Chu Berry
| Chu Berry | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Leon Brown Berry |
| Born | September 13, 1908 |
| Origin | Wheeling, West Virginia, United States |
| Died | October 30, 1941 (aged 33) |
| Genres | Swing music |
| Instruments | Tenor saxophone |
| Associated acts | Fletcher Henderson, Cab Calloway |
Leon Brown "Chu" Berry (September 13, 1908, – October 30, 1941) was an American swing tenor saxophonist.
Dan Morgenstern, director of the Institute of Jazz Studies at Rutgers University, commented that, "Considering the brevity of Chu's life, and that his recording career spans a mere decade, it is remarkable that his name continues to loom large in the annals of jazz. Had he lived, there is no doubt that he would be ensconced in the jazz pantheon alongside Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young. He was that good."
Berry was born in Wheeling, West Virginia. He graduated from Lincoln High School, in Wheeling, then attended West Virginia State College, near Charleston, for three years. His sister Ann played piano and Chu became interested in music at an early age, playing alto saxophone, at first with local bands. He was inspired to take up the tenor sax after hearing Coleman Hawkins on tour. Although Berry based his style on Hawkins' playing, Hawkins regarded Berry as his equal, saying "'Chu' was about the best."
"Berry got his much-misspelled moniker (Choo, Chew) from musicians, because he chewed on his mouthpiece or had Fu Manchu facial hair or both", stated jazz historian Gary Giddins.
Most of Berry's career was spent in the sax sections of major swing bands:
"Although it has been stated in some publications that Chu Berry joined Count Basie's orchestra, this is erroneous. He did not take the place of Herschel Evans, but did, however, deputize for him at a recording date".
Throughout his brief career, Berry was in demand as a sideman for recording sessions under the names of various other jazz artists, including Spike Hughes (1933), Bessie Smith (1933), the Chocolate Dandies (1933), Mildred Bailey (1935–1938), Teddy Wilson (1935–1938), Billie Holiday (1938–1939), Wingy Manone (1938–1939) and Lionel Hampton (1939).
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