Today's playlist, the 30th installment, features "THE DUKES OF DIXIELAND."
I bought it at my favorite record store in Shimokitazawa, "Flash Disc Ranch."
This store is a record shop I've been frequenting ever since I started living in Setagaya. Their popular point card system, valid as long as the store exists, offers half price on any record under 15,000 yen once you collect 50 stamps, which is an amazing deal.
The Glorious History of The Dukes of Dixieland
Formed in 1948 by brothers Frank Assunto (trumpet) and Fred Assunto (trombone), along with their father Jack Assunto (trombone and banjo), "The Dukes of Dixieland" were a revival band specializing in the Dixieland style from New Orleans, USA. Early recordings included Jack Maheu (clarinet), Stanley Mendelsohn (piano), Tommy Rendell (drums), and Barney Mallon (tuba and string bass). The 1958 album "Marching Along with the Dukes of Dixieland, Volume 3" credits Frank, Fred, Jack Assunto, Harold Cooper (clarinet), Stanley Mendelsohn (piano), Paul Ferrara (drums), and Bill Porter (tuba and string bass).
Throughout the band's history, notable musicians such as Pete Fountain, Jerry Fuller, Kenny Davern (clarinet), Barrett Deems, Charlie Lodice, Buzzy Drootin (drums), Jim Hall, and Herb Ellis (guitar) have been members. They also performed with Louis Armstrong.
Glory and Changes
Both Fred and Frank Assunto passed away at a young age, leading to the disbandment of the original "Dukes of Dixieland" in the early 1970s. However, in April 1974, producer and manager John Shoup relaunched the band with Connie Jones as leader, leasing Louis Prima's nightclub at the Monteleone Hotel in the French Quarter and renaming it "Dukes' Place." After 1974, the band became unrelated to the Assunto family, and subsequent band lineups did not include any original members.
Technological Innovation and Achievements
The original "Dukes of Dixieland" were featured on the first stereo record released by Audio Fidelity in November 1957. In 1978, under John Shoup's direction, they recorded their first direct-to-disc album, and in 1984, they made their first CD recording. In 1980, they performed with the New Orleans Pops Orchestra, and in 1986, they recorded a television special at Mahogany Hall with jazz musician Danny Barker. In 2001, their gospel CD "Gloryland" was nominated for a Grammy Award, and in 2011, they recorded "Country Meets Dixie" in Nashville with the Oak Ridge Boys.
They have performed with 29 orchestras worldwide, including Cincinnati, Cleveland, Chicago, National, and New York Pops (at Carnegie Hall). In 2005, they traveled up the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers to Cincinnati on the Steamboat Natchez, raising funds for the Bush-Clinton Katrina Relief Fund. In 2011, they performed with the Boston Pops.
Their latest CD, "Here Comes the Girls," features music by R&B artists such as The Meters, Ernie K-Doe, and Allen Toussaint.
Lawsuit and Controversy
In a comment on an article published in "The Syncopated Times," Dino Assunto, son of original member Frank Assunto, stated that "a court settlement against John Shoup prohibits him from implying any historical connection between Shoup's copy band and the original pre-1974 Dukes of Dixieland." He also denied the claim that Shoup was granted rights to the band name by Freddy's widow, Betty Assunto, citing a lack of evidence. Currently, the Assunto family has formed a tribute band called "The Assunto Dukes, a Dixieland Tribute," with Frank's granddaughter Lexi on vocals.
At WAITER-U, we not only offer camping gear but also curate music, books, and movies.
We've also created a playlist on Spotify, so feel free to listen to it on your way to camping.
