Eddie Mallory

Eddie Mallory (ca 1905—March 20, 1961) was an American jazz trumpet player, saxophonist, and arranger.

Active from the mid-1920s to the late 1940s, Mallory played and recorded with Tiny Parham, Benny Carter, Glyn Paque, and Irving Mills, among others. He was married to a singer Ethel Waters and also led a backup band for her.

Eddie Mallory was born in Chicago, Illinois, around 1905.

He began his professional career in the mid-1920s with Marion Hardy's jazz band The Alabamians with trumpeter Amos White. In June 1927, he made a few recordings ("Hollywood Shuffle", "Good Stuff", "Smoked Meat Blues") with Richard M. Jones's band Jazz Wizards alongside saxophonist Warner Seals, clarinetist Artie Starks, trombonist Henry "Hi" Clark, and banjo player Ikey Robinson.

In 1931, Mallory joined Canadian-born pianist Tiny Parham's Chicago jazz band and played at many venues in the city. Two years later, he moved to New York and worked with Benny Carter and Irving Mills' The Mills Blue Rhythm Band.

In 1933, he played alto saxophone on Benny Carter's album 1933, sharing the stage with Glyn Paque, Howard Johnson, Wayman Carver (alto Saxophone); Ernest Hill (bass); Mezz Mezzrow and Sid Catlett (drums); Lawrence Lucie (guitar); Nicholas Rodriguez, Teddy Wilson (piano); Johnny Russell, and Leon "Chu" Berry (tenor saxophone); Floyd O'Brien, Fred Robinson George Washington, J. C. Higginbotham, Keg Johnson, and Wilbur De Paris (trombone); and Bill Dillard, Leonard Davis, Max Kaminsky, Dick Clark, and Shad Collins (trumpet). He also played on 4 titles ("Devil's Holiday", "Lonesome Nights", "Symphony In Riffs", and "Blue Lou") of Carter's compilation album 1933-1936.

With Mills' band, Mallory played his trumpet on "Kokey Joe" and "Break It Down" (Victor Records, 1934) with Crawford Wethington (alto saxophone, baritone saxophone); Benny James (banjo, guitar); Gene Mikell and Joe Garland (clarinet, saxophone); O'Neil Spencer (drums); Edgar Hayes (piano); George Washington and Henry Hicks (trombone); Ed Anderson, Shelton Hemphill, and Wardell Jones (trumpet); and Hayes Alvis (bass). He also conducted Mill's band at New York City's famous jazz venue The Cotton Club on 142nd Street and Lenox Avenue.

In 1934, he was with Charlie Turner's Arcadians.

In 1938, Mallory married singer Ethel Waters and formed his group "Ed Mallory And His Orchestra" to serve as the backup band for Waters. He made several recordings with Waters, notably "You're Mine", "Jeepers Creepers", "Y' Had it Comin' to You", and "Down in my soul". One of the songs he recorded in August 1939 with Waters was Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell's famous hit "Georgia on My Mind". He was accompanied by Leonard W. Joy (session supervisor), clarinetist Castor McCord, bassist Milt Hinton, trombonist Tyree Glenn, saxophonist Billie Carton, guitarist Danny Barker, and pianist Reginald Beane.

In the 1940s, Mallory led his own groups, one of which was sponsored by boxer Joe Louis in 1946. In his career, he also played with Alix Combelle, Henry "Red" Allen, Cab Calloway, and Spike Hughes.

In his later years, Mallory withdrew from the music business and worked as a booking agent in Atlantic City, New Jersey. He returned to New York City in the 1950s and worked as a car dealer for a few years until he returned to being a booking agent until he died in 1961.

In 1938, Mallory married singer Ethel Waters. The marriage ended in divorce in 1945.

Mallory died in New York City, New York, on March 20, 1961, at age 56.