALLRED - leader, trombone; MILT HINTON bass; BUTCH MILES drums; EDDIE HIGGINS piano; DAVY JONES cornet; JACK MATESE clarinet.

1996: BILL ALLRED - leader, trombone; BUCKY PIZZARELLI guitar; JOHNNY VARRO piano; LOU MAURO – bass; WARREN SAUER – drums; TERRY MYERS – reeds; BOBBY PICKWOOD – trumpet; ALLAN VACHE clarinet; DAVY JONES cornet; JACK MATESE clarinet.

This recording spans a little over twelve years, with a compilation of two different sessions, one in 1984 and one in 1996. Bill Allred, one of the world's finest trombonists, has assembled two amazing bands of different musicians and instrumentation, and somehow, with his unique talents as a leader and musician, he makes it all fit together seamlessly. His swinging, authoritative trombone style is the gravy that makes this meal a feast for anybody's ears. Supported by such greats as Milt Hinton, Eddie Higgins, Bucky Pizzarelli, and Butch Miles, Bill plays some unique and exciting choruses on standards and swing tunes that will delight you. These timeless songs and wonderful musicians will make this album a "regular" in your listening library.

Allred Hot & Blue I & II

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

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 76:52
Size: 176.0 MB
Styles: Big band
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[5:35] 1. Things Ain't What They Used To Be
[4:04] 2. I'm Comin' Virginia
[5:16] 3. When My Dreamboat Comes Home
[3:01] 4. You Can Depend On Me
[4:01] 5. Travelin' Blues
[2:43] 6. I'm Gonna Stomp Mr. Henry Lee
[5:30] 7. Caravan
[3:39] 8. At The Jazz Band Ball The Joint Is Jumpin'
[7:20] 9. The Man I Love
[4:01] 10. Lady Of Spain
[4:21] 11. Memphis Blues
[4:53] 12. Yes Sir, That's My Baby
[5:06] 13. Get Your Kicks On Route 66
[2:56] 14. High Society
[3:17] 15. You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby
[5:06] 16. In A Sentimental Mood
[5:56] 17. Old Man River

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

BILL ALLRED - leader, trombone, vocals; JOHN ALLRED - trombone; CHARLIE BERTINI – trumpet, vocals; BOBBY PICKWOOD – trumpet, vocals; TERRY MYERS – clarinet, tenor/baritone saxes; 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. Recorded at Starke Lake Studios in Ocoee, FL April, 2006

Things Ain't What They Used To Be

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Bill Allred & Roy Williams - Absolutely

Styles: Trombone Jazz

Year: 1995

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 70:20

Size: 161,4 MB

Art: Front

(4:21)  1. Constantly

(8:39)  2. Satin Doll

(4:41)  3. Isn't It A Pity

(5:23)  4. Gypsy In My Soul

(4:33)  5. Too Close For Comfort

(7:13)  6. Blues # 1

(4:17)  7. If There Is Someone Lovelier

(4:16)  8. Absolutely

(5:19)  9. Blue Bones

(4:54) 10. So Beats My Heart For You

(5:31) 11. It's Only A Paper Moon

(2:48) 12. Makin' Whoopee

(4:38) 13. Sometimes I'm Happy

(3:40) 14. You're Driving Me Crazy

Two trombones and rhythm is a tried and true formula first brought to prominence through the lilting sounds of J. J. Johnson and Kai Winding in the 1950s. Bill Allred and Roy Williams fall squarely in that tradition, with this full-length recording that focuses on popular tunes like "It's Only a Paper Moon" and "Too Close for Comfort." The two trombonists produce visceral excitement with their tight harmonies, upbeat tempos, and overall good fun. This is music that makes you want to stand up and dance. When Allred and Williams get hot as they do with great regularity they burn with enthusiasm. 

The trombonists don't take themselves too seriously; they focus on having a rollicking good time. Regardless of how sophisticated your tastes, if you ever wondered what attracted you to jazz in the first place, it very well might have been the kind of unadulterated joy manifested by this glorious quintet. Allred and Williams are pre-modern stylists: big toned, even raucous, but with great technique. They front a first-rate rhythm section, including powerful drummer Butch Miles, bassist (and otherwise sometime trombonist) Isla Eckinger, and pianist Johnny Varro. When they're hot as they are so often (just here 'em blow on "Blues #1") they are unstoppable. Simple, but never simplistic; tasteful, but never dull; professional, but not showy; and hot, but not corny what an act! Highly recommended for all those who love the sounds of the trombone, and those who just like a swinging good time. ~ Steve Loewy  http://www.allmusic.com/album/absolutely-mw0000231550

Personnel: Bill Allred (trombone); Roy Williams (trombone); Johnny Varro (piano); Butch Miles (drums).

Absolutely

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Various - Blues Of Summer

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 67:48
Size: 155.2 MB
Styles: Post bop, Straight ahead jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[5:29] 1. Danny Moss - Summer Blues
[7:08] 2. Allan Vaché - No Regrets (Blues For Hans)
[7:05] 3. Warren Vaché - Too Phat Blues
[7:30] 4. Buck Clayton - Black Sheep Blues
[4:57] 5. Butch Miles - Barney's Blues
[7:08] 6. Bill Allred - Dear Hans Blues
[6:01] 7. Dave Glasser - Intimacy Of The Blues
[4:14] 8. Bob Wilber - I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues
[2:26] 9. Oscar Klein - Farewell Blues
[5:15] 10. Wycliffe Gordon - St. Louis Blues
[5:29] 11. Warren Vaché - Blues Times 2 (H & S)
[5:02] 12. Harry Allen Quartet - Every Day I Have The Blues

Germany-based record company, Nagel-Heyer, has pulled together some of the best from their stable of performers for a compilation built around the blues, Summer blues to be specific. These tracks were culled from albums made between February 1990 and June 1999. Nagel-Heyer has an impressive stable of stars, all of them well-steeped in the jazz and blues tradition. There's Warren Vache and Allan Vache, trumpeter/ vocalist Byron Stripling, preeminent guitarists Howard Alden and Oscar Klein among the many jazzmiesters represented here. There are also a variety of instrumental combinations that perform the music including the swing big band of the late Buck Clayton, a fortuitous combination of jazz veterans mixed with younger players. The album from which this track is taken was cut just before Clayton passed on and is one of his many legacies. His "Black Sheep Blues," which combines outstanding ensemble and solo work, is one of the album's highlights. There are also cuts featuring trios, quartets, septets and other small groups. There's excellent solo track by New Orleans swing guitarist Oscar Klein. Only two vocals are included, Pug Norton on "I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues" and Warren Vache on an appropriate lament for Summer, "Too Phat Blues." Since the album is tied to Summer, depressing type blues are avoided while happy, bouncy and occasionally sultry, blues are emphasized. The only downer is the cha-cha-cha version of "St. Louis Blues" by Wycliffe Gordon and company.

All in all, this very good compilation should achieve its objective, i.e., to encourage jazz fans to buy complete albums from which these samples have been harvested. ~Dave Nathan

Blues Of Summer

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Bill Allred - The New York Sessions

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:25
Size: 152,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:27)  1. Lullaby Of Broadway
(4:04)  2. Liza (All The Clouds'll Roll Away)
(3:16)  3. Don't Worry 'Bout Me
(3:13)  4. Day By Day
(6:59)  5. Davenport Blues
(3:24)  6. I Want To Be A Sideman
(6:38)  7. Red Top
(5:38)  8. Always
(7:11)  9. This Can't Be Love
(5:12) 10. Angel Eyes
(5:16) 11. Muskrat Ramble
(4:22) 12. Ida! Sweet As Apple Cider
(5:39) 13. Sweet Sue - Just You

Bill Allred is an accomplished veteran trombonist who spent a good part of his career working at Disney World and serving as entertainment director at Rosie O'Grady's, though he has crossed paths with many jazz greats on live dates and record dates. These 2009 sessions feature him with some of his favorite New York-based musicians, several of whom are in constant demand, like guitarist Howard Alden, bassist Nicki Parrott, and cornetist Warren Vaché. Pianist Jeff Phillips, drummer Ed Metz, and Bill's son John Allred (who is also a fine trombonist) round out the excellent personnel. While many of the songs are decades-old warhorses, each is approached with a fresh look. The snappy interplay is a highlight of the brisk reading of George Gershwin's "Liza," while the Latin hook added to "Angel Eyes" and Allred's whimsical muted horn add a nice touch. The two Allreds shine in the bop setting of "Lullaby of Broadway" and the Dixieland favorite, "Ida! Sweet as Apple Cider." The leader shares the vocals with Parrott in Dave Frishberg's humorous "I Want to Be a Sideman." This is an all-around enjoyable disc that will please fans of mainstream jazz. ~ Ken Dryden   http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-new-york-sessions-mw0002026206.

Personnel: Bill Allred (vocals, trombone); Nicki Parrott (vocals); Howard Alden (guitar, banjo); Warren Vaché (cornet); Jeff Phillips (piano, Hammond b-3 organ); Ed Metz, Jr. (drums).

The New York Sessions

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