Paul Whiteman And His Orchestra - Dardanella (BIX & TRAM!)

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Description

Paul Whiteman And His Orchestra play "Dardanella", featuring a superb 32 bar solo by Bix Beiderbecke at the height of his powers. The arrangement is by Bill Challis - notice the way that Challis builds up to Bix's solo, and how the band provide a sympathetic backing, with Steve Brown slapping his double bass to provide some extra heat. Nice two-part solo by Frank Trumbauer too, but Bix with his full chorus solo is the real star here.

Although recorded by the band in early 1928, "Dardanella" wasn't released until 1936 when Warren Scholl located it in the Victor vaults. The song was already old in 1928, having been first published back in 1919. Coincidentally, two days before Dardanella was recorded, Whiteman re-recorded three old songs he had previously waxed acoustically - "The Japanese Sandman", "Whispering" and "Avalon"; of these, only "The Japanese Sandman" was released (in 1928).

(Note: The audio you hear on the video - when the record is playing - has been processed through a custom-made vacuum tube pre-amp and then uploaded to a computer using a high sample rate of 96 kHz. I then carry out audio restoration as usual and stitch the resultant restored sound file back onto the video).

PAUL WHITEMAN AND HIS ORCHESTRA
Paul Whiteman directing: Henry Busse and Charlie Margulis - trumpets / Bix Beiderbecke - cornet / Bill Rank, Wilbur Hall and Boyce Cullen - trombones / Chester Hazlett - alto sax, bass clarinet / Irving Friedman - alto sax, clarinet / Frank Trumbauer - C-melody sax / Roy "Red" Maier - tenor sax, clarinet / Charles Strickfaden - baritone sax / Kurt Dieterle, Mischa Russell and Matt Malneck - violins / Roy Bargy - piano / Mike Pingitore - banjo / Mike Trafficante - brass bass / Steve Brown - string bass / Harold MacDonald - drums / Bill Challis - arranger

Recorded in the Liederkranz Hall, New York, February 9th, 1928

41683-2 Dardanella Victor 25238