Louis Armstrong and Paul Whiteman: Two Kings of Jazz

by Joshua Berrett

In Louis Armstrong and Paul Whiteman the jazz scholar Joshua Berrett offers a provocative revision of the history of early jazz by focusing on two of its most notable practitioners—Whiteman, legendary in his day, and Armstrong, a legend ever since.
Paul Whiteman’s fame was unmatched throughout the twenties. Bix Beiderbecke, Bing Crosby, and Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey honed their craft on his bandstand. Celebrated as the “King of Jazz” in 1930 in a Universal Studios feature film, Whiteman’s imperium has declined considerably since. The legend of Louis Armstrong, in contrast, grows ever more lustrous: for decades it has been Armstrong, not Whiteman, who has worn the king’s crown.
This dual biography explores these diverging legacies in the context of race, commerce, and the history of early jazz. Early jazz, Berrett argues, was not a story of black innovators and white usurpers. In this book, a much richer, more complicated story emerges—a story of cross-influences, sidemen, sundry movers and shakers who were all part of a collective experience that transcended the category of race. In the world of early jazz, Berrett contends, kingdoms had no borders.

Genres: Music

257 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book's juxtaposition of the careers of Paul Whiteman and Louis Armstrong. I had under-appreciated Armstrong and especially Whiteman heretofore. I really liked how Berrett put both men in the context of their times and highlighted their professional intersections. And of course, their career achievements and contributions to our musical heritage. Both men were giants of their time and beyond. I didn't think the book meandered at all.

[Steven · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a grant book though it does serve a purpose. Finally claiming Paul Whiteman as an important and influential figure in jazz music, the author often meanders and loses track of time in order to tell the story. Still we get to know Paul Whiteman and learn about the man long forgotten.