Possessor of a cutting and immediately identifiable tough tenor tone, Eddie âLockjawâ Davis could hold his own in a saxophone battle with anyone. Davisâ earliest recordings as a leader tended to be explosive R&B affairs with plenty of screaming from his horn; he matched wits successfully with Fats Navarro on one session. Davis was with Count Basieâs Orchestra on several occasional (including 1952-1953, 1957, and 1964-1973) and teamed up with Shirley Scottâs trio during 1955-1960. During 1960-1962, he collaborated in some exciting performances and recordings with Johnny Griffin, a fellow tenor who was just as combative as Davis. After temporarily retiring to become a booking agent (1963-1964), Davis rejoined Basie. In his later years, Lockjaw often recorded with Harry âSweetsâ Edison and he remained a busy soloist up until his death. ~Scott Yanow, All Music Guide