Career
In addition to the Glenn Miller Orchestra, he also played with the Ina Ray Hutton, Claude Thornhill, Skitch Henderson and Gene Krupa bands. Zandy moved permanently to the Bahamas in 1968, living initially in Nassau and then Freeport, where he played in casino and hotel bands. One of his last performances was with the Apple Elliot Ensemble in the Bahamas.
In a band review of Tex Beneke, Downbeat magazine editors wrote, “…the brass section plays cleanly, too, boasting one superior soloist in the boppish trumpet of Eddie Zandy.”
Metronome magazine praised the “..Hackett-like (Bobby Hackett) but more modern trumpeting of Eddie Zandy”.
Zandy was born on March 27, 1920 in Gaffney, Pennsylvania and later moved to and raised in Endicott, New New York He was a graduate of Union-Endicott High School and a United States Army veteran of World World War II, serving in the Pacific Theater.
Zandy died on August 23, 2003 in Freeport, Bahamas. Born Ettore Zandegiacomo Mazzon on March 27, 1920 in Gaffney, Pennsylvania. Moved to Endicott, New York where he was raised, graduating from Union-Endicott High School in 1938.
1936-1939 - Red Henderson Band (Endicott, New York), Len Fennell Orchestra, the house band at George F. Johnson Pavilion (Johnson City, New York)
1940-1942 - Traveled to New York City with Tamer Aswad (later known as Stuart Foster) to join the AFM local 802 and the Ina Ray Hutton Orchestra
1942-1945 - United States Army, Pacific - While stationed in Tokyo in August 1945, formed and led a combo and big band, the 1st American group to entertain on Radio Tokyo.
1946 - Played in Ina Ray Hutton and Bobby Byrne bands. Did 3 days with Benny Goodman and filled in for six weeks with Gene Krupa. 1947-1948 - Played in Claude Thornhill band
1948 - 1950 - Played with Skitch Henderson Orchestra
1950 - Played with George Paxton Orchestra
1950 - Played with the Glen Gray & Casa Loma Orchestra
1951-1956 - Played with Tex Beneke and the 2nd Glenn Miller Orchestra
1956 - Played with Claude Thornhill, Larry Sonn, and Leroy Holmes bands
1956-1967 - Played with Ray McKinley and the New Glenn Miller Orchestra (Band led by Bobby Hackett in 1965)
1967-1968 - Played with Buddy DeFranco and the Glenn Miller Orchestra
1968-2003 - Retired to Nassau, Bahamas.
Played with the Don Ragan Orchestra at El Casino on Paradise Island
2003 - Died on August 23, 2003, in Freeport, Bahamas, at 83 years of age.