Paul Whiteman
Paul Whiteman
There was an awkward period in the history of Jazz. When it comes to the entry of Paul Whiteman, authors face the issue of his nickname “The King of Jazz”. Many ignore the title, some play it down, and others berate it. Although he himself tried to change his introductions to “The Dean of Modern American Music” on the later radio shows. The “King” Whiteman continued to stick with the fans.
How was Paul Whiteman crowned the King of Jazz? According to the movie, “The King of Jazz”, he was game-hunting in Africa, and a monkey hit him in the head with a coconut! In reality, what really made Whiteman great were the people he sought to have in his band. Names like Bing Crosby, Bix Beiderbecke, Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey, Hoagy Carmichael, and many others.
Jazz before Whiteman and others was heard in smaller combos. Whiteman increased the size of his band into nearly symphonic proportion. The large ensemble made Jazz certainly more respectable