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The Jazz Life — Coleman Hawkins
Father of the Jazz Tenor Sax — Body & Soul
The history of jazz would have been very different indeed without tenor saxophonist Coleman Hawkins, who effectively introduced the instrument to jazz, turning it into the pre-eminent, and perhaps one of the most expressive, instrument of the music.
I was lucky enough to hear Hawkins play at Birmingham Town Hall back in the 1960s, in fact just three weeks before he died in May 1969. It was one of the most moving artistic experiences of my life.
The concert in question was one of those Jazz At The Philharmonic things that were — thankfully for me and many like me — all the rage in the 1950s and 1960s, that managed to bring together some of the greatest American players of the preceding 40 years or so, players who very quickly turned the events into brilliant three hour jam sessions.
If memory serves me correctly the line-up back in 1969 included Louis Bellson drums, Buck Clayton trumpet, and Teddy Wilson piano, oh, and Vic Dickenson Trombone. There was another sax player but I can’t for the life of me remember who. On reflection it might have been Zoot Sims, but don’t hold me to it.
I remember it as a great concert too, although Coleman Hawkins didn’t appear until the last ten minutes.
