Wilbur de Paris
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Wilbur De Paris
| image = Claude Jones and Wilbur De Paris, Aquarium, New York, N.Y., ca. Nov. 1946.jpg
| caption = Wilbur De Paris (left) and Claude Jones at the Aquarium in New York in 1946
| background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
| birth_date = {{birth date|1900|1|11}}
| birth_place = Crawfordsville, Indiana, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|1973|1|3|1900|1|11}}
| occupation = Trombonist, band leader
| instrument = Trombone
| years_active = 1912–1972
| death_place = New York, New York, U.S.
}}
Wilbur de Paris (January 11, 1900 – January 3, 1973){{cite book|title=The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music|editor=Colin Larkin|publisher=Guinness Publishing|date=1992|edition=First|isbn=0-85112-939-0|page=654}} was a trombone player and band leader known for mixing Dixieland jazz with swing.{{cite book|last1=Carr|first1=Ian |last2=Fairweather|first2=Digby|last3=Priestley|first3=Brian|title=The Rough Guide to Jazz|url=https://archive.org/details/roughguidetojazz00carr|url-access=registration|access-date=21 August 2017|year=2004|publisher=Rough Guides | isbn =978-1-84353-256-9|pages=[https://archive.org/details/roughguidetojazz00carr/page/44 44]–}}
Career
Wilbur de Paris was born January 11, 1900, in Crawfordsville, Indiana. His father, Sidney de Paris Sr., was a musician and taught him and his brother Sidney how to play music.{{Cite web|last=Yanow|first=Scott|title=Wilbur DeParis: Profiles in Jazz|url=https://syncopatedtimes.com/wilbur-deparis-profiles-in-jazz/|access-date=2021-10-26 |website=syncopatedtimes.com|date=31 May 2020 |language=en-US}} He played alto saxophone in his father's circus band.{{Cite web|last=Kenney III|first=William H|date=20 January 2002 |title=De Paris, Wilbur|url=https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-2000119100|access-date=2021-10-27 |website=Grove Music Online|language=en|doi=10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.j119100|isbn=978-1-56159-263-0 }}
In 1919, de Paris began his career in Philadelphia in a small band.{{Cite news|date=1973-01-06|title=WILBUR DE PARIS, BANDLEADER, 72|language=en-US|work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1973/01/06/archives/wilbur-de-paris-bandleader-72-trombonist-with-the-new-orleans-jazz.html|access-date=2021-10-26|issn=0362-4331}} He visited New Orleans in 1922 and worked with Louis Armstrong and Armand J. Piron. Throughout the 1920s, he worked in Philadelphia and New York, including as band leader. During this time he permanently switched from saxophone to trombone.{{cite web | last1 = Yanow | first1 = Scott|title=Wilbur De Paris |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/wilbur-de-paris-mn0000211161/biography |website =AllMusic |access-date=21 August 2017}} Among the musicians de Paris worked with were Stuff Smith, Dave Nelson, Noble Sissle (with whom he toured Europe), and Edgar Hayes.
De Paris toured with Teddy Hill's orchestra from 1936–1937 and recorded with the Mills Blue Rhythm Band. Again he joined Louis Armstrong, playing with him from the end of 1937 until the end of the decade.
While De Paris remained an obscure figure during this era, his brother Sidney achieved fame as a trumpet soloist. In 1944, the brothers recorded together for the first time as The DeParis Brothers for Commodore Records, producing four songs. He briefly toured with Ella Fitzgerald and Roy Eldridge before leading his own small band.{{Cite book |last=Chilton|first=John|url=http://archive.org/details/whoswhoofjazzsto0000chil_m7r3|title=Who's Who of Jazz: Storyville to Swing Street|date=1989|publisher=London:Papermac |isbn=978-0-333-48375-6|pages=90–91}}
In late 1945, de Paris broke up his group to join Duke Ellington with whom he stayed until 1947.
Sponsored by the U.S. State Department, de Paris toured Africa in 1957 as part of the President's International Program for Cultural Relations.{{Cite journal|date=1973|title=Wilbur De Paris|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/1214474|journal=The Black Perspective in Music|volume=1|issue=2|pages=198|jstor=1214474 |issn=0090-7790}}
His music is present in the films of Woody Allen, including "In a Persian Market" in The Curse of the Jade Scorpion.{{Cite web|title=Music from the Films of Woody Allen - 3 Cd Set|url=https://www.jazzmessengers.com/en/70574/various-artists/music-from-the-films-of-woody-allen-3-cd-set|access-date=2020-07-07|website=Jazz Messengers|language=en-us}}
Death
De Paris died in Beekman Downtown Hospital, New York on 3 January 1973. He was survived by two sons and two daughters.{{Cite news|date=1973-01-10|title=OBITUARIES|work=Variety|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/1032466553|id={{ProQuest|1032466553}} }}
References
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{{Duke Ellington}}
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Category:People from Crawfordsville, Indiana
Category:American jazz trombonists
Category:Musicians from Indiana
Category:Duke Ellington Orchestra members
Category:20th-century American musicians
Category:20th-century trombonists
Category:American male jazz musicians