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Paul Whiteman

Paul Samuel Whiteman (March 28, 1890 – December 29, 1967) was an American bandleader, composer, orchestral director, and violinist.

As the leader of one of the most popular dance bands in the United States during the 1920s and early 1930s, Whiteman produced recordings that were immensely successful, and press notices often referred to him as the "King of Jazz". His most popular recordings include "Whispering", "Valencia", "Three O'Clock in the Morning", "In a Little Spanish Town", and "Parade of the Wooden Soldiers". Whiteman led a usually large ensemble and explored many styles of music, such as blending symphonic music and jazz, as in his debut of Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin.

Whiteman recorded many jazz and pop standards during his career, including "Wang Wang Blues", "Mississippi Mud", "Rhapsody in Blue", "Wonderful One", "Hot Lips (He's Got Hot Lips When He Plays Jazz)", "Mississippi Suite", "Grand Canyon Suite", and "Trav'lin' Light". He co-wrote the 1925 jazz classic "Flamin' Mamie". His popularity faded in the swing music era of the mid-1930s, and by the 1940s he was semi-retired from music. He experienced a revival and had a comeback in the 1950s with his own network television series, Paul Whiteman's Goodyear Revue, which ran for three seasons on ABC. He also hosted the 1954 ABC talent contest show On the Boardwalk with Paul Whiteman.

Whiteman's place in the history of early jazz is somewhat controversial. Detractors suggest that his ornately orchestrated music was jazz in name only, lacking the genre's improvisational and emotional depth, and co-opted the innovations of black musicians. Defenders note that Whiteman's fondness for jazz was genuine. He worked with black musicians as much as was feasible during an era of racial segregation. His bands included many of the era's most esteemed white musicians, and his groups handled jazz admirably as part of a larger repertoire.

Critic Scott Yanow declares that Whiteman's orchestra "did play very good jazz...His superior dance band used some of the most technically skilled musicians of the era in a versatile show that included everything from pop tunes and waltzes to semi-classical works and jazz. [...] Many of his recordings (particularly those with Beiderbecke) have been reissued numerous times and are more rewarding than his detractors would lead one to believe."

In his autobiography, Duke Ellington declared, "Paul Whiteman was known as the King of Jazz, and no one as yet has come near carrying that title with more certainty and dignity."

Birth and Death Data: Born March 28, 1891 (Denver), Died December 29, 1967 (Doylestown)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1920 - 1954

Roles Represented in DAHR: leader, director, composer, violin, songwriter, conductor, other, arranger, session supervisor, speaker, viola

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 251-275 of 859 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BVE-32752 10-in. 7/2/1925 Sonya (Yup, alay yup!) Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BVE-32756 10-in. 7/7/1925 Footloose Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Victor BVE-32757 10-in. 7/7/1925 What a world this would be Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band leader  
Victor BVE-32758 10-in. 7/7/1925 Got no time Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band leader  
Victor BVE-32763 10-in. 7/9/1925 Why is love? Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band director  
Victor BVE-33253 10-in. 9/4/1925 Ida (I do) Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band director  
Victor BVE-33304 10-in. 8/12/1925 I miss my Swiss (My Swiss miss misses me) Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and yodeling director  
Victor BVE-33305 10-in. 8/12/1925 The kinky kids parade Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BVE-33331 10-in. 8/20/1925 The rhythm rag Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band director  
Victor BVE-33332 10-in. 8/20/1925 Manhattan Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band director  
Victor BVE-33333 10-in. 8/20/1925 The farmer took another load away! Hay! Hay! Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo (takes 5-9); unaccompanied (takes 1-4) director  
Victor BVE-33360 10-in. 9/2/1925 I'm tired of everything but you Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with piano duet director  
Victor BVE-33361 10-in. 9/2/1925 Days of hearts and flowers Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with piano duet director  
Victor BVE-33385 10-in. 9/16/1925 Charlestonette Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band director  
Victor BVE-33386 10-in. 9/16/1925 Peaceful valley Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band director  
Victor BVE-33541 10-in. 10/5/1925 Flamin' Mamie Aileen Stanley Female vocal solo, with ukulele and piano songwriter  
Victor BVE-34031 10-in. 12/13/1925 When the one you love loves you Jesse Crawford Pipe organ solo composer  
Victor BVE-34062 10-in. 12/21/1925 Flamin' Mamie Coon-Sanders Original Nighthawk Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BVE-34157 10-in. 12/17/1925 Lo-nah Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band director  
Victor BVE-34158 10-in. 12/17/1925 I wonder where my baby is to-night Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band director  
Victor BVE-34168 10-in. 12/21/1925 Poor little rich girl Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band director  
Victor BVE-34169 10-in. 12/21/1925 No man's mamma Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band director  
Victor BVE-34177 10-in. 12/24/1925 That certain feeling Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band director  
Victor BVE-34178 10-in. 12/24/1925 Sweet and low-down Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band director  
Victor BVE-34181 10-in. 12/28/1925 Sweet child (I'm wild about you) Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band director  
(Results 251-275 of 859 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Whiteman, Paul," accessed October 31, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/104378.

Whiteman, Paul. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved October 31, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/104378.

"Whiteman, Paul." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 31 October 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/104378

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