Memories of Roy Eldridge: From his Biographer, but We Remember Too
Trailblazer is an appropriate term when describing Roy Eldridge. I was lucky enough to hear him at Jimmy Ryans and was even invited to his 66th surprise birthday party in a place called Little Richards in Port Chester, N.Y. When I bumped into him a few weeks later in the City he immediately recognized this 16 year old and we chatted for awhile. John Chilton recalls much of the “Little Jazz” persona in this interview.
One of my favorites is the alternate take of “Wabash Stomp” which I heard for the first time on a WKCR Eldridge festival back in the mid-1970s. The master take is heard in this YouTube clip.
-Scott Wenzel
More posts on Roy Eldridge here on the Gazette throughout the day, to celebrate his birthday!
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