Biography

BIOGRAPHY Theodore Marcus "Teddy" Edwards
HOME BIOGRAPHY RECORDINGS SUNSET EYES 2000 LINKS MISCELANEOUS BACK TO A-1 ARTISTS EMAIL	Born April 26, 1924 in Jackson, Mississippi, Teddy started to play at a very young age,first on alto saxophone then clarinet. The "Royal Mississippians" with Doc Parmley was his first professional job.
	1940-1944	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, LA.. He was persuaded by Ernie Fields to join his band after going to Tampa, Florida. Originally Teddy had plans to go to NY, but with skillful persuasion Ernie Fields convinced him he could get there by way of Washington DC if he worked with his band. To make a long story short, Teddy ended up at the Club Alabama on Central Ave. in Los Angeles, which later became his city of residence.
	1945	Joined Roy Milton's Rhythm and Blues Band in February. Howard McGhee and Coleman Hawkins were working at Billy Bergs' Cocktail Lounge where Teddy would sit in from time to time. Howard suggested Teddy switch to Tenor. The groups' first recording was backing up blues singer Wynonie Harris on his first big hit "Around The Clock".
	1946	Made his historical recording "Up In Dodo's Room." on Dial Records with Howard's group. This was the first recorded tenor solo on records in the so-called led Bebop idiom, according to the late great trumpet player, Fats Navarro.
	1947	Made his first recording as a leader on the Rex label and recorded "The Duel" for Dial Records with the great Dexter Gordon and recorded his million seller "Blues In Teddy's Flat" on the same date.
	1948	Avadon Ballroom with Benny Carter and later recorded "Additions to Further Definitions" on impulse records.
	1949	The famous jazz club, The Lighthouse opened with Teddy as one of the original all stars.
	1952-53	Worked the Bay Area in California.
	1954	An invitation from Max Roach and Clifford Brown to finish out their engagement at the California Club in Los Angeles where he recorded his famous composition "Sunset Eyes", written in 1948.
	1958	Played the first Monterey Jazz Festival with Leroy Vinnegar Quartet.
	1959	Recorded "It's About Time" with the Les McCann Trio and later signed a contract with Contemporary Records.
	1962	Taped biographical film with Steve Allen "Jazz Scene USA"
	1963	Recorded for pacific Jazz under the direction of Gerald Wilson l960-63.
	1964	Played Disneyland with Benny Goodman. Toured East Coast with, Goodman, Bobby Hackett, Vince Guaraldi and Marilyn Monroe. Stayed in NY with Goodman to write and arrange music for World's Fair.
	1965	Played Monterey Jazz Festival with Dizzy and Earl Hines. Worked Shelly`s Manne Hole with Ray Brown and Milt Jackson where the award winning "That's The Way It Is" was recorded.
	1976	Toured Japan with Milt Jackson and Ray Brown.
	1977	Conducted his own compositions with 33 piece orchestra in Los Angeles at Wilshire Ebell.
	1978	Toured Europe with The International Jazz Festivals in Molde, Norway, Amsterdam, Holland and Middelheim and Belgium.
	1980	Returned to Holland to tape with the Metropole, 60 piece Orchestras for the BBC and N.O.S Dutch radio.
	1982	Toured Europe, Australia and New Zealand with musician-entertainer, Tom Waits. Played on "One From The Heart" movie sound track. Recorded album with Tom Waits and Crystal Gayle. Taped 7 1/2 hour interview for Rutgers University and Library of Congress for archives.
	1990	Signed with Polygram Records, "Mississippi Ladd" his first CD 1991
	1993	Recorded "Blue Saxophone" and filmed "The River Bottom", A film about the homeless, as principal actor. Recorded a double CD "Spoken Word"for Alliance Records. After a tour of the UK, he played The La Villa in Paris, where he recorded live and went from there to Lyon to play thc Festival.
	1994	Played the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles with the LA Sax Giants. Recorded "Volcano BIues;" in NYC, and played the Montreal Jazz festival with Randy Weston.
	1995	Record "Tango In Harlem" with Billy Higgins and Christian McBride in NYC, after playing the Alliance Jazz Club in Paris.
	1996	A "Tribute To Ella Fitzgerald" at the Hollywood Bowl with Ray Brown, The North Sea Jazz Festival with Houston Person, Lincoln Center "Battle Royal of Trumpets and Tenors" and a recording for High Note Records were all on the menu this year.
	1997	A return to Lincoln Center to pay a tribute to Count Basie and Thelonius Monk.
	1998	Teddy Edwards and Friends featuring Ernie Andrews and Barbara Morrison at California State University Los Angeles and Jazz at Drew with Brass String Ensemble.
	1999-2001	Teddy Edwards' Blue Saxaphone 17pc Brass/String Ensemble at Annual Central Avenue Jazz Festival is huge success. Asked back. Plays Getty Museum staff party and declared "Magnificent" "Best music we've ever had at the Getty" Jazz from Central Avenue at Dorothy Chandlier Pavillion featured Teddy Edwards Quartet w/ Conte Condoli (trumpet), Gerald Wiggins (piano), James Bond (bass), Larance Marable (drums). Old friend Ernie Andrews brings crowd to it's feet backed by Clayton/Hamilton Big Band. Continues to tour Europe, Scandanavia where he is highly regarded as a "Legend" of jazz. Keeps winning awards for a life of creativity in jazz.
	2003	Teddy Edwards passes away, Easter Sunday.