Coleman Hawkins – The Middle Years – Essential Cuts 1939-1949 – 4CD

In 1939, after 5 years in Europe, the Hawk returned to the US, not as a faded star but as a soaring monarch.

 “I remember the night Hawk came back from Europe. All the fellows came to play for him. They wanted him to see how they had improved... Everybody just thought he was the top man.” – Milt Hinton

This was a classic period for the tenor legend Coleman Hawkins. After he returned form Europe in 1939 he embarked on a stunningly creative and successful recording career both under his own name and with other bandleaders. The recording of Body & Soul was a particular milestone as well-a true gold plated jazz classic which is of course included here. This collection charts his progress through the decade, when he dazzled audiences and fellow musicians alike. This set is superbly remastered and packaged.
By mid-1944, Hawk had been back in the US for nearly five years and it must have seemed as though he’d never been away. He was in the most enviable of positions - he had regular live work in the evenings and as much daytime session work as he wanted. And at this moment he was still the tenorman that all others measured themselves against. Ultimately, Lester Young would come to the fore, but in spite of some lean years, the Hawk never lost the respect of his peers. Indeed, older Boppers would tell any of the younger generation who paid less than the due respect, ‘You wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for Coleman Hawkins.’
Alert readers will have noticed we‘ve said little of the Hawk’s private life. Because it was private. We can say for sure he was born in 1901 (or 1904) in St Joseph Missouri. Something of a  prodigy he took up the saxophone aged nine and by fourteen was playing professional dates. In 1921 he joined Mamie Smith’s band, a formative experience. In 1923, on moving to New York he joined Fletcher Henderson’s Orchestra, then at its creative peak. After a hectic decade, he accepted a lucrative offer to join Jack Hylton’s band in London.
From the end of the war onwards, things got a little tougher for the Hawk. His recording work diminished, as did lucrative live work. He did join several of Norman Granz’ Jazz At The Philharmonic tours, and Granz  it was who commissioned him to record ‘Picasso’. As the 1950s progressed, his star waned. Taste moved toward tenor players with the sparer, more technical style exemplified by Lester Young.
This would not last. Players like John Coltrane evolved a rounder style that clearly referenced Hawk. He would be back. 

Track Listing:

CD1:
Lionel Hampton & His Orchestra: 1. When Lights Are Low -   2. One Sweet Letter From You -   3. Hot Mallets -   4. Early Session Hop -   Coleman Hawkins & His Orchestra: 5. Meet Doctor Foo -   6. Fine Dinner -   7. She’s Funny That Way -   8. Body And Soul -   The Varsity Seven: 9. It’s Tight Like That -   10. Easy Rider -   11. Scratch My Back -   12. Save It Pretty Mama -   Lionel Hampton & His Orchestra: 13. Dinah -   14. Singin’ The Blues -   Coleman Hawkins’ All-Star Octet: 15. When Day Is Done -   16. The Sheik Of Araby -   17. My Blue Heaven -   18. Bouncing With Bean -   The Varsity Seven: 19. How Long, How Long -   20. Shake It And Break It -   21. A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody -   22. Pom Pom -   Coleman Hawkins & His Chocolate Dandies: 23. Smack -   24. I Surrender Dear -

CD2:
Coleman Hawkins & His Orchestra: 1. Passin’ It Round -   2. Serenade To A Sleeping Beauty -   3. Rocky Comfort -   4. Forgive A Fool -   Metronome All Stars: 5. Bugle Call Rag -   6. One O‘Clock Jump -   Count Basie & His Orchestra: 7. 9-20 Special -   8. Feedin’ The Bean -   Leonard Feather All Stars: 9. Esquire Bounce -   10. My Ideal -   Coleman Hawkins & His Orchestra: 11. Vootde -   12. How Deep Is The Ocean -   13. Hawkins Barrel House -   14. Stumpy -   The Coleman Hawkins Quintet: 15. Lover Come Back To Me -   16. Blues Changes -   The Coleman Hawkins Swing Four: 17. Crazy Rhythm -   18. Get Happy -    19. The Man I Love -   Esquire Session: 20. My Ideal -   The Coleman Hawkins Quintet: 21. I Only Have Eyes For You -   22. S‘Wonderful -   23. I’m In The Mood For Love -

CD3:
Coleman Hawkins & His Orchestra: 1. Woody’n You -   2. Buh-De-Daht -   3. Yesterdays -   The Coleman Hawkins Quartet: 4. Flame Thrower -   5. Imagination -   6. Night And Day -   7. Cattin’ At Keynote -   Coleman Hawkins & His Orchestra: 8. Rainbow Mist -   Cozy Cole All Stars: 9. Blue Moon -   10. Father Co-operates -   11. Just One More Chance -   12. Thru For The Night -   Auld-Hawkins-Webster Sextet: 13. Pick Up Boys -   14. Porgy -   15. Uptown Lullaby -   16. Salt Peanuts -   Coleman Hawkins & His Sax Ensemble: 17. On The Sunny Side Of The Street -   18. Three Little Words -   19. Battle Of The Saxes -   20. Louise -

CD4:
Coleman Hawkins’ All American Four: 1. Make Believe -   2. Just One Of Those Things   Cozy Cole - Coleman Hawkins All Stars: 3. On The Sunny Side Of The Street -   The Coleman Hawkins Septet: 4. All The Things You Are -   Coleman Hawkins’ All American Five: 5. Under A Blanket Of Blue -   Charlie Shavers’ All American Five: 6. Undecided -   Coleman Hawkins Quartet: 7. Recollection  8. Drifting On A Reed  9. Flying Hawk  10. On The Bean   Coleman Hawkins: 11. Bean Stalking -   12. Leave My Heart Alone -   13. The Night Ramble -   14. Ladies Lullaby -   15. Sportsman’s Hop -   16. Ready For Love -   Coleman Hawkins & His Orchestra: 17. April In Paris -   18. Rifftide -   19. What Is There To Say -   20. Wrap Up Your Troubles In Dreams -   21. Cocktails For Two   Coleman Hawkins All Stars: 22. Bean-A-Rebop -   23. Phantomesque -   Coleman Hawkins: 24. Picasso -   Coleman Hawkins & His Orchestra: 25. It’s Only A Paper Moon -