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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 276-300 of 859 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BVE-34182 10-in. 12/28/1925 I never knew how wonderful you were Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band director  
Victor BVE-34228 10-in. 12/18/1925 When the one you love loves you Franklyn Baur Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor BVE-35030 10-in. 3/9/1926 Here comes the hot tamale man Coon-Sanders Original Nighthawk Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal duet arranger  
Victor BVE-35236 10-in. 3/24/1926 Lulu Belle Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with piano duet leader  
Victor BVE-35237 10-in. 3/24/1926 I'm in love with you, that's why Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band leader  
Victor BVE-35241 10-in. 3/25/1926 No foolin' Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio director  
Victor BVE-35242 10-in. 3/25/1926 Valencia Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BVE-35243 10-in. 3/26/1926 There's a boatman on the Volga Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo director  
Victor BVE-35244 10-in. 3/26/1926 Kamennoi-ostrow Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band director  
Victor BVE-35245 10-in. 3/26/1926 No more worryin' Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio director  
Victor BVE-35246 10-in. 3/26/1926 Tentin' down in Tennessee Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio leader  
Victor CVE-35247 12-in. 3/27/1926 Mississippi, part 1 Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band director  
Victor CVE-35248 12-in. 3/27/1926 Mississippi, part 2 Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band director  
Victor BVE-35249 10-in. 3/29/1926 Georgianna Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio director  
Victor BVE-35250 10-in. 3/29/1926 Bell hoppin' blues Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band director  
Victor BVE-35251 10-in. 3/29/1926 St. Louis blues Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band director  
Victor BVE-35839 10-in. 8/18/1926 Me too (Ho-ho! Ha-ha!) Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio (takes 5-10); unaccompanied (takes 1-4) director  
Victor BVE-35840 10-in. 8/19/1926 Sakuntala Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band director  
Victor BVE-35841 10-in. 8/19/1926 Marche slave Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band director  
Victor BVE-36036 10-in. 8/11/1926 The birth of the blues Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio director  
Victor BVE-36037 10-in. 8/11/1926 Play gypsies, dance gypsies Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio director  
Victor BVE-36041 10-in. 8/12/1926 Precious Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio director  
Victor BVE-36044 10-in. 8/13/1926 Moonlight on the Ganges Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BVE-36067 10-in. 8/25/1926 In a little Spanish town ('Twas on a night like this) Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BVE-36090 10-in. 9/2/1926 Why do ya roll those eyes (¿Por qué me haces ojos?) Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio director  
(Results 276-300 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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