Wilbur de Paris
Wilbur de Paris was an influential American trombonist and band leader, born on January 11, 1900, in Crawfordsville, Indiana. He was known for his unique blend of Dixieland jazz and swing. De Paris began his musical career in 1912, playing alto saxophone in his father's circus band before permanently switching to trombone. He started his professional career in Philadelphia in 1919 and worked with notable musicians such as Louis Armstrong, Stuff Smith, and Noble Sissle, among others.
Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, de Paris played in various bands in Philadelphia and New York, including a stint with Teddy Hill's orchestra and recording with the Mills Blue Rhythm Band. He also toured Europe with Noble Sissle and worked with Louis Armstrong again from 1937 to the end of the decade. In 1944, he recorded with his brother Sidney as The DeParis Brothers for Commodore Records.
De Paris joined Duke Ellington's band in 1945, remaining until 1947. In 1957, he toured Africa under the U.S. State Department's President's International Program for Cultural Relations. His music was later featured in Woody Allen films, including "In a Persian Market" in The Curse of the Jade Scorpion.
Wilbur de Paris passed away on January 3, 1973, in New York City, leaving behind a legacy as a pioneer in jazz music. He was survived by two sons and two daughters.
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