Things Ain't What They Used to Be (Prestige Swing Festival album) explained

Things Ain't What They Used to Be
Type:	Studio
Artist:	The First Annual Prestige Swing Festival
Cover:	Things Ain't What They Used to Be (Prestige Swing Festival album).jpg
Released:	1961
Recorded:	April 14 and May 19, 1961
Studio:	Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ
Genre:	Jazz
Length:	79:00
Label:	Swingville SV 4001 (SVLP 2024/25)
Producer:	Esmond Edwards
Chronology:	Coleman Hawkins
Prev Title:	The Hawk Relaxes
Prev Year:	1961
Next Title:	Good Old Broadway
Next Year:	1962

Things Ain't What They Used to Be is an album by the First Annual Prestige Swing Festival featuring two all-star groups, one including Coleman Hawkins, Hilton Jefferson, Jimmy Hamilton and Joe Newman and the other led by Al Sears with Buddy Tate, Pee Wee Russell and Joe Thomas which was recorded in 1961 and first released on the Swingville label as a double album before being reissued as two single discs with Hawkin's name displayed prominently; Things Ain't What They Used to Be and Years Ago.^{[1] [2]} All tracks were also reissued as Jam Session in Swingville which was credited to Hawkins and Russell.

Reception

The AllMusic review by Scott Yanow states: "The music, which is performed by two all-star groups with arrangements by either Jimmy Hamilton or Al Sears, is generally modern swing ... Nothing all that memorable or innovative occurs, but the performances are enjoyable".

Track listing

Disc One: Things Ain't What They Used to Be (SVLP 2024)

1. "Things Ain't What They Used to Be" (Mercer Ellington, Ted Persons) – 6:48
2. "Spring's Swing" (Vivian Hamilton) – 7:55
3. "Phoenix" (Al Sears) – 7:16
4. "Love Me or Leave Me" (Walter Donaldson, Gus Kahn) – 7:16
5. "I May Be Wrong But I Think You're Wonderful" (Henry Sullivan, Harry Ruskin) – 6:33
6. "Vic's Spot" (Vic Dickenson) – 3:56

Disc Two: Years Ago (SVLP 2025)

1. "So Glad" (Al Sears) – 5:33
2. "Cool Sunrise" (Esmond Edwards) – 10:41
3. "I Want to Be Happy" (Vincent Youmans, Irving Caesar) – 2:44
4. "Jammin' in Swingville" (Hamilton) – 9:32
5. "Years Ago" (Dan Jones) 10:02

Personnel

Disc One, tracks 2 & 4 and Disc Two, tracks 2 & 4

• Coleman Hawkins – tenor saxophone
• Jimmy Hamilton – clarinet, arranger
• Joe Newman – trumpet
• J. C. Higginbotham – trombone
• Hilton Jefferson – alto saxophone
• Claude Hopkins – piano
• Tiny Grimes – guitar
• Wendell Marshall – bass
• Billy English – drums

Disc One, tracks 1, 3, 5 & 6 and Disc Two, tracks 1 & 5

• Al Sears – tenor saxophone, arranger
• Joe Thomas – trumpet
• Vic Dickenson – trombone
• Pee Wee Russell – clarinet
• Buddy Tate – tenor saxophone
• Cliff Jackson – piano
• Danny Barker – guitar
• Joe Benjamin – bass
• J. C. Heard – drums

Disc Two, track 3

• Cliff Jackson – piano
• Joe Benjamin – bass
• J. C. Heard – drums

Notes and References

1. https://www.jazzdisco.org/prestige-records/catalog-swingville-2000-4000-series/#svlp-2024 Prestige Records discography
2. http://www.connollyco.com/discography/coleman_hawkins/disco.html Coleman Hawkins Discography