Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis was one of the most ferocious tenor saxophonists to ever to step onto a bandstand, his fat, furry tone and aggressive attack suggesting Texas more than his native New York City. Jaws developed his jazz chops in blues-oriented big bands led by Cootie Williams, Lucky Millinder, Andy Kirk, and Count Basie (to whose employ he returned several times) and remained a consummate blues barker throughout his life. Basie himself is featured on one of the 11 selections in this blues set, and organist Shirley Scott, whose career was launched by Davis, on three. Included is Davis's original 1960 big-band recording of Oliver Nelson's now-standard "Stolen Moments."

with Count Basie, Jimmy Cleveland, George Duvivier, Eric Dolphy, Arthur Edgehill, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Red Garland, Johnny Griffin, Roy Haynes, John Heard, Clarence Johnston, Sam Jones, Hugh Lawson, Melba Liston, Junior Mance, Oliver Nelson, Don Patterson, Jerome Richardson, Ben Riley, Shirley Scott, Jimmie Smith, Arthur Taylor, Clark Terry, Richard Wyands, and others