le ader ▁named ▁Paul ▁Wh item an , ▁who ▁first ▁joined ▁the ▁group , ▁then ▁took ▁over ▁its ▁leadership ▁as ▁the ▁Paul ▁Wh item an ▁Colleg ians , ▁and ▁brought ▁them ▁to ▁the ▁bigger ▁stage ▁of ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁itself ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 3 . ▁ ▁Will co x ▁made ▁his ▁first ▁record ings ▁with ▁the ▁Colleg ians , ▁and ▁remained ▁with ▁Wh item an ▁for ▁three ▁years , ▁building ▁a ▁reputation ▁as ▁a ▁good ▁reader ▁with ▁a ▁full , ▁rich ly ▁burn ished ▁tone ▁which ▁sat ▁well ▁with ▁the ▁leader ' s ▁preference ▁for ▁a ▁sweet , ▁s oph istic ated ▁ensemble ▁sound , ▁rather ▁than ▁the ▁more ▁earth y ▁approach ▁of ▁the ▁hot ▁bands . ▁Will co x ▁regarded ▁himself ▁as ▁pre domin antly ▁a ▁mel ody ▁player ▁rather ▁than ▁an ▁impro vis ing ▁jazz ▁solo ist . ▁ ▁He ▁returned ▁to ▁Cort land ▁for ▁a ▁time ▁after ▁leaving ▁the ▁band ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 5 , ▁but ▁was ▁quickly ▁in ▁demand , ▁and ▁played ▁briefly ▁with ▁the ▁California ▁R amb lers ▁before ▁joining ▁the ▁popular ▁Jean ▁Gold k ette ▁Orchestra , ▁where ▁he ▁replaced ▁Tommy ▁Dor sey . ▁Short ly ▁after , ▁cor net ist ▁B ix ▁Be ider be cke ▁and ▁sa x oph on ist ▁Frank ie ▁Tr umb auer ▁also ▁joined ▁the ▁band , ▁making ▁it ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁stell ar ▁ens emb les ▁of ▁the ▁day . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 7 , ▁and ▁with ▁a ▁family ▁to ▁raise , ▁the