Esmond Edwards parlayed his success as a jazz photographer into a second career as a producer, helming sessions for John Coltrane, Eric Dolphy, and Rahsaan Roland Kirk. Born October 29, 1927, to Jamaican parents on work assignment in Nassau, Bahamas, Edwards spent his formative years in his family's native Kingston prior to their relocation to Harlem. While studying radiology at the City College of New York, he pursued his burgeoning interest in photography, turning his camera on the local jazz community. Edwards' shots of local musicians and dancers were soon a staple of publications ranging from the New York Times to Photography, ultimately gracing dozens of LP sleeves as well. His work consistently captured subjects at their most natural and intimate, with an unusual sensitivity that underscored the photographer's deep understanding and affection for the jazz idiom. In 1957 Edwards followed drummer Arthur Taylor into the Prestige Records studios for a planned shoot. Prestige owner Bob Weinstock was so taken by Edwards' work that he offered a job with the label, and after beginning as a clerk he quickly climbed his way to a production position. In addition to the above-mentioned acts, Edwards' impressive list of Prestige credits also includes dates for Shirley Scott, Lou Donaldson, and Jack McDuff, as well as numerous others. In 1967, he was appointed head of MGM's Verve subsidiary, one of the first African-Americans to hold such a high-ranking position within a major label. Three years later, Edwards relocated to Chicago to accept a position as vice president of A&R for Chess Records, collaborating with blues and R&B legends including Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, and B.B. King. In 1977, Edwards also scored a Grammy nomination for his production work on the cast album of the Tony Award-winning musical +Your Arms Too Short to Box with God. After retirement Edwards and his wife settled in Santa Barbara, CA, where he passed away on January 27, 2007, following a long battle with cancer. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi