[78-L] King of Jazz moniker

[martha]

Don Rayno dates it to late 1919, in this context:

 Paul's quartet was playing at the Maryland Hotel in Pasadena, alternating 
with Henri Van Praag's orchestra.

 "Whiteman and Van Praag's musical approaches were vastly different. Van 
Praag played strictly concert music, and was, in fact, quite vocal about his 
dislike for jazz music: 'I hate, loathe, and detest jazz', he told 
California Life. 'It is an insult to good, decent music.'  With Whiteman 
jazzing up the classics more than ever it seems likely that he and Van Praag 
were not the closest of friends. The violinist's arrival may have in fact 
influenced Paul's leaving the Maryland Hotel. The Pasadena Evening Post, 
noting the strong contrast between the two, observed: 'Mr.Van Praag has won 
the title of King of Concert Music, whereas the friends of Mr.Whiteman have 
with much enthusiasm bestowed the title King of Jazz upon him.'  This is, 
interestingly, the first mention of the sobriquet that would later, during 
the 1920s, become the press's most favored title for Whiteman, although 
Whiteman himself cared little for it. "



 ----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Rodger Holtin" <rjh334578 at yahoo.com>
To: "78-List" <78-l at 78online.com>
Sent: Tuesday, January 05, 2010 7:00 PM
Subject: [78-L] King of Jazz moniker


Can anybody tell me who coined the term King of Jazz and when was it first 
applied to Paul Whiteman? Was it a press agent? A columnist? A critic?

Rodger