Dukes Of Dixieland
Formed in 1949 by trumpeter Frank Assunto (b. 29 January 1922, New Orleans, USA, d. 25 February 1974) and his trombonist brother Fred (b. 3 December 1929, d. 21 April 1966), the Dukes got their start with bandleader Horace Heidt in his Youth Opportunity Programme, which toured the USA from 1948-53. Returning to their home town they were resident at the Famous Door in the Crescent City for four years, building up a big reputation in person and on Roulette and Victor records. At this time, when the original New Orleans musicians had either died or retired, the Dukes were hailed as authentic. True, they were capable enough, but no more so than any other revivalist band, including the British trad groups which proliferated in that era. However, they were fortunate both in having a contract with Audio-Fidelity Records, who recorded them with startling clarity, on superb stereo demonstration records, and, especially, on having Louis Armstrong join them temporarily. They visited Japan in 1964 along with Red Nichols and Gene Krupa in a George Wein Dixieland To Swing package, with Edmond Hall as the Dukes’ guest artist. The band broke up when Fred Assunto died while they were playing in Las Vegas.