Rhapsody In Blue - Paul Whiteman & Gershwin at Cadogan Hall

George Gershwin’s Rhapsody In Blue performed by pianist Nick Dawson with the Jazz Repertory Company conducted by Pete Long (and with clarinet solo by Mark Crooks). The piece was commissioned by Paul Whiteman in 1924 for his concert “An Experiment In Modern Music” at the Aeolian Hall in New York. The version here is Ferde Grofé’s original arrangement for Whiteman’s orchestra (it has subsequently been re- orchestrated for full symphony orchestra). This performance is taken from “ The Music of The King of Jazz Paul Whiteman – Bix, Bing and Rhapsody in Blue” . It was the centrepiece of Richard Pite’s Jazz Repertory Company’s concert at London’s Cadogan Hall as part of the 2015 EFG London Jazz Festival.