Dukes of Dixieland Dukes of Dixieland The Dukes of Dixieland was a New Orleans "Dixieland"-style revival band, originally formed in 1948 by brothers Frank Assunto, trumpet; Fred Assunto, trombone; and their father Papa Jac Assunto, trombone and banjo. Their first records featured Jack Maheu, clarinet; Stanley Mendelsohn, piano; Tommy Rundell, drums; and Barney Mallon, tuba and string bass. During its run the band also featured musicians such as jazz great clarinetist Pete Fountain, Jerry Fuller, and guitar legends Jim Hall, and Herb Ellis. The band also recorded with Louis Armstrong. Fred and Frank Assunto both died young, and the original Dukes of Dixieland
Bop City War II. While modern jazz, whether in the form of swing or bebop, was popular on Los Angeles' Central Avenue, San Francisco was at the time a haven of traditional jazz (also known as Dixieland). In the 1940s and early 1950s, the Bay Area scene was dominated by Dixieland revival bands such as Lu Watters' Yerba Buena Jazz Band. In the late 1940s, however, new clubs emerged in the Tenderloin and North Beach districts, which changed the music scene in the city. Bop City emerged from the short-lived club Vout City, run by Slim Gaillard on the same premises. Gaillard