Jimmy Forrest

Jimmy Forrest (January 24, 1920 - August 26, 1980) was a jazz musician who played tenor saxophone throughout his career.

Biography

Born Jimmy Robert Forrest Jr., he is famous for his first solo recording of "Night Train", with its hook and classic tenor solo. He recorded frequently as both a sideman and a bandleader. "Night Train" reached #1 on the Billboard R&B chart in March 1952, and stayed at the top for seven weeks. "Hey Mrs. Jones" (#3 R&B) and "Bolo Blues" were his other major hits. All were made for United Records, which recorded Forrest between 1951 and 1953.

Forrest was born in St. Louis, Missouri and played alongside Fate Marable as a young man. He was with Jay McShann in 1940-42 and with Andy Kirk^[1] from 1942-48, when he joined Duke Ellington. During the early 1950s, he led his own combos. He also played with Miles Davis, in the Spring of 1952 at The Barrel Club. After his solo career, he played in small combos with Harry "Sweets" Edison and Al Grey as well as appearing with Count Basie.

Forrest's version of "Night Train" was the theme song of a nightly rhythm and blues radio program in the Houston, Texas market that virtually introduced white teenagers to what was then called race music. The program, also called Night Train, was hosted by William A. "Rascal" McCaskill, and was broadcast on KREL-AM from 1954 to 1957. The Night Train show brought in more than 100,000 mail-in requests per year, and was the most listened to program in its time slot.^{[citation needed]}

In his April 2000 book The Devil and Sonny Liston, author Nick Tosches notes that Forrest's music was a favorite of heavyweight boxer Sonny Liston, also from St.Louis, who would listen to "Night Train" and other Forrest music during training sessions and before fights.

Late in life Forrest married Betty Tardy and settled in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he later died.

Discography

• 1951: Night Train (United)
• 1952: Live at the Barrel (Prestige)
• 1959: All the Gin is Gone (Delmark Records)
• 1960: Forrest Fire (New Jazz)
• 1961: Out of the Forrest (Prestige)
• 1961: Sit Down and Relax with Jimmy Forrest (Prestige)
• 1961: Most Much (Prestige)
• 1962: Soul Street (New Jazz)
• 1972: Black Forrest (Delmark)
• 1982: Heart of the Forrest (Palo Alto Records/Muse Records)
• 1980: O.D. (Out 'Dere) (Greyforrest)

References

External links

• Allmusic biography