Wade Whaley

Wade Whaley’s career is summarised in John Chilton, Who’s Who of Jazz (though note that he was not born in New Orleans but in Jefferson TX).  I shall deal here only with his work in the Bay Area. He was resident in Oakland from 1922 to 1934 as is shown by entries in the Oakland City Directory and the Voter Registration files.  The same records show him as resident in San Jose from 1934 to 1943.  Newspaper reports and ads show Wade Whaley’s Black and Tan Syncopators performing all over the greater Bay Area from 1923 to 1934.  From July to September 1923 what is described as  the ‘New Orleans Jazz Band, the organization that has filled hundreds of phonograph records with the tunes that tickle the feet of a nation and which has furnished music for the famous Ziegfield (sic) Follies in New York. . . . The musicians are 9 colored artists, every one a master of his instrument, with Wade Whaley (himself), famous claronetist (sic), composer of “Tin Roof Blues,” “Weary Blues” and “Tiger Rag”’ appeared at Forester’s Hall in Redwood City.  They are described as ‘Makers of Gennett Phonograph Records’  In August 1924 the same venue hosted ‘The “Tennessee Ten,” a famous colored jazz band. . . . These colored musicians have been under contract for a large manufacturer of phonograph record, and their selections have been heard all over the world.  Among the artists is Wade Whaley, clarinetist.’  In an ad for the same event they are described as ‘Makers of Okey (sic) phonograph records.’  It is anyone’s guess as to who, apart from Whaley (who made no records before 1944), was in this band.
Ads from the second half of 1925 refer to the ‘Famous New Orleans Colored Jazz Band;’ clearly “New Orleans” was seen to be a guarantee of authenticity. The Santa Cruz Evening News 28 July 1925 p. 6 went even further, saying that ‘Wade Whaley and his Gentlemen of Color come direct from the Mardi Gras Club, New Orleans, and are generally acknowledged to be the South’s most famous exponents of syncopation.  They have been featured on Okeh phonograph records and are at present under contract to open this winter in New York City in a big all-colored revue, destined to follow that greta success “Shuffle Along”. . . . Wade Whaley and his Gentlemen of Color are a ten-piece orchestra and every man is a featured soloist.’  Equally extravagant claims are made in the Times Gazette 12 December 12 1925 under the headline ‘Eight Famous Colored Jazzists To Play Here’ -  ‘Wade Whaley and his Black and Tan, nationally famous orchestra and makers of Gennett records will furnish the music . . . . Mr. Whaley is known as the composer of the following dance numbers: “Blue Rose,” “Memphis Blues,” “Big Boy,” and many others.’

 

February 1927 saw the Golden Gate ballroom hosting ‘a syncopated battle royal between the three leading Ethiopian jazz bands of San Francisco’s metropolitan district for the crown of the King of Jazz in these parts. . . There was Wade Whaley and his “Black and Tan Jazz Hounds,” representing San Francisco and confident in their holding the championship every year since 1921.’  Whaley duly won the contest, defeating the bands of Clem Raymond and Eddie Liggins and receiving ‘a gilded crown, a loving cup and a $500 purse.’  After that I have found no more references until a dance in Livermore in March 1930 and then dances in Gridley in July and August 1931 (‘Wade Whaley’s Black and Tan Syncopators . . colored orchestra from Sweet’s Persian Garden, Oakland’).  September 1931 saw  an appearance at the Oakland Ice Rink and in April and May 1932 they worked dances in Oakland and Gilroy respectively.

 

1933 was a good deal busier and we also get from the Spokesman 20 April 1933 the only (1) information I have found on the personnel of the band. ‘Wade, who hails from La., handles the clarinet and sax; Red Cayou, another chap from the same region is on the piano; Ash, the trombone player, just arrived from Los Angeles.  Ralph Thomas, tuba; Willie Simpson, trumpet and Vivian Eason, drums, are all local boys.’  A couple of months at the Roseroom dance hall and several months (from August 1933 to February 1934) at the Capitol theatre suggested a bright future for the band but on 1 March 1934 the Spokesman reported that ‘Dope says the great sepia band, under the direction of Wade Whaley, will also dissolve.  Certainly sorry to hear that, as I was hoping there would be some way to keep the group together.  Nevertheless they set a new record for Negro bands on the Coast, (in my recollection) holding down the play house spot for six months.  Originally signed for a three week run, Wade and the boys made such a hit that they were a fixed figure.’

He came out of musical retirement in 1943 during the revival of New Orleans jazz in San Francisco and was active for a few years, making his first recordings during that time.  He retired from music again, was in New York by the time of the 1950 census and died in Brooklyn in February 1968.

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(1) Apart from a note in the San Francisco Spokesman 22 June 1933 that 'Bob Hill, who tooted a trumpet for Wade Whaley before leaving here seven years ago, arrived in Oakland from Shanghai last week where he has been for five years.'