Teddy Edwards
Teddy Edwards | |
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![]() Teddy Edwards at Koncepts Kultural Gallery, Oakland CA 1980s | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Theodore Marcus Edwards |
Born | Jackson, Mississippi, U.S. | April 26, 1924
Died | April 20, 2003 | (aged 78)
Genres | Jazz |
Occupation(s) | Musician |
Instrument | Tenor saxophone |
Years active | 1947–1992 |
Theodore Marcus Edwards (April 26, 1924 – April 20, 2003) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist on the west coast of the U.S.
Biography
Edwards was born in Jackson, Mississippi. He learned to play at a very early age, first on alto saxophone and then clarinet.
His uncle sent for him to come to Detroit to live because he felt opportunities were better. Due to illness in the family, he went back to Jackson and ventured to Alexandria, Louisiana. He was persuaded by Ernie Fields to join his band after going to Tampa, Florida. Teddy had planned to go to New York City, but Ernie Fields convinced him he could get there by way of Washington, DC, if he worked with his band. Teddy ended up at the "Club Alabam" on Central Avenue in Los Angeles, which later became his city of residence.
Teddy Edwards played with many jazz notables, including his personal friend Charlie Parker, Roy Milton, Wynonie Harris, Vince Guaraldi, Joe Castro and Ernie Andrews. A classic 1947 recording with Dexter Gordon, The Duel, helped set him up as a legend, a status he liked to maintain by challenging other worthy sax players to similar duels whenever possible, including a recording with Houston Person. One such "memorable" duel took place in the 1980s at London's 100 Club with British tenor Dick Morrissey.[3]
In 1964, Edwards played with Benny Goodman at Disneyland, and at the 1964 New York World's Fair.
Edwards performed and recorded with Tom Waits. He toured with him on the Heart Attack and Vine tour and played to a packed Victoria Apollo in London with Waits and a bassist (the drummer had apparently been left behind after some dispute). The 1991 album Mississippi Lad features two tracks with Waits, and Waits covers the Edwards-written ballad "Little Man" on his Orphans collection.
Discography
As leader/co-leader
- 1947 The Foremost! – with Dexter Gordon (Onyx #201; shared various artists LP with Leo Parker and Wardell Gray)
- 1948 Central Avenue Breakdown, Vol. 1 (Onyx #212; shared various artists LP with Vivien Garry/Arv Garrison and Dodo Marmarosa)
- 1949 Central Avenue Breakdown, Vol. 2 (Onyx #215; shared various artists LP with Barney Kessel and Slim Gaillard)
- 1958 Sonny Rollins at Music Inn/Teddy Edwards at Falcon's Lair (Metrojazz) with Joe Castro - split album featuring Sonny Rollins tracks
- 1959 It's About Time (Pacific Jazz) with Les McCann
- 1960 Sunset Eyes (Pacific Jazz; reissued on Blue Note)
- 1960 Teddy's Ready! (Contemporary)
- 1960 Back to Avalon (Contemporary)
- 1961 Together Again!!!! – with Howard McGhee (Contemporary)
- 1961 Good Gravy! (Contemporary)
- 1962 Heart & Soul (Contemporary)
- 1966 Nothin' But the Truth! (Prestige)
- 1967 It's All Right! (Prestige)
- 1974 Feelin's (Muse)
- 1976 The Inimitable Teddy Edwards (Xanadu)
- 1979 Young at Heart (Storyville) with Howard McGhee
- 1979 Wise in Time (Storyville) with Howard McGhee
- 1980 Out of This World (SteepleChase)
- 1981 Good Gravy [live] (Timeless)
- 1991 Mississippi Lad (Verve/Gitanes) featuring Tom Waits
- 1993 Blue Saxophone (Verve/Gitanes)
- 1994 La Villa: Live in Paris (Verve/Gitanes)
- 1994 Tango in Harlem (Verve/Gitanes) - released 1995
- 1994 Horn to Horn (Muse) with Houston Person - released 1996
- 1996 Close Encounters (HighNote) with Houston Person - released 1999
- 1997 Midnight Creeper (HighNote)
- 1999 Sunset Eyes 2000 (Laroo) with Saskia Laroo
- 2000 Ladies Man (HighNote)
- 2000 The Legend of Teddy Edwards (Cope) - soundtrack
- 2001 Smooth Sailing (HighNote) - released 2003
As sideman
With Frank Butler
- Wheelin' and Dealin' (Xanadu, 1978)
With Joe Castro
- Groove Funk Soul (Atlantic, 1960)
With Sonny Criss
- Sonny's Dream (Birth of the New Cool) (Prestige, 1968)
- Get Up & Get It! – includes Pat Martino on guitar (Prestige, 1967)
- Welcome Home (World Pacific, 1968)
With Milt Jackson
- That's the Way It Is (Impulse!, 1969)
- Just the Way It Had to Be (Impulse!, 1969)
- Memphis Jackson (Impulse!, 1969)
With King Pleasure
- Golden Days (HiFi Jazz, 1960; reissued on Original Jazz Classics)
With Hank Jones
- Ain't Misbehavin' (Galaxy, 1978)
With Julie London
- Feeling Good (Liberty, 1965)
With Shelly Manne
- My Son the Jazz Drummer! (Contemporary, 1962)
With Les McCann
- Les McCann Sings (Pacific Jazz, 1961)
- McCann/Wilson (Pacific Jazz, 1964) with the Gerald Wilson Orchestra
With Howard McGhee
- West Coast 1945-1947 (Uptown, 2014)
With Freddie Redd
- Everybody Loves a Winner (Milestone, 1990)
With Max Roach and Clifford Brown
- Max Roach and Clifford Brown In Concert (Gene Norman Presents, 1954; reissued on GNP Crescendo)
With Jimmy Smith
With Leroy Vinnegar
- Leroy Walks! – includes Gerald Wilson on trumpet (Contemporary, 1958)
- Leroy Walks Again!! (Contemporary, 1963)
With Gerald Wilson
- You Better Believe It! (Pacific Jazz, 1961)
- Moment of Truth (Pacific Jazz, 1962)
- Portraits (Pacific Jazz, 1964)
- On Stage (Pacific Jazz, 1965)
- Feelin' Kinda Blues (Pacific Jazz, 1965)
- The Golden Sword (Pacific Jazz, 1966)
References
- ^ https://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/23/arts/teddy-edwards-78-deft-star-of-los-angeles-jazz-scene.html
- ^ https://books.google.com/books/about/Obituaries_in_the_Performing_Arts_2003.html?id=sXrGCwAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=kp_read_button#v=onepage&q=Teddy%20Edwards&f=false
- ^ Obituary at Telegraph.co.uk
External links
- Teddy Edwards at The A-1 Artists Agency.
- Interview with Teddy Edwards
- 1924 births
- 2003 deaths
- American jazz tenor saxophonists
- Cool jazz saxophonists
- West Coast jazz saxophonists
- Hard bop saxophonists
- Bebop saxophonists
- Musicians from Jackson, Mississippi
- Xanadu Records artists
- Muse Records artists
- HighNote Records artists
- Blue Note Records artists
- Antilles Records artists
- Timeless Records artists
- SteepleChase Records artists
- Contemporary Records artists
- 20th-century American musicians
- 20th-century saxophonists