Leon "Chu" Berry

Leon "Chu" Berry (September 13, 1908 – October 30, 1941) was an American swing tenor saxophonist.

Born in Wheeling, West Virginia, he is perhaps best known for his tenor saxophone work with Cab Calloway's Cotton Club Orchestra. Prior to joining Calloway's orchestra, Berry worked with Sammy Stewart, Benny Carter, Teddy Hill, and Fletcher Henderson. Though Berry based his style on that followed by Coleman Hawkins, the older man regarded Berry as his equal.

His composition "Christopher Columbus" was the last important hit recording of the Fletcher Henderson orchestra, recorded in 1936. It is one of the most popular riff tunes from the swing era and used as the final showstopper in Benny Goodman's first Carnegie Hall Jazz concert dating from 1938.Berry also played for a while in the Count Basie Big band. His most impressing recording with that band is "Oh, Lady Be Good".

Berry died in Conneaut, Ohio from injuries sustained from an automobile accident.

"Chu Berry" is also the unofficial name of a series of saxophones produced by the C.G. Conn company during the 1920s. Berry played a tenor model that was built during this era, though saxophone collectors often use "Chu Berry" in reference to alto, soprano, and baritone models of the same vintage. Fact|date:August 2008|date=August 2008

External links

* [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=9105 "Chu" Berry's Gravesite]
* [http://wheeling.weirton.lib.wv.us/people/hallfame/1998berr.htm "Wheeling Hall of Fame" (Appraisal by Wheeling, WV library)]

References

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