This Saturday we examine the Dixie Singers reportedly Cape Town, South Africa's only traditional Dixieland jazz band.
According to their promotional videos the band was started many years ago with some of Cape Town's best musicians. They are still around as of 2015.
In the following jazz performance the Dixie Swingers play the Ballard MacDonald and James F. Hanley tune Back Home Again in Indiana which was originally published as Indiana in 1917. The tune contains musical elements of an older tune On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away.
Here the Dixie Swingers play Indiana in a performance recorded at the Nuthouse Studio in Newlands, Cape Town, South Africa. I think they have a pretty good sound and wish I could hear more performances by them!
On May 31, 1917 the Original Dixieland Jazz Band recorded the tune for Columbia which released it on record on August 10, 1917. The record number was Columbia A2297. This recording has sometimes been given the mistaken date of January 1917. However the version of the tune recorded in January was apparently never released and most likely destroyed.
The Original Dixieland Jazz Band comprised of Nick LaRocca, cornet; Eddie Edwards, trombone; Larry Shields, clarinet; Henry Ragas, piano; Tony Sbarbaro, drums.
Here is a promotional video on the Dixie Swingers from 2006.
Here is a 2012 promotional video on the Dixie Swingers.
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