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coleman hawkins

Biography

Coleman Randolph Hawkins, born November 21, 1904, in St. Joseph, Missouri, is widely regarded as the first great tenor saxophonist in jazz. Raised in a musically supportive family, Hawkins began with piano and cello before switching to tenor saxophone by age nine, a time when the instrument was barely recognized in jazz. By his teens, he was already performing professionally, joining Mamie Smith’s Jazz Hounds in 1921 and making his recording debut soon after. In the 1920s and 1930s, Hawkins rose to prominence as a member of Fletcher Henderson’s orchestra, where he helped establish the tenor sax as a leading jazz voice, developing a rich, vibrato-laden tone and a virtuosic, arpeggiated improvisational style that set him apart from his contemporaries.

Hawkins’s career spanned several eras of jazz, from swing to bebop and beyond. After leaving Henderson’s band, he spent much of the 1930s in Europe, returning to the U.S. in 1939 to record his landmark version of 'Body and Soul,' which showcased his advanced harmonic approach and improvisational prowess. In the 1940s, Hawkins embraced the emerging bebop movement, collaborating with younger musicians such as Thelonious Monk and Max Roach, and remained musically adventurous throughout his life. Even as jazz styles evolved, Hawkins adapted, recording with figures from Duke Ellington to John Coltrane, and influencing generations of saxophonists. He died on May 19, 1969, leaving a legacy as a pioneering force who redefined the possibilities of the tenor saxophone in jazz.

Fun Facts

  • Hawkins’s 1939 recording of 'Body and Soul' is considered one of the most influential jazz solos ever recorded, despite him barely stating the melody.
  • He was nicknamed both 'Hawk' and 'Bean' by his peers.
  • Hawkins was one of the few jazz musicians to successfully bridge the gap from the 1920s jazz era to the modern jazz of the 1960s.
  • He spent much of the 1930s living and performing in Europe, becoming an international jazz ambassador.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

  • Mamie Smith - Early bandleader; Hawkins joined her Jazz Hounds as a teenager, gaining his first professional experience. (Recordings with Mamie Smith’s Jazz Hounds) [1921-1923]

Key Collaborators

  • Fletcher Henderson - Key bandleader; Hawkins was a star soloist in Henderson’s influential big band. (Recordings and performances with Fletcher Henderson Orchestra) [1923-1934]
  • Thelonious Monk - Collaborated on early bebop sessions, helping bridge swing and modern jazz. (Recordings including 'Bean and the Boys') [1944-1945]
  • Roy Eldridge - Frequent collaborator in the 1950s, notably in a celebrated quintet. (Live performances, including 1957 Newport Jazz Festival) [1950s]
  • Sonny Rollins - Collaborated and recorded together, with Rollins citing Hawkins as a major influence. (Album 'Sonny Meets Hawk!') [1963]
  • Duke Ellington - Recorded together in the 1960s, uniting two jazz giants. (Collaborative recordings in the 1960s) [1960s]

Artists Influenced

  • Ben Webster - Adopted Hawkins’s robust tone and improvisational style. (Recordings with Duke Ellington Orchestra) [1930s-1940s]
  • Sonny Rollins - Cited Hawkins as his main influence and collaborated with him. (Album 'Sonny Meets Hawk!') [1950s-1960s]
  • John Coltrane - Inspired by Hawkins’s harmonic approach and adventurous spirit. (Coltrane’s later explorations in jazz) [1950s-1960s]
  • Lester Young - Acknowledged Hawkins as the 'president' of the tenor saxophone. (Young’s recordings and interviews) [1930s-1950s]

Connection Network

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Discography

Albums

Title Release Date Type
Coleman Hawkins Encounters Ben Webster (Expanded Edition) 1959-11-01 Album
Body & Soul 1996-05-21 Album
Soul 1958-01-01 Album
The Hawk Relaxes 1961 Album
Desafinado 1997-01-01 Album
Verve Jazz Masters 34: Coleman Hawkins 1994-01-01 Album
Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins 1995-01-01 Album
On Broadway 1997-01-01 Album
The Genius Of Coleman Hawkins (Expanded Edition) 1957 Album

Top Tracks

  1. It Never Entered My Mind (Coleman Hawkins Encounters Ben Webster (Expanded Edition))
  2. Body and Soul (Body & Soul)
  3. Cocktails For Two (Verve Jazz Masters 34: Coleman Hawkins)
  4. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To (Coleman Hawkins Encounters Ben Webster (Expanded Edition))
  5. Tangerine (Coleman Hawkins Encounters Ben Webster (Expanded Edition))
  6. Until The Real Thing Comes Along (Soul)
  7. I'm Looking Over A Four Leaf Clover (Jazz Samba) (Desafinado)
  8. Sunday Mornin' (Soul)
  9. Under A Blanket Of Blue (The Hawk Relaxes)
  10. Rosita (Coleman Hawkins Encounters Ben Webster (Expanded Edition))

Tags: #2008-universal-fire-victim, #american, #bebop

References

  1. syncopatedtimes.com
  2. concord.com

Heard on WWOZ

coleman hawkins has been played 11 times on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station. Showing the 10 most recent plays.

DateTimeTitleShowSpotify
Dec 31, 202516:59squeeze mefrom back in bean's bagJazz from Jax Breweryw/ Al Colón
Dec 8, 202500:33DesafinadoThe Dean's Listw/ Dean Ellis
Nov 30, 202507:39You've Changedfrom Complete Stanley Dance Mainstream Jazz 1958-1959The Sunday Morning Jazz Setw/ Mark Landesman
Nov 24, 202516:08SOUL BLUESfrom PRESTIGE PROFILESJazz from Jax Breweryw/ Maryse Dejean
Nov 24, 202516:01UNDER A BLANKET OF BLUEfrom THE HAWK RELAXESJazz from Jax Breweryw/ Maryse Dejean
Nov 10, 202522:46Soul Bluesfrom The Best OfKitchen Sinkw/ Derrick Freeman
Nov 9, 202506:40Blues For Yolandefrom Coleman Hawkins Encounters Ben WebsterThe Sunday Morning Jazz Setw/ Mark Landesman
Oct 29, 202517:56squeeze mefrom back in bean's bagJazz from Jax Breweryw/ Al Colón
Oct 15, 202518:11don't love mefrom today and nowJazz from Jax Breweryw/ Al Colón
Oct 6, 202508:02Fine Dinnerfrom Retrospective (1929-1963) (CD01)The Morning Setw/ Stuart Hall

View all 11 plays