Eddie South learned to play the violin at the age of 10 and began his studies at
the Chicago School of Music (1922). He set his sights on a career as a classical
musician, but at the time it was unthinkable for a black musician to make it in
this milieu, so he turned to jazz. In 1924, Jimmy Wade appointed Eddie South
musical director of his orchestra: the Syncopaters. South came to Europe,
notably Paris in 1928, played at the Moulin-Rouge and the Boeuf sur le Toit,
took advantage of his stay in Paris to deepen his knowledge of classical music,
continued his trip to Hungary to stu...