• Birth Name: David Roy Eldridge
• Genre: Jazz
• Active: '30s - '80s
• Instrument: Trumpet

Biography

One of the most exciting trumpeters to emerge during the swing era, Roy Eldridge's combative approach, chancetaking style and strong musicianship were an inspiration (and an influence) to the next musical generation, most notably Dizzy Gillespie. Although he sometimes pushed himself farther than he could go, Eldridge never played a dull solo!

Roy Eldridge started out playing trumpet and drums in carnival and circus bands. With the Nighthawk Syncopators he received a bit of attention by playing a note-for-note recreation of Coleman Hawkins' tenor solo on "The Stampede." Inspired by the dynamic playing of Jabbo Smith (Eldridge would not discover Louis Armstrong for a few years), Roy played with some territory bands including Zack Whyte and Speed Webb and in New York (where he arrive in 1931) he worked with Elmer Snowden (who nicknamed him "Little Jazz"), McKinney's Cotton Pickers and most importantly Teddy Hill (1935). Eldridge's recorded solos with Hill, backing Billie Holiday and with Fletcher Henderson (including his 1936 hit "Christopher Columbus") gained a great deal of attention. In 1937 he appeared with his octet (which included brother Joe on alto) at the Three Deuces Club in Chicago and recorded some outstanding selections as a leader including "Heckler's Hop" and "Wabash Stomp." By 1939 Roy had a larger group playing at the Arcadia Ballroom in New York. With the decline of Bunny Berigan and the increasing predictability of Louis Armstrong, Eldridge was arguably the top trumepter in jazz during this era.

During 1941-42 Eldridge sparked Gene Krupa's Orchestra, recording classic versions of "Rockin' Chair" and "After You've Gone" and interacting with Anita O'Day on "Let Me Off Uptown." The difficulties of travelling with a White band during a racist period hurt him as did some of the incidents that occurred during his stay with Artie Shaw (1944-45) but the music during both stints was quite memorable. Eldridge can be seen in several "soundies" (short promotional film devoted to single songs) of this era by the Krupa band, often in association with O'Day, including "Let Me Off Uptown" and "Thanks for the Boogie Ride." He is also very prominent in the band's appearance in Howard Hawks' Ball of Fire, in an extended performance of "Drum Boogie" mimed by Barbara Stanwyck, taking a long trumpet solo -- the clip was filmed soon after Eldridge joined the band in late April of 1941, and "Drum Boogie" was a song that Eldridge co-wrote with Krupa.

Eldridge had a short-lived big band of his own, toured with Jazz at the Philharmonic and then had a bit of an identity crisis when he realized that his playing was not as modern as the beboppers. A successful stay in France during 1950-51 restored his confidence when he realized that being original was more important than being up-to-date. Eldridge recorded steadily for Norman Granz in the 1950s, was one of the stars of JATP (where he battled Charlie Shavers and Dizzy Gillespie) and by 1956 was often teamed with Coleman Hawkins in a quintet; their 1957 appearance at Newport was quite memorable. The 1960s were tougher as recording opportunities and work became rarer. Eldridge had brief and unhappy stints with Count Basie's Orchestra and Ella Fitzgerald (feeling unnecessary in both contexts) but was leading his own group by the end of the decade. He spent much of the 1970s playing regularly at Ryan's and recording for Pablo and, although his range had shrunk a bit, Eldridge's competitive spirit was still very much intact. Only a serious stroke in 1980 was able to halt his horn. Roy Eldridge recorded throughout his career for virtually every label. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

Little Jazz Giant Buy this CD	1951 Buy this CD	Decidedly Buy this CD	1950-1951 Buy this CD	The Amazing Trumpet of Little Jazz: 1936-1946 Buy this CD
1945-1947 Buy this CD	1935-1940 Buy this CD	Little Jazz [Jazz Archive] Buy this CD	Essential Keynote Collection, Vol. 4: Roy Eldridge & the Swing Trumpets Buy this CD	Montreux 1977 Buy this CD

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jazz musician; trumpet player

Personal Information

Born David Roy Eldridge on January 30, 1911, in Pittsburgh, PA; son of Alexander and Blanche (Oakes) Eldridge; died on February 26, 1989, in Valley Stream, NY; married Viola Lee Fong, 1936 (died, 1989); children: Carole Elizabeth Eldridge.

Career

Jazz trumpeter, 1927-80; recording artist, 1936-80; albums: After You've Gone, 1936; Live at the Three Deuces, 1937; Little Jazz, 1950; Roy and Diz, 1954; Swingin' On the Town, 1960; Nifty Cat, 1970; Roy Eldridge and His Little Jazz, Volumes 1 and 2, 1998; wrote music column for Paris Post (France), 1950-51.

Life's Work

During his active career as a jazz musician, trumpeter Roy Eldridge was often overlooked in favor of his contemporaries Dizzy Gillespie and Louis Armstrong, who cultivated more flamboyant public personas. Even Eldridge's nickname, "Little Jazz," seemed to highlight his more modest reputation in jazz circles. Yet the very length and versatility of his career demonstrated Eldridge's talent and drive to make great music. First coming to prominence in the late 1920s and early 1930s as the leader of his own band, Eldridge's early career also saw him working with Gene Krupa and Artie Shaw. After a brief, self-imposed exile in Europe in the early 1950s, Eldridge returned to the United States and worked with some of the biggest names in jazz, including Ella Fitzgerald, Coleman Hawkins, and the Count Basie Orchestra. Through the 1970s his recorded output remained impressive, and Eldridge took up residence at Jimmy Ryan's, a jazz club in New York City. After suffering a heart attack in 1980, Eldridge was forced to cut back on his performing schedule at the very time that his reputation as a legendary jazz musician was growing. In 1982, seven years before his death, Eldridge was named an American Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Born to Alexander and Blanche (Oakes) Eldridge in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on January 30, 1911, David Roy Eldridge showed an interest in music from an early age. His older brother, Joe, played the alto saxophone and violin, while Eldridge himself was first attracted to the drums. Before he was ten years old, he picked up the bugle and then the trumpet, which became his primary instrument. He also played the piano and flugelhorn. Able to pick up almost any tune and play it back by ear, the 16-year-old Eldridge was good enough on the trumpet to earn a spot with the touring carnival band the Nighthawk Syncopators after an impromptu audition. While he was still in his teens, Eldridge formed the first of several bands, Roy Elliott and His Palais Royal Orchestra. Prior to 1930 he also played brief stints with Horace Henderson's Dixie Stompers and other bands led by Zach White and drummer Laurence "Speed" Webb.

Relocating to New York City in 1930, Eldridge continued to play in a number of bands. Clarinetist Cecil Scott, pianist Charile Johnson, saxophonist Teddie Hill, and banjo and guitar player Elmer Snowden were just a few of the band leaders Eldridge worked with during his stay in the city. While he was in New York, Eldridge earned a regular spot with a band led by composer and arranger Fletcher Henderson. He also earned the nickname "Little Jazz," a reference to his relatively short stature of five-foot, three inches tall. According to various sources, the name was given to him either by Otto "Toby" Hardwicke, a saxophonist with the Duke Ellington Orchestra, or by Earl Snowden. The nickname was not an indication, however, of Eldridge's stature within the jazz community. Indeed, during his time in New York, Eldridge became renowned for engaging in "cutting" contests with other musicians in late-night musical duels to see who was the superior performer.

Eldridge married Viola Lee Fong in 1936, and the couple had one daughter, Carole Elizabeth. The couple's 53-year marriage lasted until Viola's death in early 1989. The couple took up residence in Chicago as newlyweds and stayed there for the next two years while Eldridge played at the Three Deuces Club. Eldridge's band made live broadcasts from the club every night, making him one of the best-known jazz band leaders in the Midwest. Eldridge also began his recording career around this time, and several of his live, Three Deuces performances from 1937 were later reissued by the Jazz Archives label. During his career Eldridge would release more than fifty albums of live performances, studio sessions, and compilations of his work.

Eldridge later reminisced that his days as a bandleader in residence at the Three Deuces were some of the best of his career. In 1938 he left Chicago and returned to New York City, where he played at some of the city's most fashionable clubs, including the Famous Door, the Arcadia Ballroom, and the Savoy Ballroom. Around this time, Eldridge considered leaving his career in music for something more stable, and pursued an education in radio engineering before deciding to resume his musical career. After a brief return to Chicago in 1941, Eldridge joined the band led by drummer Gene Krupa, where he often accompanied singer Anita O'Day. Although the pair were electrifying on stage, the two performers never got along, and Eldridge ended his stint with the band after a year.

Eldridge joined clarinetist Artie Shaw's band in 1944 and remained there until a nervous breakdown forced his departure in 1945. As one of the few African-American musicians in the big bands of the era, Eldridge was traumatized by the racist treatment he encountered on the road. During one tour with Shaw, Eldridge was barred from entering through the front door of the San Francisco concert hall where he was scheduled to perform. The experience upset him so much that he was unable to play the trumpet that night. Eldridge was routinely exposed to this kind of treatment, which caused him to remark to a Down Beat interviewer (later reprinted in his New York Times obituary), "One thing you can be sure of. As long as I'm in America, I'll never in my life work with a white band again."

With the rise of bebop jazz in the mid-1940s, Eldridge began to be viewed by some younger musicians as old-fashioned, although he worked with some of the best-known big bands of the day. Leaving for Europe in 1950, Eldridge settled in Paris, where he wrote a music column for the Paris Post and continued to play in various bands across the continent. Revived by the experience, Eldridge returned to the United States in 1951 and joined Norman Granz's acclaimed Jazz at the Philharmonic group, which toured across the country playing jazz in a concert-like setting. His recorded output in the 1950s was prolific and included the 1950 release Roy Eldridge in Paris for the Vogue label, Roy's Got Rhythm, for EmArcy in 1951, Roy and Diz for Verve in 1954, and That Warm Feeling for Verve in 1957.

In the 1960s Eldridge played with his own quintet and joined Ella Fitzgerald and Count Basie for tours. His notable albums from the period included Swingin' on the Town (1960), Comin' Home Baby (1965), and Nifty Cat (1970). In 1969 Eldridge started to play at Jimmy Ryan's, a New York City Dixieland jazz club, and occasionally played in Chicago as well. A 1980 heart attack stopped Eldridge from playing the trumpet in public, but he continued to appear as a singer, drummer, and pianist through the 1980s. In early 1989 Eldridge's wife, Viola, died; Eldridge followed her just weeks later, on February 26, 1989. Having been named an American Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts in 1982, Eldridge was mourned as a legend of the jazz world. His New York Times obituary quoted Ella Fitzgerald on Eldridge's talent: "God gives it to some and not others. He's got more soul in one note than a lot of people could get into the whole song."

Awards

Named American Jazz Master, National Endowment for the Arts, 1982.

Works

Selected discography

• After You've Gone, Decca Jazz, 1936; reissued, 1991.
• Live at the Three Deuces, Jazz Archives, 1937; reissued, 1975.
• Roy Eldridge in Paris, Vogue, 1950.
• Roy's Got Rhythm, EmArcy, 1951.
• Dale's Wail, Verve, 1952.
• The Roy Eldridge Quintet, Clef, 1953.
• Battle of Jazz, Volume 7, Brunswick, 1953.
• Roy and Diz, Verve, 1954.
• That Warm Feeling, Verve, 1957.
• Little Jazz Live in 1957, Jazz Band, 1957.
• Swingin' on the Town, Verve, 1960.
• Comin' Home Baby, Pumpkin, 1965.
• Nifty Cat, New World, 1970; reissued, 1986.
• Happy Time, Original Jazz, 1975.
• Roy Eldridge Four, Pablo, 1978.
• The Big Sound of Little Jazz, Topaz, 1995.
• Roy Eldridge and His Little Jazz, Volume 1, BMG, 1998.
• Roy Eldridge and His Little Jazz, Volume 2, BMG, 1998.

Further Reading

Books

• Carr, Ian, et al, editors, Jazz: The Rough Guide, The Rough Guides, 1995.

Periodicals

• New York Times, February 28, 1989, p. B7.

On-line

• All Music Guide, http://www.allmusic.com/ (September 14, 2002).
• BBC Radio 3, http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/jazz/jazzprofiles/ (September 14, 2002).
• International Association of Jazz Education, http://www.iaje.org/ (September 14, 2002).

— Timothy Borden

For more information on David Roy Eldridge, visit Britannica.com.

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