- Eddie Edwards
Edwin Branford "Eddie" Edwards (
May 22 ,1891 –April 9 ,1963 ) was an earlyjazz trombonist , best known his pioneer recordings with theOriginal Dixieland Jass Band .Eddie Edwards was born in
New Orleans, Louisiana , started playingviolin at age 10, and took uptrombone in addition at 15. He played both instruments professionally, including with the bands ofPapa Jack Laine and Ernest Giardina. In addition to music Edwards played minor-leaguebaseball and worked as an electrician.In 1916 he was picked by
Alcide Nunez to go toChicago, Illinois to play trombone withJohnny Stein 's Jass Band. With a few changes of personnel this band became the famous Original Dixieland Jass Band which made the first records of jazz music in 1917.He left the band after being drafted into the
United States Army . The O.D.J.B. replaced him withEmile Christian . Edwards served in the Army from July 1918 to March 1919. After discharge he led a band of his own and worked in the band ofJimmie Durante before returning to the O.D.J.B.After the break up the Original Dixieland Jazz Band, Edwards again led his own band in
New York City for most of the 1920s. In the early 1930s he retired from music and ran anewspaper stand and worked as asport s coach.He returned to music when
Nick LaRocca reformed the O.D.J.B. in 1936, playing with them until 1938. He played with other bands including O.D.J.B. alumniLarry Shields ,Tony Sbarbaro , andJ. Russell Robinson in New York into the 1940s. He continued playing professionally irregularly until shortly before his death in New York City.Johnny Wiggs said that while he'd heard more sophisticated trombone players, he'd never heard another trombonist who could give a band the rhythmic punch that Edwards could.
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