Deep in the Stacks: Your Daily Jazz LP Podcast
Every day, Danny from Kissa Kissa -- the Japanese-style jazz vinyl bar in Crown Heights, Brooklyn -- pulls one album from the stacks and tells you who made it, why it matters, and what to listen for. Three minutes, one record you need to hear. Calendar-driven picks tied to recording dates and artist birthdays, plus deep cuts from the Kissa Kissa collection.
Deep in the Stacks: Your Daily Jazz LP Podcast
Sunset Eyes — Teddy Edwards (Pacific Jazz, 1960)
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The Why of Words (daily etymology) | Required Drinking (cocktail history) | Photography Knowledge (daily photo tips)
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Teddy Edwards was born on the state in 1924 in Jackson, Mississippi. By the late 50s, he'd become one of Los Angeles' most dependable tenor saxophonists, the guy who could swing hard or layback smooth, whatever the session demanded. This is Deep in the Stacks, today's album, Sunset Eyes by Teddy Edwards. Edwards cut Sunset Eyes for Pacific Jazz in 1960, right in the sweet spot of his career. He'd already logged time with Howard McGee and Dexter Gordon, establishing himself as a central figure in West Coast jazz without falling into the cool school. This album captures Edwards at his most lyrical, working with pianist Duke Jordan, bassist Larry Ridley, and drummer Freddie Waits through a set of standards and won Edwards Original. Pacific Jazz was the perfect home for this session. Richard Bach's label specialized in that particular brand of California sophistication, jazz that could swing like bebop, but breathe like chamber music. Edwards brings both sides of his musical personality here. The hardbop tenor who could trade fours with anyone, and the balladier who understood that sometimes the space between the notes matters more than the notes themselves. The rhythm section gives him exactly what he needs Jordan's elegant comping, Ridley's walking bass lines that never overstate, and waits keeping time with brushes more often than sticks. Start with the title track. Edwards opens with the melody stated so simply it sounds like a conversation, not a performance. Notice how the energy builds through space and restraint rather than volume or speed. That's Edwards' understanding that swing doesn't always mean rushing. The whole album operates in this zone, sophisticated but never cold, relaxed but never sleepy. Jump ahead to his take on Stella by Starlight for the contrast. Here the energy shifts completely. Same musician, same session, completely different emotional territory. Edwards had the rare ability to make standards sound like personal statements without reinventing them completely. The arrangements stay close to the familiar changes, but his phrasing makes every line sound like he just thought of it. This one lives in the Kissa Kissa stacks. Come hear it on the system. Edwards sounds even warmer on vinyl. Sunset Eyes by Teddy Edwards. Proof that sometimes the most personal jazz comes from playing it straight but playing it true. I'm Danny from Kissa Kissa in Brooklyn. Go put on a record. We'll see you tomorrow.