Leon Brown "Chu" Berry (September 13, 1908 – October 30, 1941) was an American jazz saxophone player during the 1930s. He is best known for being part of singer Cab Calloway's big band.

According to music critic Gary Giddins, other musicians called him "Chu" because he either chewed on the mouthpiece of his saxophone or because he had a Fu Manchu mustache.

Early life

Berry was born in Wheeling, West Virginia, to his father, Brown Berry, and his mother, Maggie Glasgow Berry. He graduated from Lincoln High School in Wheeling and then attended West Virginia State College for three years. His sister, Ann, played the piano. Berry became interested in music when he was young, starting by playing the alto saxophone in local bands. He was inspired to begin playing the tenor saxophone after hearing Coleman Hawkins perform on tour.

Career

Berry worked with several swing bands during his career. He played with Sammy Stewart from 1929 to 1930, switching to the tenor saxophone. He later joined Benny Carter (1932–1933), Teddy Hill (1933–1935), Fletcher Henderson (1935–1937), and Cab Calloway, with whom he is most closely associated from 1937 to 1941. During his time with Calloway, Berry helped transform the band into a real jazz orchestra.

Berry was often asked to perform as a guest musician for other artists’ recording sessions. He worked with Spike Hughes (1933), Bessie Smith (1933), the Chocolate Dandies (1933), Mildred Bailey (1935–1938), Teddy Wilson (1935–1938), Billie Holiday (1938–1939), Wingy Manone (1938–1939), and Lionel Hampton (1939).

Between 1934 and 1939, while saxophone pioneer Coleman Hawkins was in Europe, Berry competed with other young tenor saxophonists, such as Budd Johnson, Ben Webster, and Lester Young, to be the best on their instrument. Berry’s skill with complex musical harmony influenced musicians like Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker. Parker named his first son Leon in Berry’s honor.

Berry participated in jam sessions at Minton’s Playhouse in New York City. These sessions helped create bebop, a new style of jazz.

Berry co-wrote the song “Christopher Columbus” with lyricist Andy Razaf. It was the last major hit by the Fletcher Henderson orchestra and was recorded in 1936. The song became a popular riff tune from the swing era and was later used in Jimmy Mundy’s arrangement of “Sing, Sing, Sing” for Benny Goodman’s band.

Berry led four recording sessions in 1937, 1938, and 1941.

Berry died on October 30, 1941, in Conneaut, Ohio, after a car accident.

The Chu Berry saxophone

Chu Berry is an unofficial name for a group of saxophones made by the C.G. Conn company in the 1920s. However, it is more correct to call them the Conn New Wonder Series II.

The company did not officially use the term "Chu Berry" for any of its saxophones. In fact, Chu Berry played a type of tenor saxophone known as the Conn Transitional model. There is no evidence that he ever played a New Wonder Series II saxophone.

Some saxophone owners use the term "Chu Berry" to describe any Conn saxophone made between 1910 and the mid-1930s. This includes soprano, alto, baritone, and C melody saxophones. However, none of these models were played by Chu Berry.

Discography

• "Now You're Talking My Language"/"Too Marvelous for Words" (Variety, 1937)
• "Indiana"/"Limehouse Blues" (Variety, 1937)
• "Sittin' in"/"Forty-six West Fifty-two" (Commodore, 1938)
• "Stardust"/"Body and Soul" (Commodore, 1938)
• "Blowing Up a Breeze"/"Monday at Minton's" (Commodore, 1941)
• "On the Sunny Sides of the Street"/"Gee, Ain't I Good To You" (Commodore, 1941)
• Chu Berry (Commodore, 1959)
• Sittin' In (Mainstream, 1965)

As sideman on compilations

• 1992 The Original American Decca Recordings, Count Basie
• 1995 The Complete RCA Victor Recordings, Dizzy Gillespie
• 2002 Quintessence: New York-Chicago 1924–1936, Fletcher Henderson
• 2003 Quintessence New York-Chicago: 1933–50, Teddy Wilson
• 2007 The Complete Lionel Hampton Victor Sessions 1937–1941, Lionel Hampton
• 2012 The Billie Holiday Collection: 1935–42, Billie Holiday