[Dixielandjazz] I like the Dukes of Dixieland!

[Daniel S. Augustine]

    I'm with Jim.  I was in highschool in the 1950s in Carson City, Nevada (becalmed in the horse-latitudes of live dixieland, in other words), and the only dixieland i could listen to emanated from my (not very) hi-fi's speakers in my bedroom, where i used to play tuba along with the recordings of the Dukes of Dixieland, Turk Murphy, and the Firehouse Five Plus Two (without any sheet music, which practice was invaluable in learning how to play jazz better later on).
    Frank Assunto was a very underrated trumpet-player, and an even more underrated singer.  Freddy Assunto on trombone played a true tailgate-style that almost nobody plays (or maybe, wants to or can play) any more.  The band had at times some marvelous tuba-players, such as Lowell Miller (with a great solo on "Whiffenpoof Song"), Bill Porter, Barney Mallon (hitting a pedal B-flat in "Asleep in the Deep"), and Rich Matteson (usually on helicon, ripping off one of the best jazz solos you'll ever hear on "Avalon" with Louis Armstrong).  They had some very good clarinetists over the years, also underrated, like Jerry Fuller.  They played a wide selection of songs, the usual warhorses, but with some nice arrangements of overdone ones (a wacky version of "Saints") and underdone others (who else would have played "Jamboree Jones" or "New Orleans Funeral"?).
    Moreover, they had great success (which of course to purists is an unforgiveable sin and an automatic target to those wishing to demonstrate their superior taste and knowledge by denigrating artists that appeal to both jazz fans and to mass audiences) and great tragedy (both Freddy and Frank died at early ages, and their story would make an interesting movie).
    As i've said before on these pages, it's OK to like what you like.  You don't have to apologize for liking the Assunto Dukes, or Turk Murphy, or the Dutch Swing College Band, or even Freddy Morgan playing banjo with wonderful tuba and soprano sax players.  I like lima beans and Chimay Ale (but not together), you don't.  You like ceviche and Miller Lite, i don't.  You think Woody Allen plays great clarinet, and i think he doesn't.  So what?  It's always far easier to tear something down than to build it up, to expatiate on somebody's alleged shortcomings or an art-work's supposed imperfections that to explain in detail exactly WHY you like something.  I'm not threatened by your inexplicable fondness for the 101 Strings, so why should you get your small-clothes in a knot because i like Anton Bruckner?

    Dan
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From: "Jim Kashishian" <jim at kashprod.com>
Date: July 22, 2011 8:03:52 AM CDT
To: ds.augustine at mail.utexas.edu
Cc: Dixieland Jazz Mailing List <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] I like the Dukes of Dixieland!
Reply-To: jim at kashprod.com


I don't understand the amount of ire that can be shovelled up when someone
mentions they like  the original Dukes of Dixieland.  It goes way back to
when I first listened to them in the late 1950's.  If you liked them then,
you were obviously turning your back on the "real jazz" of the period which
was Lu & Turk, at least in California.

Now, it would seem, if you like them you lean towards some kind of "Diet
Dixie"...a lighter version of the real stuff!  Ohhhh, they became famous
also, so that makes them an automatic no-no?

As the Sheik has pointed out in another post, the Dukes recordings were
(are)perfect for a young person trying to learn this music.  That's how I
used their recordings in my youth. As some nastier tongues have pointed out,
their arrangements could be considered simple, and the intros & endings
could be thought of as "stock".  However, there is certainly nothing wrong
with the wonderful interplay between Frank & Fred, the swinging rhythm
section, and the variety between "march" type jazz & light swing often heard
on their recordings.  Frank's vocals are excellent, also.

I once owned an LP (might have been one of those smaller EP's?) that
featured Freddy's trombone with the rhythm section on "Blue Prelude".  What
a lovely song, what a beautiful horn.  I learned the song & perform the very
same arrangement always remembering the man that "taught" it to me, although
I never spoke to him.

All this bad talk about their recordings.  How many saw them perform live?
I did in Las Vegas (1963).  It was about 6pm, and the lounge was empty.
Nevertheless, they played like it were a full house.  THAT is a band! 

I like the Dukes.  I also like the color red, but I don't like football (of
any kind!). I enjoy yogurts, but don't like liver.  I hope I have made my
point!!

Jim Kashishian

**--------------------------------------------------------------------**
**  Dan Augustine  --  Austin, Texas  --  ds.augustine at mail.utexas.edu  
**    "Most people wouldn't know music if it came up and bit them     
**     on the ass."  --  Frank Zappa                                  
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