Image Source: Wikipedia

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 726-750 of 859 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia W149823 10-in. 3/22/1930 Ragamuffin Romeo Jean Lang ; Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo leader  
Columbia W149824 10-in. 3/22/1930 Livin' in the sunlight, lovin' in the moonlight Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W149825 10-in. 3/21/1930 A bench in the park Brox Sisters ; Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal trio and male vocal trio leader  
Columbia W149826 10-in. 3/23/1930 I like to do things for you Paul Whiteman Orchestra ; Rhythm Boys Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio leader  
Columbia W149827 10-in. 3/23/1930 You brought a new kind of love to me Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W150579 10-in. 6/9/1930 Sittin' on a rainbow Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal quartet leader  
Columbia W150580 10-in. 6/9/1930 Old New England moon Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W150681 10-in. 7/25/1930 Song of the Congo Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal ensemble leader  
Columbia W150682 10-in. 7/25/1930 The wedding of the birds Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia W150683 10-in. 7/25/1930 New tiger rag Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia W150787 10-in. 9/10/1930 A big bouquet for you Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W150788 10-in. 9/10/1930 Body and soul Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W150789 10-in. 9/10/1930 Something to remember you by Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal ensemble leader  
Columbia W150790 10-in. 9/10/1930 In my heart—it's you Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal ensemble leader  
Columbia W150791 10-in. 9/10/1930 Choo-choo Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia W98533 12-in. 5/12/1928 La paloma Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia W98534 12-in. 5/12/1928 La golondrina Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W98535 12-in. 5/12/1928 My hero Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W98536 12-in. 5/13/1928 The merry widow Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia W98537 12-in. 5/11/1928 My melancholy baby Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W98538 12-in. 5/16/1928 The man I love Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo leader  
Columbia W98556 12-in. 6/20/1928 Tchaikowskiana Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia W98557 12-in. 6/20/1928 Tchaikowskiana Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia W98568 12-in. 9/5/1928 Concerto in F Roy Bargy ; Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band and piano leader  
Columbia W98569 12-in. 9/6/1928 Concerto in F Roy Bargy ; Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band and piano leader  
(Results 726-750 of 859 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Whiteman, Paul," accessed March 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104378.

Whiteman, Paul. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104378.

"Whiteman, Paul." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license

Feedback

Send the Editors a message about this record.