The COLEMAN HAWKINS thread

[mmilovan]

And now "something" from YT:

Edited January 29, 2009 by mmilovan

[Late]

And with NKC:

[mmilovan]

And in Holland, 1935

[EKE BBB]

Remembrances from two later Coleman Hawkins concerts in Barcelona:

Coleman Hawkins in Barcelona: Oct. 1964 & Nov. 1967

[JPC III]

Q - on Hawkins LP box set -

In the early 70s, a friend of mine had what I recall was a 4 LP box set by Coleman Hawkins in which Hawk just talked about his life, career and Jazz.

I don't remember the title or the label (Which I thought was Riverside, but maybe not.)

Does anyone know and did it make it out on to CD?

Sorry if the Q&A are already in this thread!

Thx!

[Chuck Nessa]

It was a Riverside 2 lp set. No box. Don't think it was ever reissued.

[JPC III]

It was a Riverside 2 lp set. No box. Don't think it was ever reissued.

Thx, Chuck!

Do you know when it was recorded and what the Riverside catalog number was...and was it really all "Talk by Hawk"? No music? An interviewer?

[Chuck Nessa]

It was a Riverside 2 lp set. No box. Don't think it was ever reissued.

Thx, Chuck!

Do you know when it was recorded and what the Riverside catalog number was...and was it really all "Talk by Hawk"? No music? An interviewer?

Coleman Hawkins - A Documentary Riverside RLP 12-117/118. It as all talk, edited to make it a monologue and issued in 1957. About 2 hours of material, IIRC.

[JPC III]

It was a Riverside 2 lp set. No box. Don't think it was ever reissued.

Thx, Chuck!

Do you know when it was recorded and what the Riverside catalog number was...and was it really all "Talk by Hawk"? No music? An interviewer?

Coleman Hawkins - A Documentary Riverside RLP 12-117/118. It as all talk, edited to make it a monologue and issued in 1957. About 2 hours of material, IIRC.

Thanks very much!

[jazztrain]

A bit more information:

>>>

Coleman Hawkins A Documentary

Coleman Hawkins (speaking)

NYC, summer 1956

Early Days Riverside RLP 12-117

The Henderson Period -

Europe In The 30's -

Body And Soul -

The Coming Of Modern Jazz Riverside RLP 12-118

New York: The Toughest Town -

Some Thoughts On Today And Tomorrow -

Some Thoughts On Rock And Roll -

* Coleman Hawkins A Documentary, Vol. 1 (Riverside RLP 12-117)

* Coleman Hawkins A Documentary, Vol. 2 (Riverside RLP 12-118)

>>>

As previously noted, this was a double album (gatefold).

Jean-Francois Villetard's discography of Hawkins notes: "Tapes were cut in Bill Grauers's (sic) New York living room on a summer night."

It was a Riverside 2 lp set. No box. Don't think it was ever reissued.

Thx, Chuck!

Do you know when it was recorded and what the Riverside catalog number was...and was it really all "Talk by Hawk"? No music? An interviewer?

Coleman Hawkins - A Documentary Riverside RLP 12-117/118. It as all talk, edited to make it a monologue and issued in 1957. About 2 hours of material, IIRC.

Thanks very much!

[Ted O'Reilly]

I have it too, transferred to 2-CDRs.

"Coleman Hawkins: A Documentary" Riverside RLP 12-117/8.

Disc One: "Early Days" 28:10; The Henderson Period (Pt.1) 27:31

Disc Two: The Henderson Period (Pt.2) 10:16; Europe In The '30s 12:07; Body And Soul 6:58; The Coming Of Modern Jazz 10:51; New York: The Toughest Town 5:35; Some Thoughts On Today and Tomorrow 7:05; Some Thoughts On Rock and Roll 5:48.

Total running time is 1:54:26

[JPC III]

A bit more information:

>>>

Coleman Hawkins A Documentary

Coleman Hawkins (speaking)

NYC, summer 1956

Early Days Riverside RLP 12-117

The Henderson Period -

Europe In The 30's -

Body And Soul -

The Coming Of Modern Jazz Riverside RLP 12-118

New York: The Toughest Town -

Some Thoughts On Today And Tomorrow -

Some Thoughts On Rock And Roll -

* Coleman Hawkins A Documentary, Vol. 1 (Riverside RLP 12-117)

* Coleman Hawkins A Documentary, Vol. 2 (Riverside RLP 12-118)

>>>

As previously noted, this was a double album (gatefold).

Jean-Francois Villetard's discography of Hawkins notes: "Tapes were cut in Bill Grauers's (sic) New York living room on a summer night."

Love to hear that one! Checking Google now.

[EKE BBB]

Good news from Lonehill Jazz:

COLEMAN HAWKINS

TITLE: REUNION IN HI-FI: THE COMPLETE SESSIONS

LABEL: LONE HILL JAZZ

LABEL CODE: LHJ 10367

RELEASED: 2009

RECORDED: 1957

FORMAT: CD

NUMBER OF DISCS: 2

DESCRIPTION: ALL OF HAWKINS AND 'RED' ALLEN 1950s STUDIO RECORDINGS

COLABORATIONS: HENRY `RED` ALLEN, MILT HINTON, COZY COLE, LOU STEIN, CHUBBY JACKSON, LARRY CLINTON, JO JONES

This release contains Coleman Hawkins and Henry “Red” Allen’s complete 1950s studio recordings, including three rarely heard complete original albums plus their only two tunes from the LP of various artists, The Sound of Jazz. Prior to the March 21, 1957 session, Hawkins and Allen’s previous recording together had been in 1934, and no other collaborations between the two musicians are known to exist after 1958.

Coleman Hawkins (ts), Henry “Red” Allen (tp), on all tracks, plus:

CD 1: Ride, Red, Ride in Hi-Fi (originally RCA Victor): J.C. Higginbotham (tb), Buster Bailey (cl), Marty Napoleon (p), Everett Barksdale (g), Lloyd Trotman (b), Cozy Cole (d). New York, March 21, March 27 & April 10, 1957.

CD 2: [1-7] Warhorses / Dixieland Jamfest (originally Soundcraft Tapes /Jass) : J.C. Higginbotham (tb), Sol Yaged (cl), Lou Stein (p), Milt Hinton (b), Cozy Cole (d), Dewey Bregman (arr). New York, December 16, 1957.

[8-14] Hight Standards / Sweet Moods of Jazz (originally Soundcraft Tapes /Jass) : Earl Warren (cl, as), Marty Napoleon (p), Chubby Jackson (b), George Wettling (d), Larry Clinton (arr). New York, August 7, 1958.

[15-16] The Sound of Jazz (originally Phoenix): Rex Stewart (ct), Vic Dickenson (tb), Pee Wee Russell (cl), Nat Pierce (p), Danny Barker (g), Milt Hinton (b), Jo Jones (d). New York, December 5, 1957.

CD 1: 1. Love Is Just Around The Corner, 2. Let Me Miss You, Baby, 3. Ride, Red, Ride, 4. I Cover The Waterfront, 5.‘S Wonderful, 6. St. James Infirmary, 7. Algiers Bounce, 8. Love Me Or Leave Me, 9. I’ve Got The World On A String, 10. Ain’t She Sweet, 11. Sweet Lorraine.

Total time: 61:20

CD 2: 1. Battle Hymn Of The Republic, 2. Frankie And Johnny, 3. When The Saints Go Marchin’ In, 4. South, 5. Won’t You Come Home, 6. The Blues, 7. Maryland, My Maryland, 8. Stormy Weather, 9. Mean To Me, 10. The Lonesome Road, 11. Sleepy Time Gal, 12. Summertime, 13. All Of Me, 14. Tea For Two, 15. Wild Man Blues, 16. Rosetta.

Total Time: 68:42

Includes12-Page Booklet

[EKE BBB]

Interesting discussion on Hawkins' "Picasso" to be found here.

[six string]

Oh man, that version of "It´s the talk of the town" is simply.....

I haven't played my Classic reissue of this in a long time so I think I'll put it in the pile for tonight. Coincidently I was thinking about Hawkins this week after going to a Hank Jones tribute show on Sunday featuring Geoff Keezer. Hank has been one of my favorite pianists since I really began focusing on jazz so it was wonderful to hear praise and anecdotes on the man by Mr. Keezer. He talked about how modern and complex Hank's approach to songs were whether they were standards or his own songs and that made me think of Coleman Hawkins. He never sounded old fashioned in the 1950s and 1960s. He embraced bebop and created some amazing music during those times when he could have stuck with the swing of the 30s and 40s like some of his contemporaries did. At the same time that I bought the reissue of Alive at the Village Gate I also purchased Sonny Meets the Hawk. Here you have a relative youngster and the old master playing together and for me at least it is hard to tell them apart sometimes other than knowing who is in which channel. I really prefer Hawkins' output of the 50s and 60s vs. his earlier work. It's mainly because I'm less a fan of swing than bebop and hardbop. Sure, there are a few albums that missed the mark like Desifinado imo, but for the most part he was pretty great during that period of jazz.

[Drew Peacock]

Hawkins has forged techniques applicable by romantics because this is one aspect of his exploration of method; the tone, the harmonic basis all ideal, but not only his approach to other types of material but also the extraordinary objectivity of his ballads themselves belie a romantic mind. He exploits (n.b. the baroque attitude) ballad structure but does not accept its aesthetic axioms. If Webster can create All the things, All too soon, You’re my thrill etc. by such an acceptance, and Hawkins Body and soul by remaining aloof, both means are justified although quite distinct. One can accept, let us say, Donegal cradle song as a most beautiful romantic solo; however, its consideration as a romantic persona, a concept fully justified not only by the strength of his up-tempo playing, his complex thinking e.g. Body again (it is ironical and facile that thinking on tenor should be thought to be the property of his rival Lester Young) but also by the notably odd melodic nature of the solo itself, which seems to have taken the title of tune absolutely at face value. Despite the fact that only Hawkins could have created this moving persona it is purged of the artist’s personality to a degree untenable by any true romantic. Such dramatic objectivity seems to be quite beyond even the most impressionistic statement of Hodges, e.g. Gal from Joe’s (one is tempted to attribute the quality to Ellington in any case). A third approach to the ballad and one found frequently in his work is to begin richly and romantically, later to betray this by paring down his phrases into highly emotive rhythmic figures. An example of this is Until the real thing comes along….. His solo here has a very firm dramatic structure; it begins with only a few touches of rhythmic tension marring an easy romanticism, the bridge has a fine sensuous quality and leads beautifully back to the theme which now becomes a series of short close notes which become even stronger in the chorus. The tough elements are bared slowly, no sudden burst of emotion this, to reach a climax in the power of the second bridge which now shows extreme contrast to the first. A similar lead-back return is to the rich theme statement, and the solo closes as it began; the whole is a finely shaped drama. Dramatic structure may in fact point to the core of Hawkins’ art. He handles his materials with the ease and cunning of a great dramatist, and as with great drama the meaning may not respond exactly with what the characters are made to say. It is the personae and the relations generated between them that contain the essence of the achievement.

It should be pointed out here that it is not the ‘hot’ elements of later Hawkins that undermine the theory of romanticism; Webster really drives along on Cottontail, Hoot, and others without being disqualified and much of Garner can hardly be said to be gentle. Hawkins’s self-awareness is as an artist, a creator not a sayer, and it is in this that he seems to be an important precursor of the modern idiom….

Hawkins was one of the first jazz musicians I knew by name. I remember being in high school and having a music instructor that let me listen to some of his records. He let me borrow a record that had Hawkins playing ballads. I remember telling the teacher that I didn't like the way he stomped all over the music. My first impression was that he disregarded the rhythm section. It took me a long time to hear what he was actually doing and to accept it. Now I think he is a genius.

[Larry Kart]

Just to be clear, the passage about Hawkins that Drew Peacock just quoted from an old post of mine is not my work but a passage from Terry Martin's early 1960s Jazz Monthly essay "Coleman Hawkins and Jazz Romanticism."

[fasstrack]

This board is clearly Prez-bent, but I think Hawk deserves as much merit as the great Lester Young does.

Definitely. And Hawk played well for very much longer than Pres. As one liner note writer said in the 60s "he hasn't peaked yet." (Mark Gardner, I think.)

Try his three recordings with Kenny Burrell on Prestige. If these had been Blue Note sessions, I think they would have received a lot more attention in recent years. Is there not a "Fantasy syndrome", that is, do we tend not to buy many OJC CDs "because they are not limited editions and I can order them later after I rush to grab the Blue Note, Mosaic and Japanese CDs before they disappear"? I have definitely been that way.

Anyway, I heard a sampler CD of Burrell a few years back and there was this lovely track "Tres Palabras" with Bean (also featuring Tommy Flanagan in great form). It made me want to get all the Burrell/Hawkins albums. The titles are "Bluesy Burrell", "Soul" and "The Hawk Relaxes".

Another superb collection, some of these not often mentioned, are Bean's Impulse albums. "Today and Now" is very good, as is the bossa album "Desafinado". The better-known one with the Duke (no, not John Wayne) is a gem, partly because it gives a unique opportunity to hear Bean in a small horn section with Ray Nance, Rabbit, Lawrence Brown and Harry Carney.

The more the merrier. Hawk invented the tenor solo in jazz, Pres took it poetic. Long may they live......

[televiper]

No one has mentioned this album yet:

It's fantastic! 'Marchin' Along' stretches out almost 18min and Hawk lays down a monster blues solo that just keeps going and going, accumulating so much feeling. Grimes is a sympathetic player for Bean in the same way Burrell was so if you dig any of those records, you really need to get this one.

[EKE BBB]

Coleman Hawkins in Madrid - October 13, 1964

[brownie]

Coleman Hawkins on Art Ford Jazz Party.

With him are Johnny Windhurst, trumpet, Tyree Glenn, trombone, Hank d'Amico, clarinet, Roland Hanna, piano, Teddy Charles, vibes, Mary Osborne, guitar, Doc Goldberg, bass, and Morey Feld, drums.

[Shrdlu]

Nice to see this thread come up again.

The name "Bean" was given to him because of his bald head.

I don't think anyone mentioned that he used to honk on the bass sax in his very early recording days.

I wish that Adolphe Sax could have heard guys like Bean, Trane and so on. Surely, he would have been amazed.

[AllenLowe]

I love hawk I love hawk I love hawkI love hawk I love hawk I love hawkI love hawk I love hawk I love hawkI love hawk I love hawk I love hawkI love hawk I love hawk I love hawkI love hawk I love hawk I love hawkI love hawk I love hawk I love hawkI love hawk I love hawk I love hawkI love hawk I love hawk I love hawkI love hawk I love hawk I love hawkI love hawk I love hawk I love hawkI love hawk I love hawk I love hawkI love hawk I love hawk I love hawkI love hawk I love hawk I love hawkI love hawk I love hawk I love hawkI love hawk I love hawk I love hawkI love hawk I love hawk I love hawkI love hawk I love hawk I love hawkI love hawk I love hawk I love hawkI love hawk I love hawk I love hawk

I never get tired of saying that - though everybody else does -

[Guy Berger]

No one has mentioned this album yet:

It's fantastic! 'Marchin' Along' stretches out almost 18min and Hawk lays down a monster blues solo that just keeps going and going, accumulating so much feeling. Grimes is a sympathetic player for Bean in the same way Burrell was so if you dig any of those records, you really need to get this one.

Listening to this for the first time. It really highlights Hawk's influence on the early 50s R&B saxophonists.

[king ubu]

No one has mentioned this album yet:

It's fantastic! 'Marchin' Along' stretches out almost 18min and Hawk lays down a monster blues solo that just keeps going and going, accumulating so much feeling. Grimes is a sympathetic player for Bean in the same way Burrell was so if you dig any of those records, you really need to get this one.

Listening to this for the first time. It really highlights Hawk's influence on the early 50s R&B saxophonists.

Yes! That's a very good one! Love the long track! And as Allen says: I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk I love Hawk