# Teddy Edwards

Theodore Marcus "Teddy" Edwards (April 26, 1924 – April 20, 2003) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist.

## Biography

Edwards was born in Jackson, Mississippi, United States. 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. Edwards had planned to go to New York City, but Fields convinced him he could get there by way of Washington, D.C., if he worked with his band. Edwards ended up at the "Club Alabam" on Central Avenue in Los Angeles, which later became his city of residence.
Edwards played with many jazz musicians, including his personal friend Charlie Parker, Roy Milton, Wynonie Harris, Vince Guaraldi, Joe Castro and Ernie Andrews. A 1947 recording with Dexter Gordon, The Duel, was an early challenge to another saxophonist, an approach he maintained whenever possible, including a recording with Houston Person. One such duel took place in the 1980s at London's 100 Club with British tenor Dick Morrissey. 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 bassist Greg Cohen (the drummer had apparently been left behind after some dispute). The 1991 album, Mississippi Lad, featured two tracks with Waits, and Waits covers the Edwards-written ballad "Little Man" on his Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards collection.
He died in Los Angeles of prostate cancer, with which he had been diagnosed in 1994, at the age of 78.

## Discography
### As leader/co-leader

| Year | Title | Label | Notes |
| 1947 | The Foremost! | Onyx | With Dexter Gordon. Shared various artists LP with Leo Parker and Wardell Gray. |
| 1948 | Central Avenue Breakdown, Vol. 1 | Onyx | Shared various artists LP with Vivien Garry/Arv Garrison and Dodo Marmarosa |
| 1949 | Central Avenue Breakdown, Vol. 2 | Onyx | 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!!!! | Contemporary | With Howard McGhee |
| 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 McGhee |
| 1979 | Wise in Time | Storyville | With McGhee |
| 1980 | Out of This World | SteepleChase | |
| 1981 | Good Gravy | Timeless | Live |
| 1991 | Mississippi Lad | Verve/Gitanes | Featuring Tom Waits |
| 1993 | Blue Saxophone | Verve/Gitanes | |
| 1994 | La Villa: Live in Paris | Verve/Gitanes | |
| 1995 | Tango in Harlem | Verve/Gitanes | |
| 1996 | Horn to Horn | Muse | With Houston Person |
| 1997 | Midnight Creeper | HighNote | |
| 1999 | Close Encounters | HighNote | With Person |
| 1999 | Sunset Eyes 2000 | Laroo | With Saskia Laroo |
| 2000 | Ladies Man | HighNote | |
| 2000 | The Legend of Teddy Edwards | Cope | Soundtrack |
| 2003 | Smooth Sailing | HighNote | |

### 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)
With Richard "Groove" Holmes
* 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
* Bluesmith (Verve, 1972)
With Leroy Vinnegar
* Leroy Walks! – includes Gerald Wilson on trumpet (Contemporary, 1958)
* Leroy Walks Again!! (Contemporary, 1963)
With Randy Weston and Melba Liston
* Volcano Blues (Verve, 1993)
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)