- Coleman Hawkins
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Coleman Hawkins 
Coleman Hawkins, circa September 1946. Photo: William P. Gottlieb.Background information Birth name Coleman Randolph Hawkins Born November 21, 1904 Origin Saint Joseph, Missouri Died May 19, 1969 (aged 64) Genres Swing music, bebop Instruments Tenor saxophone, bass saxophone, clarinet Years active 1921-1969[1] Associated acts Ben Webster, Max Roach Coleman Randolph Hawkins (November 21, 1904 – May 19, 1969) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist.[2] Hawkins was one of the first prominent jazz musicians on his instrument. As Joachim E. Berendt explained, "there were some tenor players before him, but the instrument was not an acknowledged jazz horn".[3] While Hawkins is most strongly associated with the swing music and big band era, he had a role in the development of bebop in the 1940s.[2]
Lester Young, who was called "Pres", in a 1959 interview with The Jazz Review, said "As far as I'm concerned, I think Coleman Hawkins was the President first, right? As far as myself, I think I'm the second one."[3] Miles Davis once said: "When I heard Hawk, I learned to play ballads."[3] Hawkins was nicknamed "Hawk" and sometimes "Bean".
Contents
Biography
Coleman Hawkins (incorrectly spelled "Haskins" in the caption) pictured in the Topeka High School orchestra, from the 1921 yearbook.
Early life and the Swing era
Hawkins was born in Saint Joseph, Missouri in 1904. Some out-of-date sources say 1901, but there is no evidence to prove an earlier date. He was named Coleman after his mother Cordelia's maiden name.
He attended high school in Chicago, then in Topeka, Kansas at Topeka High School. He later stated that he studied harmony and composition for two years at Washburn College in Topeka while still attending THS. In his youth he played piano and cello, and started playing saxophone at the age of nine; by the age of fourteen he was playing around eastern Kansas.
Hawkins joined Mamie Smith's Jazz Hounds in 1921, whom he toured with through 1923, when he settled in New York City. Hawkins joined Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra, where he remained until 1934, sometimes doubling on clarinet and bass saxophone. Hawkins's playing changed significantly during Louis Armstrong's tenure with the Henderson Orchestra during 1924-25. In the late 20's, Hawkins also participated in some of the earliest interracial recording sessions with the Mound City Blue Blowers. During the time with Henderson, he became a star soloist with an increasing amount of star solos on record. While with the band, he and Henry "Red" Allen recorded a series of small group sides for ARC (on their Perfect, Melotone, Romeo, and Oriole labels). Hawkins also recorded a number of solo recordings, with either piano or with a pick-up band of Henderson's musicians in 1933-34, just prior to his European trip. He was also featured on a landmark Benny Goodman February 2, 1934 session for Columbia, which also featured Mildred Bailey as guest vocalist.
In late 1934, Hawkins accepted an invitation to play with Jack Hylton's band in London, and toured Europe as a soloist until 1939, memorably working with Django Reinhardt and Benny Carter in Paris in 1937.[4] Having returned to the United States, on October 11, 1939 he recorded a two chorus performance of the pop standard "Body and Soul", which he had been performing at Kelly's Stables. A landmark recording of the Swing Era, recorded as an afterthought at the session, it is notable in that Hawkins ignores almost all of the melody, only the first four bars are stated in a recognizable fashion. In its exploration of harmonic structure[4] it is considered by many to be the next evolutionary step in jazz recording from where Louis Armstrong's "West End Blues" in 1928 left off.
The Bebop era
After an unsuccessful attempt to establish a big band, he led a combo at Kelly's Stables on Manhattan's 52nd Street with Thelonious Monk, Oscar Pettiford, Miles Davis, and Max Roach as sidemen. He was leader on what is generally considered the first ever bebop recording session with Dizzy Gillespie and Max Roach in 1944.[5][6] Later he toured with Howard McGhee and recorded with J. J. Johnson and Fats Navarro. He also toured with Jazz at the Philharmonic.
In 1948 Hawkins recorded Picasso, an early piece for unaccompanied saxophone.
After 1948 Hawkins divided his time between New York and Europe, making numerous freelance recordings. In the 1960s, he appeared regularly at the Village Vanguard in Manhattan.
Hawkins directly influenced many bebop performers, and later in his career, recorded or performed with such adventurous musicians as Sonny Rollins, who considered him as his main influence, and John Coltrane. He appears on the Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane (Riverside) record. In 1960 he recorded on Max Roach's We Insist! - Freedom Now suite.[2]
Later life
The grave of Coleman HawkinsIn the 1950s, Hawkins performed with more traditional musicians such as Henry "Red" Allen and Roy Eldridge with whom he appeared at the 1957 Newport Jazz Festival and recorded Coleman Hawkins Encounters Ben Webster with fellow tenor saxophonist Ben Webster along with Oscar Peterson (piano), Herb Ellis (guitar), Ray Brown (bass), and Alvin Stoller (drums).
In the 1960s, Hawkins began to drink heavily and his recording output began to wane. However, he did manage to record some notable albums with musicians such as Duke Ellington, among others. His last recording was in 1966.
With failing health, Hawkins succumbed to pneumonia in 1969 and is interred in the Yew Plot at the Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx.[2]
The Song of the Hawk, a 1990 biography written by British jazz historian John Chilton, chronicles Hawkins' career as one of the influential jazz performers of the 20th century.
Discography
As leader
- Body and Soul (1939–1956, RCA)
- Picasso (album) (1948)
- The Hawk in Paris (1956, RCA Victor Gold)
- The Hawk Flies High (1957)
- Hawk Eyes! (1959)
- In a Mellow Tone (1960)
- Bean Stalkin' (1960)
- At Ease with Coleman Hawkins (1960), Rerelease (1985) OJC-181
- Night Hawk (1961, with Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Swingville)
- The Hawk Relaxes (1961, Moodsville)
- Good Old Broadway (1962, Moodsville)
- Alive! (1962)
- Sonny Meets Hawk! with Sonny Rollins (1963)
- Sirius (1966)
- Jazz Reunion (with Pee Wee Russell, Candid Records)
- 1962: Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins
- 1962: Today and Now
- 1962: Desafinado
- 1965: Wrapped Tight
- Jazz Tones
- Dutch Treat
- Thanks For The Memory
- 1957: Coleman Hawkins Encounters Ben Webster
- 1957: The Genius of Coleman Hawkins
- 1958: Coleman Hawkins and Confreres
- 1962: Hawkins! Eldridge! Hodges! Alive at the Village Gate
As sideman
With Abbey Lincoln
- Straight Ahead (Candid, 1961)
With Shelly Manne
- 2-3-4 (Impulse!, 1962)
With Thelonious Monk
- Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane (Riverside, 1957)
With Max Roach
- We Insist! - Freedom Now (Candid, 1960)
References
- ^ http://www.allmusic.com/artist/coleman-hawkins-p25489/biography
- ^ a b c d Scott Yanow Allmusic Biography
- ^ a b c Berendt, Joachim E (1976). The Jazz Book. Universal Edition.
- ^ a b Lyttleton, Humphrey (1998). The Best of Jazz. Robson Books. pp. 256–287. ISBN 1861051875.
- ^ Togashi, Nobuaki; Matsubayashi, Kohji; Hatta, Masayuki. "Max Roach Discography". jazzdisco.org. http://www.jazzdisco.org/max-roach/discography/#440216. Retrieved 2009-07-01.
- ^ Brown, Don. "What are considered the first bebop recordings? - Jazz Bulletin Board". All About Jazz. http://forums.allaboutjazz.com/showthread.php?p=282273#post282345. Retrieved 2009-07-01.
External links
Categories:- 1904 births
- 1969 deaths
- People from St. Joseph, Missouri
- African American musicians
- American jazz tenor saxophonists
- Bebop saxophonists
- Gennett recording artists
- Musicians from Chicago, Illinois
- Savoy Records artists
- Swing saxophonists
- Candid Records artists
- Xanadu Records artists
- Impulse! Records artists
- Verve Records artists
- Prestige Records artists
- Manor Records artists
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