Eddie South

Eddie South (Louisiana, Missouri, November 27, 1904 – April 25, 1962) was an American jazz violinist.

Biography

South was a classical violin prodigy who switched to jazz because of limited opportunities for African-American musicians, and started his career playing in vaudeville and jazz orchestras with Freddie Keppard, Jimmy Wade, Charles Elgar, and Erskine Tate in Chicago. He studied at the Chicago College of Music alongside violinist Petrowitsch Bissing.

He was influenced by Hungarian folk music and Roma music starting with a visit to Europe in the 1920s, and adapted the music to jazz. In 1927 he started his own group, Eddie South and his Alabamians, named after the Alabam club where they played in Chicago, and, along with pianist and composer Henry Crowder, toured with them in Europe from 1928 to 1930.

On subsequent visits to Europe in the 1930s, he performed and recorded with guitarist Django Reinhardt and violinists Stéphane Grappelli and Michel Warlop. He also played in the big bands of Earl Hines from 1947 to 1949. and Michel Warlop. He also led bands that included pianist Billy Taylor and bassist Milt Hinton.