Search - Teddy Edwards :: Sunset Eyes

Lovely "Sunset"

Michael B. Richman | Portland, Maine USA | 10/28/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Teddy Edwards' "Sunset Eyes" is a lovely album by a virtually unknown west coast tenor saxman, who at the time of this CD reissue in 1998, was still playing at the age of 74. In terms of recording sessions, "Sunset Eyes" is Teddy's first effort, although "Teddy's Ready" on the Contemporary label (see my review) was his first produced album. Actually it is quite odd that the track "Tempo De Blues" was cut exactly a year and a day before the "Teddy's Ready" session, and CD tracks 2 & 4-7 were cut on August 16, 1960, literally the day before Teddy recorded "Teddy's Ready." (According to Michael Cuscuna's liner notes, Lester Koenig of Contemporary offered to record Teddy, but he was in the middle of cutting this album for Pacific. So Lester told Teddy that he'd give him a contract the day after he was done with the Pacific session, and he did!) The four other tracks, including three that are bonus tracks on this CD reissue, are from a unknown date in mid 1960. The personnel on most of "Sunset Eyes" is the same as "Teddy's Ready" -- Joe Castro on piano, Leroy Vinnegar on bass and Billy Higgins on drums -- but it also features Amos Trice and Ronnie Ball on piano, Ben Tucker on bass and Al Levitt on drums. This CD is a limited edition (and last I heard it was actually out of print with the exception of those CDs already in the marketplace), so interested parties should act fast."