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Biography

Edwards was born in Jackson, Mississippi, United States.² 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.³ 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.⁴ 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.⁵ In 1964, Edwards played with Benny Goodman at Disneyland, and at the 1964 New York World's Fair.⁶

Edwards performed and recorded with Tom Waits.⁷ 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 78.⁸⁹

Discography

As leader/co-leader

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)

External links

• Teddy Edwards at the A-1 Artists Agency
• Interview with Teddy Edwards

References

1. Keepnews, Peter (April 23, 2003). "Teddy Edwards, 78, Deft Star Of Los Angeles Jazz Scene". The New York Times. Retrieved July 26, 2021. https://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/23/arts/teddy-edwards-78-deft-star-of-los-angeles-jazz-scene.html ↩

2. Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Who's Who of Jazz (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. pp. 129/130. ISBN 0-85112-580-8. 0-85112-580-8 ↩

3. Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Who's Who of Jazz (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. pp. 129/130. ISBN 0-85112-580-8. 0-85112-580-8 ↩

4. Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Who's Who of Jazz (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. pp. 129/130. ISBN 0-85112-580-8. 0-85112-580-8 ↩

5. "Teddy Edwards". The Telegraph. April 27, 2003. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1428531/Teddy-Edwards.html ↩

6. Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Who's Who of Jazz (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. pp. 129/130. ISBN 0-85112-580-8. 0-85112-580-8 ↩

7. Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Who's Who of Jazz (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. pp. 129/130. ISBN 0-85112-580-8. 0-85112-580-8 ↩

8. Keepnews, Peter (April 23, 2003). "Teddy Edwards, 78, Deft Star Of Los Angeles Jazz Scene". The New York Times. Retrieved July 26, 2021. https://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/23/arts/teddy-edwards-78-deft-star-of-los-angeles-jazz-scene.html ↩

9. Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2003: Film, Television, Radio, Theatre, Dance, Music, Cartoons and Pop Culture. McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers. 2008-10-24. ISBN 9780786452088. 9780786452088 ↩