Teddy Edwards

Teddy Edwards
Teddy Edwards
Birth name	Theodore Marcus Edwards
Born	April 26, 1924; Jackson, Mississippi, United States
Died	Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist.
Genres	Jazz
Occupation(s)	Tenor saxophonist
Instruments	Saxophone
Years active	1947–1992

Theodore Marcus "Teddy" Edwards (April 26, 1924 – April 20, 2003) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist based on the West Coast of the United States. Some consider him to be one of the most influential tenor saxophonists of the 1940s.^[1]^{[weasel words]}

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, 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.^[2]

In 1964, Edwards played with Benny Goodman at Disneyland, and at the 1964 New York World's Fair.

Edwards played live with and appeared on albums of 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

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)
1959 At Falcon's Lair - with Joe Castro (Metrojazz; split LP with Sonny Rollins: At Music Inn)
1959 It's About Time - with Les McCann (Pacific Jazz; reissued on Fresh Sound)
1960 Sunset Eyes (Pacific Jazz; reissued on Blue Note)
1960 Teddy's Ready! (Contemporary; reissued on OJC)
1960 Back to Avalon (Contemporary)
1961 Together Again!!!! - with Howard McGhee (Contemporary; reissued on OJC)
1961 Good Gravy! (Contemporary; reissued on OJC)
1962 Heart & Soul (Contemporary; reissued on OJC)
1966 Nothin' But the Truth! (Prestige; reissued on OJC)
1967 It's All Right! (Prestige; reissued on OJC)
1974 Feelin's (Muse)
1976 The Inimitable Teddy Edwards (Xanadu)
1980 Out Of This World (Steeplechase)
1981 Good Gravy [live] (Timeless)
1991 Mississippi Lad - with Tom Waits (Antilles)
1993 Blue Saxophone (Verve)
1994 La Villa: Live In Paris (Verve)
1994 Horn To Horn - with Houston Person (Muse; reissued on Savoy)
1995 Tango In Harlem (Verve)
1997 Midnight Creeper (High Note)
1999 Close Encounters - with Houston Person (High Note)
2001 Ladies Man (High Note)
2003 Smooth Sailing - with Richard Wyands, Ray Drummond, Chip White (High Note)