Leon "Chu" Berry
Credited as Chu Berry · Born Leon Brown Berry
Leon "Chu" Berry (born September 13, 1908, Wheeling, West Virginia, USA - died October 30, 1941, Conneaut, Ohio, USA) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist from the swing era.
Throughout his brief career, Berry was in demand as a sideman for recording sessions under the names of various other jazz artists, including 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).
During the period 1934–1939, while saxophone pioneer Hawkins was playing in Europe, Berry was one of several younger tenor saxophonists, such as Budd Johnson, Ben Webste…
