Teddy Edwards

Teddy Edwards has long been one of the most underrated of the bop tenors, due in large part to his decision to settle in Los Angeles. Edwards is in typically swinging form on this quartet date with either Phineas Newborn, Jr., or Danny Horton on piano, bassist Leroy Vinnegar and drummer Milt Turner. The tenor contributed four originals and also performs the obscure "A Little Later" and four standards with warmth and creativity within the hard bop genre.

Teddy Edwards, who took part in classic tenor battles with Dexter Gordon and Wardell Gray in Los Angeles during the mid-to-late 1940's, has been a major tenorman ever since. However, his decision to live in L.A. has resulted in him being greatly underrated through the years. Fortunately the superior hard bop tenor (who showed that there was more than just cool jazz being played on the West Coast in the 1950) has recorded on a fairly frequent basis throughout his career. This CD reissue brings back music from 1959-60 with Edwards joined by either Amos Trice, Joe Castro or Ronnie Ball on piano, Leroy Vinnegar or Ben Tucker on bass and Billy Higgins or Al Levitt on drums…

Teddy Edwards Quartet - Teddy's Ready! (1960) {Contemporary OJCCD-748-2 rel 1992}
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© 1960, 1992 Contemporary Records | OJCCD-748-2
Jazz / Hard Bop / Straight-Ahead Jazz / Saxophone

Tenor saxophonist Teddy Edwards' debut for Contemporary (which has been reissued on CD in the OJC series) gives listeners a strong sampling of the underrated tenor's talents. Edwards, a contemporary of Dexter Gordon and Wardell Gray but sometimes overlooked due to his decision to spend most of his life living in Los Angeles, is showcased on a quartet set with the obscure but talented pianist Joe Castro, bassist Leroy Vinnegar, and drummer Billy Higgins. Performing three standards, three originals (of which "Higgins' Hideaway" is most memorable), and Hampton Hawes' "The Sermon," Edwards has a chance to stretch out and he makes the most of the opportunity, creating some excellent straight-ahead music.

Teddy Edwards - Ladies Man (2001) {HighNote HCD 7067}
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© 2001 HighNote Records, Inc. | HCD 7067
Jazz / Bop / Hard Bop / West Coast Jazz / Saxophone

For this project, veteran tenor saxophonist Teddy Edwards performs ten songs named after women's names, including his own "Saskia." Despite the potentially gimmicky nature of the repertoire, the music is conventional hard bop, played with spirit by Edwards, pianist Ronnie Mathews, bassist Chip Jackson, drummer Chip White, and (on four of the ten numbers) trumpeter Eddie Allen. Due to the fine solos of Edwards, Mathews, and Allen and the close attention paid to tempo and mood variations between songs, this is an excellent outing, well worth exploring by straight-ahead jazz collectors.

Teddy Edwards - Good Gravy (1981) {2015 Japan Timeless Jazz Master Collection Complete Series CDSOL-6304}
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© 1981, 2015 Timeless Records / Solid Records Japan / Ultra-Vibe | CDSOL-6304
Jazz / Bop / Hard Bop / West Coast Jazz / Saxophone

Reissue with the latest remastering. Features original cover artwork. Comes with a descripton in Japanese. This obscure live CD features the underrated tenor saxophonist Teddy Edwards in top form stretching out on three standards ("Lady Be Good," "Oleo" and "Georgia") and his own "Good Gravy." Joined by a Dutch rhythm section (pianist Rein De Graaff, bassist Henk Haverhoek and drummer John Engels), Edwards builds up his solos expertly and plenty of sparks fly. Recommended.

The liner notes written by Kirk Silsbee tell a tale easily as intriguing as the fine music on this CD. Producer Lester Koenig asked Teddy Edwards to assemble a large ensemble of lesser known jazz musicians from Los Angeles to record originals and new arrangements of standards. Those players had difficulty with the somewhat tricky charts, and because they were not up to the highest standards, the project was mutually agreed upon to be scrapped. Nearly 35 years later, Ed Michel came upon the tapes, assessed that the feeling and spirit in them was good enough, and had them cleaned up by editing in alternate takes spliced by audio computer to enhance the originally imperfect sessions…

Teddy Edwards - Nothin' But The Truth (1966) {Prestige OJCCD-813-2 rel 1994}
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© 1966, 1994 Prestige / Fantasy | OJCCD-813-2
Jazz / Hard Bop / Soul Jazz / West Coast Jazz / Saxophone

Great stuff – and one of the groovier Teddy Edwards sessions from the 60s! The group's a sextet – with Walter Davis piano, Paul Chambers bass, Billy Higgins drums, Phil Orlando guitar, and Montego Joe on congas and bongos. The band grooves in a soul jazz vamping mode – darkly tinged, with a bit of that Blue Note style of expression – and over the top. Edwards plays some wonderful solos, raspy in tone, with a nice edge to his tenor, slurred out in some gutbuckety playing that's very much in the pocket!