A fine supportive player in Dixieland settings, Gene Mayl was most significant as a leader of stimulating and hard-swinging bands that went under the name of the Dixieland Rhythm Kings. He founded the group in 1948, and they were active into the 1980s. Mayl spent 1948 and 1949 in France during which time he played with Claude Luter, Don Byas and Claude Bolling. In addition to his own groups, Mayl played with many trad jazz all-stars including Bob Scobey, Muggsy Spanier, Billy Maxted, Wild Bill Davison and George Brunies. For many years he was a major force in the Dixieland movement of the Midwest. Mayl and his Dixieland Rhythm Kings (which first recorded a single in 1948) made recordings for Jazz Disc, Knickerbocker, Jazztone, Riverside (1953 and 1958), Audiophile, Jazzology, Blackbird, Red Onion and Fat Cat's Jazz. His best-known sidemen were trumpeter Carl Halen, trombonist Bob Mielke, clarinetist Joe Darensbourg, trombonist Booty Wood (in 1963), cornetist Ernie Carson and (for one album) singer Claire Austin. ~ Scott Yanow, Rovi