Eddie Shu | |
---|---|
Birth name | Edward Shulman |
Born |
New York City |
March 18, 1918
Died | July 4, 1986 St. Petersburg, Florida |
(aged 68)
Genres | Jazz |
Occupation(s) | Jazz musician |
Instruments | Tenor sax, alto sax, clarinet, trumpet, harmonica |
Years active | 1940s–death |
Associated acts | Cappy Barra Harmonica Band, Gene Krupa, Louis Armstrong, Lionel Hampton |
Eddie Shu (né Edward Shulman; 18 March 1918New York City — 4 July 1986 St. Petersburg, Florida, though he lived in Tampa) was an American swing and jazz multi-instrumentalist with high proficiency on tenor and alto saxophone, clarinet, trumpet, harmonica, and accordion. He also was a popular comedic ventriloquist. He is more known for his tenor playing, but he maintained, performed and recorded using his other talents throughout his jazz career.
Shu learned violin and guitar as a child before picking up saxophone as a teenager. His professional career began in 1935 in Brooklyn. For the seven years leading up to his service in the United States Army, Shu performed in vaudeville and night clubs as a ventriloquist and a harmonica player with the Cappy Barra Harmonica Band.
United States Armed Forces during World War II
Shu played in bands while serving in the Army from 1942 to 1945. Notably, he performed with Maurice Evans in the Pacific. Shu had enlisted in the Army with Stan Harper and they were assigned a special unit put together to entertain the troops.
Post-World War II, 1940s & 1950s
Following Shu's discharge from the Army, he performed with Tadd Dameron (1947), George Shearing, Johnny Bothwell, Buddy Rich, Les Elgart, Lionel Hampton (1949–1950), Charlie Barnet, Chubby Jackson, and Gene Krupa (1954–1958).