Search - Paul Whiteman :: Original 1927 Recordings

A perfect collection!

Lee Hartsfeld | Central Ohio, United States | 12/11/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"From Denmark, a Paul Whiteman collection that focuses on the year 1927 and which boasts the best possible restored sound. There are songs by the likes of Irving Berlin, Hoagy Carmichael, DeSylva-Brown-Henderson, and future "As Time Goes By" writer Herman Hupfeld. And there are masterful arrangements by the likes of Ferde Grofe, Bill Challis, Don Redman, and Matty Malneck. A rare version of "Wang Wang Blues" by (Henry) Busse's Buzzards steals the show, but there are gems throughout. A more purely enjoyable CD would be hard to find. Anyone for 1926?"

Reflections of a Long-Gone Era

Michael D. Robbins | San Antonio, Texas United States | 04/08/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Paul Whiteman dominated polular music in the 1920s. His trademark title, King of Jazz, was not accurate, but his orchestra was always excellent, and it captured well the spirit of that long-gone time. His influence was inescapable, and was acknowledged by bandleaders as disparate as Duke Ellington and Guy Lombardo.This CD issues every surviving Whiteman recording made from mid-July until mid-November, 1927, ending with Bix Beiderbecke's first session with the band. Whiteman presented a little of everything in the pop field. The disk contains show tunes, jazz pieces, novelties, waltzes, and a concert piece. The liner notes are extensive, and the sound restoration is great. Whiteman hired first-class musicians, such as Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, Matty Malneck, Bix Beiderbecke, Henry Busse, Willie Hall, and Mike Pingitore. Guest artists include Joe Venuti, Eddie Lang (both of whom would later become regular band members), and Hoagy Carmichael. The vocalists include Bing Crosby and the Rhythm Boys. Ferde Grofe, Don Redman, Matty Malneck, and Bill Challis wrote the arrangements. Redman's jazz arrangements of "Whiteman Stomp" and "Sensation Stomp," and Challis's haunting score of "Washboard Blues" have been reissued often over the years, but Malneck's arrangement of "It Won't Be Long Now" is not well known. It is a surprisingly sophisticated jazz-oriented chart, featuring a hot trumpet solo by Tommy Dorsey. Grofe's "Mississippi Suite" was abbreviated in order to fit onto two sides of a single 78 record. "Dancing Tambourine" has a trombone duet that anticipates Duke Ellington's "Braggin' In Brass." "Manhattan Mary" and "Broadway" were featured in a long-forgotten musical. They glorify 1920s New York, and they took on an unintended poignancy when I played them in the days after September 11. This CD is a worthwhile acquisition for those interested in the music of the 1920s, as well as those who want to explore the foundations of American pop."