Zack Whyte was an American jazz

Jazz

Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...

 bandleader, best known for leading the territory band

Territory band

Territory bands were dance bands that crisscrossed specific regions of the United States from the 1920s through the 1960s. Beginning in the 1920s, the bands typically had 8 to 12 musicians. These bands typically played one-nighters, 6 or 7 nights a week at venues like VFW halls, Elks Lodges,...

 the Chocolate Beau Brummels.

Whyte studied at Wilberforce University

Wilberforce University

Wilberforce University is a private, coed, liberal arts historically black university located in Wilberforce, Ohio. Affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church, it was the first college to be owned and operated by African Americans...

, where he played banjo with Horace Henderson

Horace Henderson

Horace W. Henderson Born in Cuthbert, Georgia , younger brother of Fletcher Henderson, was an American jazz pianist, organist, arranger, and bandleader....

 and arranged pieces for him. He led his own Cincinnati-based bands from the early 1920s, and put together the Chocolate Beau Brummels late in the decade. This ensemble recorded for Gennett

Gennett Records

Gennett was a United States based record label which flourished in the 1920s.-Label history:Gennett records was founded in Richmond, Indiana by the Starr Piano Company, and released its first records in October 1917. The company took its name from its top managers: Harry, Fred and Clarence Gennett....

, Supertone

Supertone Records

Supertone Records was a United States record label of the 1920s. Supertone Records were marketed by Sears, Roebuck & Co..Supertone was one of several record disc brand names marketed by Sears....

, and Champion

Champion Records

The name Champion Records has been used by at least four record labels.An early Champion label was produced by Gennett Records as an inexpensive label that featured country or "hillbilly" artists, as well as popular bands, hot jazz and blues...

 in 1929, amounting to about ten tunes. Some of the recordings were released under the names "Eddie Walker & His Band" and "Smoke Jackson & His Red Onions". Among those who played in Whyte's bands were Herman Chittison

Herman Chittison

Herman "Ivory" Chittison was an American jazz pianist.He began in Zack Whyte's band in 1928. In his early days he worked with Ethel Waters, Adelaide Hall, and Clarence Williams. In the mid-1930s he was associated with Willie Lewis's band and toured Europe with them...

, Jerry Blake

Jerry Blake

Jerry Blake was an American jazz alto saxophonist and clarinetist.Blake was born in Gary, Indiana and grew up in Nashville. He played violin before switching to reeds. In 1924 he toured with the Sells-Fioto Circus Band, but was left stranded in Chicago; making the best of the situation, he joined...

, Truck Parham

Truck Parham

Charles Valdez "Truck" Parham was an American jazz double-bassist.Parham played professional sports early in his career; he was a boxer and played football with the Chicago Negro All Stars. He played drums before settling on bass, and studied under Walter Page...

, Sy Oliver

Sy Oliver

Melvin "Sy" Oliver was a jazz arranger, trumpeter, composer, singer and bandleader...

, Roy Eldridge

Roy Eldridge

Roy David Eldridge , nicknamed "Little Jazz" was an American jazz trumpet player. His sophisticated use of harmony, including the use of tritone substitutions, his virtuosic solos and his strong influence on Dizzy Gillespie mark him as one of the most exciting musicians of the swing era and a...

, Vic Dickenson

Vic Dickenson

Vic Dickenson was an African-American jazz trombonist. Dickenson's career started out in the 1920s and led him through musical partnerships with such legends as Count Basie , Sidney Bechet and Earl Hines...

, and Al Sears

Al Sears

Al Sears was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and bandleader.Sears's first major gig came in 1928 when he replaced Johnny Hodges in Chick Webb's ensemble. Following this he played with Elmer Snowden , then led his own groups between 1933 and 1941...

.

Whyte's entire discography was reissued to CD on a Jazz Oracle compilation, Richmond Rarities 1927-31.