The Dukes Of Dixieland At The Jazz Band Ball

 

Blue Prelude

The Duke Of Dixieland

At The Jazz Band Ball

Photo: Rolf Tietgens

RCA Victor LPM-2097

1959

Trumpet - Frankie Assunto

Trombone - Freddie Assunto

Clarinet - Pete Fountain

Piano - Artie Seelig

Bass - Bill Porter

Drums - Roger Johnson

Vocals - Betty Owens

From the back cover: There's a whale of a different between the Dukes Of Dixieland and a lot of the other jazz bands you hear nowadays. It's all to the good. Too many bands play Dixieland like it was just a does of medicine they have to swallow each night; the Dukes don't – they obviously get a tremendous wallop out of their music making, and it comes through clear and sharp on this disc. The Dukes combine enthusiasm with enormous ability. They kick into the ensembles like the liner United States playing into twenty-foot waves. They are equally at home with standards and popular songs of the day. In other words, the Dukes have it in diamonds, doubled and redoubled, right down to the toes of their argyles.

This album deals strictly with the great old Dixieland war horses, with the one exception of Blue Prelude. This lovely Gordon Jenkins – Joe Bishop tune as used as  theme for years by Woody Herman, and it's used by the Dukes as a marvelous setting for Freddie Assunto's trombone.

My choice as the outstanding miner of the albums is Tin Roof Blues, tat ancient collaboration of the New Orleans Rhythm Kings which became so popular in 1954 as Make Love To Me. The extended clarinet solo by one Peter Dewey Fountain, Jr., is simply tremendous! (There are a couple of places where the clicking of clarinet keys can be clearly heard – a good proving point as to how well the album as recorded.) Behind Fountain's soulful and expressive blowing is the occasional undercurrent theme of Yancy's Special – a superb effect.

For Tiger Rag, Freddie Assunto plays some handsomely guttural trombone. The Dukes don't treat the Tiger as a race horse, but instead subject her to a good, steady gallop, which is as it should be, Frank Assunto can be heard signing Saints, in the same kind of "arrangement" used many years ago by Louis Armstrong. Don't miss the tromboning of Eddie on Muskrat Ramble either. Maybe he was thinking of another trombonist named Kid Try who happened to write the ting. Incidentally, Muskrat Ramble didn't have a name right off the bat. It come up for recording during ta session b Louis Armstrong's Hot Five. After it was all over, someone asked Ory for the name, and he was saved by Lil Armstrong who simply looked up nd said: "Oh, that's Muskrat Ramble." Some time later, Mr. Melrose of the Melrose Music Company changed the Muskrat to Muskrat, because he didn't lie the sound of the "rat," but never did stick.

Panama, At The Jazz band Ball, That's A-Plenty are wonderful expression by the full band – solid rhythm, driving horns, magnificent clarinet and excellent solos. The album plays to a fare-thee-well from stem to stern, and that's the way it was intended by the Dukes Of Dixieland, one of the true fine jazz outfits of this or any time. – Fred Reynolds

From Billboard - December 21, 1959: The Dukes pour out their usual traditional, but commercial brand of Dixieland material. The title tune sets the pace, with such familiar numbers as "Beale Street Blues," "Muskrat Ramble," "Tin Roof Blues," and "Saints," also included in the repertoire. Pete Fountain is heard on clarinet on this set in addition to the regular Dukes complement. Betty Owens vocalizes "Beale Street" and "Saints." Dixie fans will like. Set was originally out on label X, a former Victor subsidiary.

At The Jazz Ball

Beale Street Blues

Muskrat Ramble

Blue Prelude

That's A Plenty

Original Dixieland One-Step

Panama

Wolverine Blues

Fidgety Blues

Tin Roof Blues

Tiger Rag

When The Saints Come Marching In