"China Boy" by Paul Whiteman

"China Boy" was recorded by the Paul Whiteman Orchestra on May 3, 1929. Cornetist Bix Beiderbecke had been ill for some time and had just recently rejoined the orchestra when this record was made. During this time, Bix was playing most of his solos into a felt hat, which masked his weakened tone. Although Bix's solo in "China Boy" is only 16 bars long, it is considered by many to be one of the finest solos he ever recorded.

The record player is an Orthophonic Victrola model VE4-4X, or "Granada". The "E" in the model number indicates that the Victrola is fitted with a synchronous A/C motor instead of a wind-up motor. The machine has a full "orthophonic" playback system (for electrically-recorded records) including the special orthophonic sound box with a duralumin diaphragm and a folded exponential horn inside of the cabinet. Although the gigantic Credenza Victrola produced deeper bass, the Granada had the most accurate overall frequency response of all the acoustic Orthophonic Victrolas. The serial number indicates that this machine was probably manufactured in 1926.

I shoot my video with a Sony Digital 8 format camera. For audio, I use a Shure SM-57 microphone on a stand placed about 4 feet in front of the Victrola horn. Although I normally use "soft tone" needles, this video was made with a "bright" or "loud" tone needle. The mic is plugged directly into the video camera. The videos are edited with Windows Movie Maker. I use Sound Forge 9 to clean up the audio, but don't worry -- you're hearing the record exactly as the Victrola plays it!

For more great music, videos, and trivia from this era, please visit my website, http://www.virtualvictrola.com.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Bix
• Beiderbecke
• Paul
• Whiteman
• China
• Boy
• jazz
• 1929

[MrNEStalgia]

I love the hot solo at 1:06! Is that bix playing?

[mlaprarie]

@MrNEStalgia, Bix's solo starts at 2:26 in the video.

[colette10ful]

Yes Teadgarden, Dorsey, Goodman and a lot of others got their start with Whiteman. Sad to see Bix not getting a big solo part on this take, but you can here from his brief part that sadly he was losing the brilliance, a little bit, and

Whiteman knew it...

[mlaprarie]

A few corrections to colette10ful's comment. Goodman never played with Whiteman. And Jack Teagarden joined Whiteman in 1933, long after he was established as a star player. But Jimmy Dorsey joined Whiteman before he was very well known, and as was his habit, he soon convinced Whiteman to hire kid brother Tommy. Both Dorseys played in the band along with Red Nichols for about a year. All 3 of them left because Whiteman's touring schedule interfered with their lucrative NYC freelance work.

[pax41]

Nice Whiteman tune! He is the king of the 20's in my opinion. His arrangements were some of the best. Thanks for posting this!

[SatchmoSings]

I love it!

Playing valuable and highly collectible records on a wind-up with a steel needle; this is the BEST way to play, PRESERVE and enjoy records of this kind!

Playing them on a modern turntable with a lightweight pickup/tonearm is just plain STUPID!!!

[SatchmoSings]

Wouldn't it have been more correct to have played this on a Viva-Tonal?

[SatchmoSings]

@EmmetEarwax From your nickname I understand you COMPLETELY!

[EmmetEarwax]

I DON'T understand your reasoning ! I think some of the surface noise is due to a heavy tone-arm with a steel needle having been used repeatedly.

[EmmetEarwax]

This is similar to a Paul Whiteman Columbia disk I have -which dates it. My disk has a big bash in it -but being Columbia,it's still playable. Columbia made their disks resistant.

Somebody, who had no appreciation for old 78s or records app., threw this out of a 2nd or 3rd floor window of a house being renovated or demolished !

[aviatorsbh]

Really amazing qualitly and fidelity for that age!

[harryoakley]

@colette10ful ??? Bix is the major soloist on this side with 16 bars - that sure is a "big solo part" on a 3 minute record. Around this time Bix may have been losing some of his former brilliance, but it's definitely not evident on this recording (nor on "Miss Hannah", recorded a day earlier in which he has another superb solo).

[harryoakley]

Bix had actually not "recently rejoined the orchestra". Bix had been back in the band for several months before this session.