Paul Whiteman

Paul Whiteman (Denver (Colorado), 28 March 1890 – Doylestown, Pennsylvania, 29 december 1967) was an American Orchestra leader. He began as a classicalviolinist at the San Francisco Symphony and during the first world war led a band at the American Navy. However, he was known for his jazz -inspired dance orchestras, on the. Whiteman led his first dance Orchestra in 1918 in San Francisco. In 1920 he went to New Yorkwith his band. Here he made his first album Whispering-The Japanese Sandman, of which more than two million copies have been sold. He was a star and got his Orchestra national prominence. Paul Whiteman's Orchestrabecame the most popular band of the 1920s. In 1924 the Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin written in his command, and the piece became the theme song of the Orchestra. Between 1920 and 1929 a total of 28 Whiteman had number 1 hits. Paul Whiteman recorded many classics on throughout his career, including Wang Wang Blues, Mississippi Mud, Rhapsody in Blue, Wonderful One, Mississippi Suite and Grand Canyon Suite.

His Orchestra is for the jazz historians always something controversial. Whiteman afficheerde himself as The King Of Jazz. Paul Whiteman's Orchestra played are rarely what if jazz is considered. Although he does have some of the biggest white jazz musicians, such as Bix Beiderbecke, Red Nichols, Tommy Dorsey, Frankie Trumbauer,Joe Venuti and Eddie Long has had in his Orchestra. Usually commercial dance music and his orchestra played semi-classical works. Also Bing Crosby started his career in a trio (the Rhythm Boys) at Whiteman. Whiteman paid his musicians high salaries and was very popular with them. In the years 40 and 50 Whiteman worked as musical director for the American Broadcasting Company (ABC), but still with its Orchestra came together every now and then. In the beginning of the 60 's, he played in Las Vegas. [1]