Matty Matlock's Dixieland records of the late '50s were consistently excellent, but the chances are good that Warner Bros. will never get around to reissuing the music on CD.
Matlock's Paducah Patrol was an expanded Dixieland band featuring six, rather than three horns (
Shorty Sherock and
John Best on trumpets, both Moe Schneider and Abe Lincoln on trombones, tenorman Eddie Miller, and the leader's clarinet) along with a four-piece rhythm section. Matlock's inventive arrangements alternated with some free-blowing ensembles, and with this many strong soloists the group usually lived up to their potential. Among the songs joyously explored on this excellent album are "I'm Gonna Stomp Mr. Henry Lee," "Runnin' Wild," "That's a Plenty," and "They Made It Twice As Nice As Paradise and They Called It Dixieland." Trad jazz fans will want this one. ~ Scott Yanow