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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZSOUTH, Eddie(b 27 November 1904, Louisiana MO; d 25 April 1962, Chicago IL) Jazz violinist. To Chicago as a baby; a child prodigy on the violin, later coached in jazz by Darnell Howard, who played violin as well as reeds (see Kid Ory). South spent most of his life in Chicago, except for tours of Europe '28-30 (with his own group, the Alabamians, recorded two sides for HMV in Paris; studied music in Budapest), '37-8 (recorded with Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli '37, quintet with Tommy Benford '38), also work on West Coast '32, later occasional residencies in NYC, Hollywood, etc. Led small groups, usually a quartet, sometimes a big band '40s-50s, on Chicago radio '40s, TV '50s. He was billed as 'the Dark Angel of the Violin', never played an amplified instrument. European tracks reissued on Swing label '85; other records for Victor '27-33 in Chicago, Columbia and OKeh '40-1 in NYC; later album The Distinguished Violin Of Eddie South on Mercury. He was highly rated by fans, but playing the violin in jazz and staying in Chicago he remained relatively obscure. |