[Dixielandjazz] Gene, Dukes of Dixieland

[Andrew Homzy]

The Dukes were fully immersed in the lineage of New Orleans music. They
were a family band - the Assuntos - Freddie -trumpet, Frank - trombone &
Papa Jac - trombone/banjo. Singer, Betty Owens, was Freddie’s wife.

They coalesced the classic/modern standard for a huge portion of the
repertoire.
Their 2nd version of “Farewell Blues” is a masterpiece - with two trombones
in the front-line - everything comes together: arrangement, solos,
dynamics, dramatic progression. Don’t miss the way Lowell Miller alternates
between tuba (2-beat) and string bass (walking)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F44WihqrzL4

Note: the above version is not documented in the discographies and was used
for the stereo re-mix, thus replacing the 1st version. Jerry Fuller is on
clarinet & Red Hawley on drums. probably recorded in 1960.



The whole original album (1956), with the lesser 1st version of “Farewell
Blues”, is here - Harold Cooper on clarinet, Bill Porter on string bass &
Johnny Edwards on drums. Pianist, Stanley Mendelssohn is on both versions:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MYWw9TkwGA

The Dukes were a great band and their success - like that of Brubeck & The
Modern Jazz Quartet - made them targets for some critics whose aim was
mistaken.

Cheers,

Andrew

On Thu, Aug 30, 2018 at 10:05:44 AM, Jim Kashishian (jim at kashprod.com)
wrote:

Hi, Gene and all.  Your short bio caught my eye because of your mention of
the Dukes.  Although I began listening to Turk, et al, in the mid 1950s, I
soon got interested in the Dukes.  Something, by the way, that is not
always accepted as being a good thing in Jazz circles, and even on this
list.  To this day, I maintain that, even though they became a a success
(for some reason that is not acceptable!), they did play some hot jazz.  I
heard them in a casino lounge in Las Vegas in about 1963.  A basically
empty room, and they played as though it were a full house!  A lesson that
I have carried with me through my whole musical life.  Hats off to the
Dukes!  (Now I'll duck in case of flying objects!!)

Oh, I continued to listen to Turk, and many, many others, but was drawn to
the Dukes possibly because my trombone style was closer to the style of the
Dukes.

Jim

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