Roy Eldridge is an important historical figure in Jazz. A trumpeter, Roy was known for his high notes on the horn and was a direct influence on Dizzy Gillespie. But Roy is more than high notes. A pre-war star during the swing period in the 30s, Roy went on to thrive in the post-war period in the 40s and 50s. Not too many were able to do that. Additionally, Roy Eldridge was the “Jackie Robinson” of Jazz.
Beloved and recognized by multiple generations of Jazz aficionados and musicians, Roy is a major figure in the development of Jazz and American popular music. However in the 21st century, his name may not carry the same recognition as Count Basie. Let us not forget this important man…..
Greetings and salutations, welcome to my weekly jazz blogging here on Daily Kos. I do my best to publish a diary about jazz and popular music every Sunday evening around 10pm EST. And I missed last week….oops. I won’t miss any weeks for the 5 or 6 for sure and I even have my February/Black History Month topics picked out (save one).
David “Roy” Eldridge was born on January 30, 1911 in Pittsburg and died February 26, 1989 in New York. He was a bit of a prodigy and it is said he began his professional career on New Year’s Eve, 1917, playing drums in his brother’s band. It was his brother that got him his first trumpet and Roy dedicated himself to practicing hitting all the notes in the high register of the trumpet. By 1928 or 29, he was playing in Midwestern bands and then moved to NYC in 1930. Eventually Roy began to play in the band of Teddy Hill and did performances at the Savoy Ballroom.
(note: Teddy Hill is an interesting figure and it is notable that he comes into the narrative. He doesn’t stay a band leader long and in 1940, Teddy Hill becomes the manager at the legendary “Milton’s Playhouse” which has become known for its early 1940s jam sessions featuring the likes of Dizzy, Charlie Parker, Monk and the origins of Be-Bop.)
During this time, Roy acquires the nickname, “Little Jazz.” In 1935 records a few tracks with a singer.
In 1936, Roy joins the band of Fletcher Henderson as lead trumpet and occasional singer.
Shoe shine boy
sing sing sing
And in the same year, Roy forms his own band which records in 1937.
Wabash Stomp
Where the Lazy River Goes By
Stardust
Twilight time
It’s an 8 piece band at first, expanded to a 10 piece in 1938 with extended engagements in NYC.
Race and Jazz converge in many ways and Jazz tells us much about race and racism in the United Sates. With a few exceptions such as Billie Holiday appearing with Benny Goodman, the musicians were as segregated from each other as the rest of society was. Most folks who know the history of Jazz are often quite aware of how Benny Goodman broke with the segregation and put Lionel Hampton and Teddy Wilson in his group. Many folks are aware of how Dave Brubeck integrated his band in the US Army during WWII, making it the first interracial band in the Army. There are “issues” with Goodman and Brubeck in how the achieved fame where many other black musicians did not, but Goodman and Brubeck were aware and pushed back against some of the notions that they, as opposed to Duke Ellington and others, were the leaders of Jazz. Goodman and Brubeck may be flawed to 21st century eyes, but they did quite a bit towards integration in their own time-period. (I could be critical of a few other white musicians from 30s and 40s, but I’ll save that for another time)
In 1941, Roy joins the band of Gene Kupra. Kupra—for those unaware—was the drummer in Benny Goodman’s group for many years and I would go so far as to call him our first “rock star” with regard to how much the public responded to him. However, this makes Gene Kupra one of the first white band leaders to feature a black musician in his orchestra and it makes Roy Eldridge one of the first black musicians to join an integrated band.
The tunes “Green Eyes” (above) and the following one, “Rocking Chair”, are hits and turn Roy into a celebrity.
This band also featured the great Anita O’Day on vocals. Since Roy sang as well, they do duets.
I’ve read that Roy felt O’Day would upstage him and this caused tension in the band. But in 1943, Kupra is busted for marijuana possession and the band breaks up. In 1944, Eldridge joins Artie Shaw’s band, but frequently is faced with racism. There is a quote I ran across that suggested that Roy would be treated like a star at a gig, and then couldn’t get off the bus to eat at a dinner with the rest of the band. Roy did not stay in Shaw’s band long. It wasn’t Shaw’s doing, Roy quit the group.
1945 Artie Shaw w/Roy “Gershwin medley”
1946 “Little Jazz”
Here he is in 1949 with Gene Kupra again doing their other big hit, “After You’ve Gone”
Roy moves to Paris in 1950, but back to NYC in 1951 where he headlined an engagement at Birdland.
Dutch TV. 1951 “Just a Blues”
And here is Roy in the studio in 1951
Une Petite Laitue
By this point in Jazz history, Roy is a big name. He is also cited by Dizzy as a major influence. Roy really becomes an elder statesman of Jazz. This status is only enhanced by his association with Norman Grantz. Grantz was a promoter and producer who led a series of concert called “Jazz at the Philharmonic”. These concerts featured some huge names--Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson, Coleman Hawkins, and Buddy Rich— including Roy. Roy participated in these concerts from 1952-early 1960s.
Here is Roy engaging in a trumpet battle
Roy also records in a quartet with another legend, Art Tatum. 1954
In 1956, Gene Kupra reunites his group and Roy records with him again.
Here’s a Jazz at the Philharmonic cut from 1957
Willow weep for me
Roy, like many musicians, was self-taught. And like many self-taught performers, Roy could not read music. The value of being able to read music has shifted considerably over time, or rather….how reading music is valued has shifted. If I wrote it was important to be able to do, I’ld expect a few comments telling me about how it isn’t. Folks valued reading music more so prior to the British Invasion and the creative outpouring of rock and roll. But in the 40s and 50s, it mattered. It mattered for work. Some big bands, like Count Basie’s, could get away with folks not reading the charts. But most large groups needed written arrangements and the musicians in them needed to be able to read that music. This would limit Roy’s employment opportunities in some ways, but was irrelevant in others.
There are no recordings of Roy with the Duke Ellington Orchestra. I suspect this is because Roy could not read the music Duke might write. But Roy recorded with Duke and Johnny Hodges in 1958.
“Stompy Joe”
Of course reading music is important if one wants to be a high level musician. It provides insights and helps with analysis. Clearly it opens up a world of music to be played from the paper. It isn’t necessary to play well and it is absolutely unnecessary to have a hit song. A few stellar talents can play high level music with no clue as to how to read--Roy, Wes Montgomery—but these are the exceptions, not the rule.
Here’s a 1958 Jam session shown on television
w/Coleman Hawkins and Cozey Cole “Jazz after hours—TV show” Can you spot “January Jones”?
More 1958 tv “I cant get started”
Roy also began recording several “Trumpet Battles” where trumpeters would compete in their solos and try to out-do each other. It is said Roy tended to want to promote Dizzy and would often hold back a little in order for Dizzy to come out the winner.
Here’s one from 58.
Roy is going strong in 59. He records with Ben Webster.
In a Mellow Tone
And here he is on CBS TV participating in a Jam session
In the 60s, Roy tours extensively with Ella Fitzgerald and with Count Basie.
1964 Perdido
There are some amazing clips of him with Count Basie in the early 1970s, but embedding is disabled on the Youtubes for them.
Wikipedia—
Eldridge became the leader of the house band at Jimmy Ryan's jazz club on Manhattan's West 54th Street for several years, beginning in 1969. Although Ryan's was primarily a Dixieland venue, Eldridge tried to combine the traditional Dixieland style with his own more brash and speedy playing. Eldridge was incapacitated by a stroke in 1970, but continued to lead the group at Ryan's soon after and performing occasionally as a singer, drummer, and pianist.
In 1971, Roy Eldridge was voted in to Down Beat magazine’s Hall of Fame. He also continued to play with Basie and record on his own.
1974 Sonny Side of the Street, from the album “Happy Time” with Oscar Peterson, Piano; Joe Pass, Guitar; Ray Brown, Bass; and Eddie Locke, Drums.
Roy suffered a heart attack in 1980 and quit playing. He died in 1988. His influence is still felt today. In his day, Dizzy even called him the messiah. Roy’s influence on Dizzy, Howard McGee, Fats Navarro and the Be-Bop and Hard musicians in general was profound.
I’ll always be with you--1936
Thanks for listening everyone. Please don’t forget to support your local jazz musicians and all local live music. Rock on with your bad selves.