Roy “Little Jazz” Eldridge: A Above Double-C

Big thanks to trumpeter Roger Ingram (recordings) for posting this picture of Roy Eldridge (recordings) on FB. Fascinating insight into the embouchure of one of the giants of jazz, mentor and idol of Dizzy Gillespie. As Ingram points out, Eldridge could play an A above double-C (evidence in the Basie Band recording below these pics).

Here’s the album cover as it is. Notice that the picture is backwards, then check out the mouthpiece! Also note the pistol grip Eldridge uses.

I’ll correct the reverse image, then give you a closeup of his aperture.

Here it is the right way round:

And here’s as close as I could get without too much pixellation:

Notice the top-to-bottom lip ratio and everything else about it. Pretty cool glimpse into the technique of this grand master on the horn. Don’t know about Little Jazz? Listen to him scream the A above Double-C on the recording below. He starts screaming around 2:20.

Another big thanks to Roger Ingram for sharing this.