The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-11-22
PAUL WHITEMAN
JAZZ ST|RS
CRITIC
Liked Best BY Men, She Finds,
But Charm Is Felt
for All
BY JESSIE MacBRIDE.
Question: Who likes jazz best?

Question: Who likes Jazz best?
Answer: Men!
The deduction is made from the
men 'standees" at the Paul White.
man-and .his-orchestra concert at
Polls yesterday afternoon, when
Mrs. WILSON, Greene. established
precedent by admitting jazz into
her current concert season. Fifty
per cent or more Of the audience,
and that in an afternoon, was COM
posed OF men. Again a precedent.
Even though the theater was not
filled.
Paul Whiteman is supposed to
have rescued jazz from its place
as the clown in entertainment to
a serious place in music of today,
more especially music OF the United
States of America. 1t goes all the
way from minstrelsy to the
symphony, given in music terms OF
the jazz orchestra.
The prophecy is yentured, how
ever, that had there. never been an
ultra-French music, of Ravel with
his street fetes translated into
tone, there would never have been
this tonality in music that has,
captivated Young America. The
form and rhythm of jazz Is quite
another matter. 1t is chiefly
shuttle along and has innately
to do with American hustle, with
the constant "go" we are all being
swept along with. Except tor
rhythm, it has nothing to do with
negro music, as Whiteman gave It
yesterday. It's rough house.,
noisy Today!
Orient Dominates.
The Orient dominates in the in
tervaIs used. 1t dominates also in
the fantastic, serio-comic use Of in
strumentation, though we can't
blame the Far East for the laugh
ing-hyena cry Of the clarinet or the
barking of the saxophone.
Paul Whiteman made the con-
cert a history of jazz" beginning
with it's absurdities. where the fry
ing pan and the kitchen stove were
emblenIs of early jazz as substi-
tutes for the percussion instru'
ments.
His last word in jazz was the
Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue" that
served also to introduce Harry
PeTrella as q wizard of pianist to
whom syncopation and tone .llu-
sions were second nature. He
made of this composition a piano
concerto Of amazing virtuositv for
the sOloist and with orchestral
blends and massive structure that
were fascinating.
one can't get away from the
slang of today in expressing 1t.
oh - fVUiTaIH0f.
ing progressions in harmony. light
ming changes in rhythm. all held
in symphonic mold with the comic
instruments putting pep" into the
whole.
Tunes" familiar tunes, are
dearest to the heart of. audiences
who listen to these ingenious ar.
engagements for jazz.
Melody, with the rarely sweet
voice of Morton Downey-llke a
John McMormack in his youth
the thing that captivated the hearers
in the Irish fantasy, "Esmeralda,"
by Boutelje, bringing him insistant
recalls.
Charm Through An.
Classics, or near classics, get un.
der the skin and keep one marking
time with the feet as the Hymn
to the SUM-" of Rimsky-KorsakOff
gets popped up to new sync6pa-
ton. There is beauty in the ''Pale
Noon" of Logan, the ''By the
Waters of Minnetonka'' Of Lieur-
ance. In it all there is a charm, a
musical charm about the back
grounds of sound that Paul White
man puts beneath his nonsense or
his melody.
Banjo wizardry by Michael Pinga-
tore was a joy. There was moth
ing he couldn't do! He came into
the pop" group strong" with the
"Limehouse Blues" Irving Berlin's
waltz. "WhatH Do" "Linger
Awhile" etc.
And over 1t all is the fact that
Paul Whiteman has made this seri-
Gus thing out of fad. He has
individual artists throughout his
players, violins, bass violin, per-
cussion-with a gem Of a drum
mer-the saxophone in all its
glory.
But please Mr.. Whiteman, when
you come back in January-as
rumor has it you will-please don't
have that white pulpit to jazz
around you. We couldn't get that
subtle little individuality of yours.
The players gave us of their best.
But for one who has seen you as
chief fun.leader and rhythm
leader, something was lost by
handling the swing OF the body
hidden.