BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY : AFRICAN AMERICAN " JIMMY FORREST " A FINE ALL-ROUND TENOR AND BEST KNOWN FOR RECORDING " NIGHT TRAIN" AN R&B JAZZ ORIENTED AND HIS RECORDING REFLECTED THAT : GOES INTO THE " HALL OF BLKACK GENIUS "

                                                                       BLACK                SOCIAL            HISTORY                                                                

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    A fine all-round tenor player, Jimmy Forrest is best-known for recording "Night Train," a song that he "borrowed" from the last part of Duke Ellington's "Happy Go Lucky Local." While in high school in St. Louis, Forrest worked with pianist Eddie Johnson, the legendary Fate Marable, and the Jeter-Pillars Orchestra. In 1938, he went on the road with Don Albert and then was with Jay McShann's Orchestra (1940-1942). In New York, Forrest played with Andy Kirk (1942-1948) and Duke Ellington (1949) before returning to St. Louis. After recording "Night Train," Forrest became a popular attraction and recorded a series of jazz-oriented R&B singles. Among his most important later associations were with Harry "Sweets" Edison (1958-1963), Count Basie's Orchestra (1972-1977), and Al Grey, with whom he co-led a quintet until his death. Forrest recorded for United (reissued by Delmark), Prestige/New Jazz (1960-1962), and Palo Alto (1978).

Jimmy Forrest (January 24, 1920 – August 26, 1980)^[1] was an African American jazz musician, who played tenor saxophone throughout his career.

Forrest is famous 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" (#3 R&B) and "Bolo Blues" were his other major hits. All were made for United Records, which recorded Forrest between 1951 and 1953. He recorded frequently as both a sideman and a bandleader]

Born Jimmy Robert Forrest Jr., in St. Louis, Missouri, United States, he played alongside Fate Marable as a young man. He was with Jay McShann in 1940-42 and with Andy Kirk  from 1942 until 1948 when he joined Duke Ellington. During the early 1950s, he led his own combos. 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.

Late in life Forrest married Betty Tardy, and settled in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he died in August 1980, aged 60.

Other media]

Forrest performs an extended version of "Night Train" with the Basie Orchestra in the 1979 film 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 market. Also called Night Train, the program was hosted by William A. "Rascal" McCaskill, and was broadcast on KREL-AM from 1954 to 1957.

During the late 1970s he appeared with an all star lineup in New York including Howard McGhee on trumpet, John Hicks on piano, Major Holley on bass,and Charli Persip on drums.

In his 2000 book, The Devil and Sonny Liston, author Nick Tosches noted 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.