LearnJazzPiano.com archives: Great concerts and Coleman Hawkins

julie -- 03/02/2004, 19:05:41 -- #2015

I've been really blessed lately. We've had such a great flow of jazz performers come close to my hometown, which is rare for the Midwest. I heard a North Texas faculty group play the other night with Ed Soph on drums, Lynn Seton on bass (amazing!!) and Stephan Karlsson on piano. Doc Severinsen and his band are coming next week. And last Saturday night I heard the Newport Jazz Festival 50th Anniversary All-Star concert with Randy Brecker, James Moody, James Carter, and Cedar Walton on piano! I freakin flipped my lid- what a chance of a lifetime. Anyway, Carter played one of the most kick-ass tenor solos on a Coleman Hawkins tune called, I think, "Stuffy," and it sparked a Hawkins interest in me. I was just wondering what his best albums are so I can quench my newfound tenor thirst. gracias! julie

Peteboypete -- 03/02/2004, 20:18:53 -- #2017

Hawkins is best known for his recording of "Body and Soul."  This recording revolutionized improvisation. Coleman (or "Bean" as he was called) had a very long career.  He started with the Count Basie band in the '20's or '30's I believe.  Unlike his contemporaries (namely fellow tenor pioneer Lester Young) Hawkins continued to record and change into the early '70's (maybe longer).  He embraced bebop and even the avant-gard as his career proceeded, and recorded with many of the biggest names of the '50's and '60's (Monk, Coltrane, Sonny Rollins to name a few). His early things are probably a good place to start.  You'll have to find these on compilations because back then music could only be issued on 78 RPM records (only about three minutes per side).  There is such an album called "Body and Soul" - I think it actually has two versions of Bean playing the tune. Sounds like some good concerts.  I had to choose last weekend between seeing the Basie band and seeing a funk band from New Orleans called Galactic.  I chose Galactic *ducks to avoid fruit and fists soon to be thrown* Anyway, I hope this info is helpful. P.S. www.allmusic.com is a great place to find similar info on any artist you can think of. Peter

Peteboypete -- 03/02/2004, 20:21:45 -- #2018

Corrections: He started out not with Basie but Fletcher Henderson. and He died in 1969, but he did record well into the '60's.

smg -- 03/22/2004, 14:24:24 -- #2794

Thought I'd rescue this thread from the graveyard long enough to post this link in the context of its' subject matter,along with thread below called"important mp3 discovery"..... http://club.mp3search.ru/album.html?id=5394

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