Chu Berry
Leon Brown "Chu" Berry (September 13, 1908 – October 30, 1941) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist during the 1930s. According to music critic Gary Giddins, musicians called him "Chu" either because he chewed on the mouthpiece of his saxophone or because he had a Fu Manchu mustache. |
Birth and Death Data: Born September 13, 1908 (Wheeling), Died October 30, 1941 (Conneaut)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1933 - 1939
Roles Represented in DAHR: tenor saxophone, saxophone, composer
Notes: Sometimes listed as Leon "Chu" Berry on Gramophone Company discs and as Leon Berry in Victor ledgers.
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor | BS-99725 | 10-in. | 2/28/1936 | Christopher Columbus | Don Darcy ; Louis King Garcia Swing Band | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
| Victor | BS-100015 | 10-in. | 2/29/1936 | Swing is here | Gene Krupa's Swing Band | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
| Victor | BS-100058 | 10-in. | 3/20/1936 | Christopher Columbus | Benny Goodman Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
| Victor | BS-100360 | 10-in. | 4/9/1936 | I'm a fool for loving you | Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, saxophone | |
| Victor | BS-100361 | 10-in. | 4/9/1936 | Moonrise on the lowlands | Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, saxophone | |
| Victor | BS-100362 | 10-in. | 4/9/1936 | I'll always be in love with you | Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, saxophone | |
| Victor | BS-100363 | 10-in. | 4/9/1936 | Jangled nerves | Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, saxophone | |
| Victor | BS-101190 | 10-in. | 4/8/1936 | Christopher Columbus | Fats Waller and his Rhythm | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
| Victor | BS-0233 | 10-in. | 8/21/1936 | William Tell | Tempo King ; Kings of Tempo ; Queenie Ada Rubin | Jazz/dance band, with piano solo and male vocal solo | composer | |
| Victor | PBS-09775 | 10-in. | 11/2/1937 | Queen Isabella | Ozzie Nelson Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
| Victor | BS-035394 | 10-in. | 4/3/1939 | It don't mean a thing (If it ain't got that swing) | Lionel Hampton Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | |
| Victor | BS-035703 | 10-in. | 4/5/1939 | Sweethearts on parade (A rolling rhythm) | Lionel Hampton Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, saxophone | |
| Victor | BS-035704 | 10-in. | 4/5/1939 | Shufflin' at the Hollywood | Lionel Hampton Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, saxophone | |
| Victor | BS-035705 | 10-in. | 4/5/1939 | Denison swing | Lionel Hampton Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, saxophone | |
| Victor | BS-035706 | 10-in. | 4/5/1939 | Wizzin' the wizz | Lionel Hampton Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, saxophone | |
| Victor | BS-036534 | 10-in. | 4/26/1939 | Downright disgusted blues | Wingy Manone Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, saxophone | |
| Victor | BS-036535 | 10-in. | 4/26/1939 | Corrine Corrini (Where've you been so long) | Wingy Manone Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, saxophone | |
| Victor | BS-036536 | 10-in. | 4/26/1939 | I'm a real kinda papa (Lookin' for a real kinda girl) | Wingy Manone Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, saxophone | |
| Victor | BS-036537 | 10-in. | 4/26/1939 | Jumpy nerves | Wingy Manone Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, saxophone | |
| Victor | BS-036538 | 10-in. | 4/26/1939 | Casey Jones (The brave engineer) | Wingy Manone Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, saxophone | |
| Victor | BS-036539 | 10-in. | 4/26/1939 | Boogie woogie | Wingy Manone Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, saxophone | |
| Victor | BS-037614 | 10-in. | 6/9/1939 | If it's good (Then I want it) | Lionel Hampton Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, saxophone | |
| Victor | BS-037615 | 10-in. | 6/9/1939 | Stand by! For further announcements (And more good news) | Lionel Hampton Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, saxophone | |
| Victor | BS-037616 | 10-in. | 6/9/1939 | Ain't cha comin' home | Lionel Hampton Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, saxophone | |
| Victor | BS-037617 | 10-in. | 6/9/1939 | Big wig in the wigwam | Lionel Hampton Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, saxophone | |
| Victor | BS-037729 | 10-in. | 6/19/1939 | Royal Garden blues | Wingy Manone Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, saxophone | |
| Victor | BS-037730 | 10-in. | 6/19/1939 | Beale Street blues | Wingy Manone Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, saxophone | |
| Victor | BS-037731 | 10-in. | 6/19/1939 | In the barrel | Wingy Manone Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and vocal ensemble | instrumentalist, saxophone | |
| Victor | BS-037732 | 10-in. | 6/19/1939 | Farewell blues | Wingy Manone Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, saxophone | |
| Victor | BS-037733 | 10-in. | 6/19/1939 | Fare thee, my baby, fare-thee-well | Wingy Manone Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, saxophone | |
| Victor | BS-037734 | 10-in. | 6/19/1939 | Limehouse blues | Wingy Manone Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, saxophone | |
| Victor | BS-041408 | 10-in. | 9/11/1939 | Hot mallets | Lionel Hampton Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | |
| Victor | BS-041971 | 10-in. | 9/6/1939 | Blue Lou | Wingy Manone Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | |
| Victor | BS-041972 | 10-in. | 9/6/1939 | Sudan | Wingy Manone Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | |
| Victor | BS-041973 | 10-in. | 9/6/1939 | How long blues | Wingy Manone Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal ensemble | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | |
| Victor | BS-041974 | 10-in. | 9/6/1939 | When the saints go marching in | Wingy Manone Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | |
| Victor | BS-041975 | 10-in. | 9/6/1939 | My honey's lovin' arms | Wingy Manone Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | |
| Victor | BS-041976 | 10-in. | 9/6/1939 | When my sugar walks down the street | Wingy Manone Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | |
| Columbia | W152577 | 10-in. | 11/24/1933 | Do your duty | Buck and his Band ; Bessie Smith | Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | |
| Columbia | W152578 | 10-in. | 11/24/1933 | Gimme a pigfoot | Buck and his Band ; Bessie Smith | Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | |
| Columbia | W152579 | 10-in. | 11/24/1933 | Take me for a buggy ride | Buck and his Band ; Bessie Smith | Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | |
| Columbia | W152580 | 10-in. | 11/24/1933 | I'm down in the dumps | Buck and his Band ; Bessie Smith | Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | |
| Columbia | 23992 | 10-in. | 1/20/1939 | That's all I ask of you | Billie Holiday | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | |
| Columbia | 23993 | 10-in. | 1/20/1939 | Dream of life | Billie Holiday | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | |
| Columbia | W265156 | 10-in. | 10/10/1933 | Blue interlude | Chocolate Dandies | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
| Columbia | W265157 | 10-in. | 10/3/1933 | I never knew-1 | Chocolate Dandies | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
| Columbia | W265158 | 10-in. | 10/10/1933 | Once upon a time-1 | Chocolate Dandies | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
| Columbia | W265159 | 10-in. | 10/3/1933 | Krazy kapers | Chocolate Dandies | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
| Brunswick | B18196 | 10-in. | 10/25/1935 | Twenty-four hours a day | Billie Holiday ; Teddy Wilson Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | |
| Brunswick | B18197 | 10-in. | 10/25/1935 | Yankee Doodle never went to town | Billie Holiday ; Teddy Wilson Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | |
| Brunswick | B18199 | 10-in. | 10/25/1935 | Eeny meeny miney mo | Billie Holiday ; Teddy Wilson Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | |
| Brunswick | B18209 | 10-in. | 10/31/1935 | If you were mine | Billie Holiday ; Teddy Wilson Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | |
| Brunswick | B23760 | 10-in. | 11/28/1938 | You're so desirable | Billie Holiday ; Teddy Wilson Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | |
| Brunswick | B23761 | 10-in. | 11/28/1938 | You're gonna see a lot of me | Billie Holiday ; Teddy Wilson Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | |
| Brunswick | B23762 | 10-in. | 11/28/1938 | Hello, my darling | Billie Holiday ; Teddy Wilson Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | |
| Brunswick | B23763 | 10-in. | 11/28/1938 | Let's dream in the moonlight | Billie Holiday ; Teddy Wilson Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | |
| Decca | 64979 | 10-in. | 2/3/1939 | Cherokee, part 1 | Count Basie Orchestra | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
| Decca | 64980 | 10-in. | 2/3/1939 | Cherokee, part 2 | Count Basie Orchestra | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
| Decca | 64981 | 10-in. | 2/3/1939 | Blame it on my last affair | Count Basie Orchestra | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
| Decca | 64983 | 10-in. | 2/4/1939 | Thursday-1 | Count Basie Orchestra | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
| Decca | 64984 | 10-in. | 2/4/1939 | Evil blues-1 | Count Basie Orchestra | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
| Decca | 64985 | 10-in. | 2/4/1939 | Oh, Lady be good-1 | Count Basie Orchestra | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
| Decca | 65420 | 10-in. | 4/18/1939 | New low down dirty sham | Ollie Shepard and his Kentucky Boys | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
| Decca | 65421 | 10-in. | 4/18/1939 | The numbers blues | Ollie Shepard and his Kentucky Boys | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
| Decca | 65422 | 10-in. | 4/18/1939 | Sweetest thing born | Ollie Shepard and his Kentucky Boys | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
| Decca | 65423 | 10-in. | 4/18/1939 | Shepard blues (Pig Latin blues) | Ollie Shepard | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
| Decca | 65424 | 10-in. | 4/18/1939 | Outdoors blues-1 | Ollie Shepard | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
| Decca | 65425 | 10-in. | 4/18/1939 | Sugar woman blues | Ollie Shepard and his Kentucky Boys | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
| Decca | 65426 | 10-in. | 4/18/1939 | Hell is so low down | Ollie Shepard and his Kentucky Boys | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
| Decca | 65427 | 10-in. | 4/18/1939 | My dripping blood blues | Ollie Shepard and his Kentucky Boys | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
| Decca | 65428 | 10-in. | 4/18/1939 | Blues 'bout my gal | Ollie Shepard and his Kentucky Boys | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
| Decca | 65433 | 10-in. | 4/20/1939 | Scat skunk | Blue Lu Barker | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
| Decca | 65434 | 10-in. | 4/20/1939 | Nix on those lush heads | Blue Lu Barker | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
| Decca | 65435 | 10-in. | 4/20/1939 | Buy me some juice | Blue Lu Barker | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
| Decca | 65436 | 10-in. | 4/20/1939 | Georgia grind | Blue Lu Barker | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
| Decca | 90601 | 10-in. | 2/5/1936 | Blue skies | Roy Eldridge | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
| Decca | 90602 | 10-in. | 2/5/1936 | Smut | Roy Eldridge | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
| Decca | 90603 | 10-in. | 2/5/1936 | My melancholy baby | Roy Eldridge | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
| Decca | 90604 | 10-in. | 2/5/1936 | Christopher Columbus | Roy Eldridge | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
| Decca | 90967 | 10-in. | 10/27/1936 | Love me or leave me alone | Lil Armstrong and her Swing Band | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
| Decca | 90968 | 10-in. | 10/27/1936 | My hi-de-ho man | Lil Armstrong and her Swing Band | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
| Decca | 90969 | 10-in. | 10/27/1936 | Brown gal | Lil Armstrong and her Swing Band | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
| Decca | 90970 | 10-in. | 10/27/1936 | Doin' the Suzie-Q | Lil Armstrong and her Swing Band | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
| Decca | 90971 | 10-in. | 10/27/1936 | Just for a thrill | Lil Armstrong and her Swing Band | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
| Decca | 90972 | 10-in. | 10/27/1936 | It's murder | Lil Armstrong and her Swing Band | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Berry, Chu," accessed November 22, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/103961.
Berry, Chu. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 22, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/103961.
"Berry, Chu." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 22 November 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Leon “Chu” Berry
Discogs: Chu Berry
Allmusic: Chu Berry
Grove: Chu Berry
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Berry, Chu - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n82164704
Wikidata: Leon “Chu” Berry - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1089014
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/100245994
MusicBrainz: Leon “Chu” Berry - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/bf4b276e-b71c-43d3-a943-1067706b7765
Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license
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