Arthur Whetsol

Arthur Whetsol, among the initial users in Duke Ellington’s Washingtonians, had a stylish firmness, impressive technique, and an extremely lyrical design that set a typical for Ellington; in potential years Harold “Shorty” Baker packed a similar part with Duke. A child years friend of Ellington, Whetsol found NY with Duke to become listed on Elmer Snowden’s group in 1923 but remaining a year later on to study medication at Howard University or college. He eventually came back to music and was a fixture in Duke’s orchestra during 1928-1936 until a mind disorder pressured him to completely retire. Featured prominently in Ellington’s 1929 film brief Dark and Tan, Whetsol required many good solos in the past due ’20s when his melodic design was a comparison compared to that of Bubber Miley and (just a little later on) Cootie Williams, especially on “Feeling Indigo,” “Dark and Tan Dream,” and “Dark Beauty”; his function became much less prominent within the 1930s.