Jimmy Forrest
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Forrest in 1959
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | James Robert Forrest Jr. |
| Born | (1920-01-24)January 24, 1920 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
| Died | August 26, 1980(1980-08-26) (aged 60) Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S. |
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| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instrument(s) | Tenor saxophone |
| Years active | 1935–1980 |
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James Robert Forrest Jr. (January 24, 1920 – August 26, 1980)[1] was an American jazz musician who played tenor saxophone throughout his career.[2]
Forrest is known for his first solo recording of "Night Train". It reached No. 1 on the Billboard R&B chart in March 1952, and stayed at the top for seven weeks. "Hey Mrs. Jones" (No. 3 R&B) and "Bolo Blues" were his other hits. All were made for United Records, for which he recorded between 1951 and 1953; he recorded frequently as both a sideman and a bandleader.
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, United States,[2] Forrest played alongside Fate Marable as a young man. He was with Jay McShann in 1940-42 and with Andy Kirk[3] from 1942 until 1948 when he joined Duke Ellington.[1] During the early 1950s, Forrest led his own combos.[1] He also played with Miles Davis, in early 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.[1]
Late in life Forrest married Betty Tardy (November 30, 1929 – October 21, 2011), and settled in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he died in August 1980, aged 60, from heart failure.[4][2]
Forrest performs an extended version of "Night Train" with the Basie Orchestra in the 1979 film The Last of the Blue Devils.
Forrest's version of "Night Train" was the theme song of a nightly rhythm and blues radio program in the Houston, Texas area. Also called Night Train, the program was hosted by William A. "Rascal" McCaskill, and was broadcast on KREL-AM between 1954 and 1957.
During the late 1970s, Forrest appeared with an all-star line-up in New York, including Howard McGhee on trumpet, John Hicks on piano, Major Holley on bass, and Charlie Persip on drums.[citation needed]
In his 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.
With Cat Anderson
With Count Basie
With Miles Davis
With Bennie Green
With Grant Green
With Al Grey
With Jo Jones
With Jack McDuff
With Blue Mitchell
With Oliver Nelson
With Waymon Reed
With Betty Roché
With Joe Williams
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