Editing Roy Eldridge (section)

==== With Gene Krupa's Orchestra ====
In April 1941, after receiving many offers from white swing bands, Eldridge joined [[Gene Krupa]]'s Orchestra, and was successfully featured with rookie singer [[Anita O'Day]].<ref name=Robinson692>Robinson, p. 692.</ref> In accepting this position, Eldridge became one of the first black musicians to become a permanent member of a white big band.<ref name="Oliphant, p. 326">Oliphant, p. 326.</ref> Eldridge was critical in changing the course of Krupa's big band from pop-oriented "[[schmaltz]]" to jazz.<ref>Olipihant, pp. 304–305.</ref> The group's cover of [[Jimmy Dorsey]]'s "[[Green Eyes (Aquellos Ojos Verdes)|Green Eyes]]," previously an entirely orchestral work, was transformed into jazz via Eldridge's playing; critic Dave Oliphant notes that Eldridge "lift[ed]" the tune "to a higher level of intensity."<ref>Oliphant, p. 307.</ref> Eldridge and O'Day were featured in a number of recordings, including the novelty hit "Let Me Off Uptown" and "Knock Me a Kiss".<ref name=Wilson />

One of Eldridge's best known recorded solos is on a rendition of [[Hoagy Carmichael]]'s tune, [[Rockin' Chair (1929 song)|"Rockin' Chair"]], arranged by [[Benny Carter]] as something like a concerto for Eldridge.<ref name=Oliphant308>Oliphant, p. 308.</ref> Jazz historian [[Gunther Schuller]] referred to Eldridge's solo on "Rockin' Chair" as "a strong and at times tremendously moving performance", although he disapproved of the "opening and closing [[cadenza]]s, the latter unforgivably aping the corniest of operatic cadenza traditions."<ref>Schuller, quoted in Oliphant, p. 308.</ref> Critic and author Dave Oliphant describes Eldridge's unique tone on "Rockin' Chair" as "a raspy, buzzy tone, which enormously heightens his playing's intensity, emotionally and dynamically" and writes that it "was also meant to hurt a little, to be disturbing, to express unfathomable stress."<ref name=Oliphant308 />

After complaints from Eldridge that O'Day was upstaging him, the band broke up when Krupa was jailed for marijuana possession in July 1943.<ref>O'Day, pp. 102–123.</ref>