About Fat Eddie

Edward J. Schwartz was born in New York just after the prohibition to immigrant parents. Fat Eddie, as he became to be known, grew up listening to the golden age of jazz. During his formative years he worked behind the bar at many of New York’s more happening nightclubs.

In his late 20’s he spent some time in New Orleans enjoying the party atmosphere of Bourbon St. Upon his return to New York he was determined to have a place of his own. He started with a dive bar in the Bowery. Some people say Fat Eddie discovered Coltrane. It wasn’t long until everyone wanted to play at Eddie’s. Through his neighbourhood connections he was behind many of the backroom deals that gave young performers their start. A legend among men would be the best way to describe Edward J. Schwartz.

So who is Fat Eddie? Eddie wears ill fitting suits, “a man’s worth is in his substance not his clothes” he has often been quoted as saying.

He has a gravelly voice from the years of late nights and cigar smoke. With an infectious laugh Eddie would put all around him at ease.
One can’t help but be drawn to Fat Eddie when he tells stories of when he and the Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards spent the night on the town in the heart of New York or the time he took Elizabeth Taylor to his favourite restaurant (a greasy take out where he had a burger named after him).

Rumors always circulate about the man that the camera can’t seem to catch, but if you are lucky you might be able to meet him at the bar and over a Sazerac you might get to hear a little bit of history.