Eddie Shu

American swing jazz saxophonist, born August 18, 1918 in New York City, died July 4, 1986, Tampa, Florida. Shu learned violin and guitar as a child before picking up saxophone as a teenager. His first professional gigs were as a ventriloquist/harmonica player. He played in bands while serving in the Army from 1942 to 1945, and following his discharge he played 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). In the 1960s Shu moved to Florida, playing locally as well as with Louis Armstrong's All-Stars, Hampton, and Krupa again. Though he only did a few sessions as a leader (1949, 1954, 1955), he recorded frequently with Krupa.