Coleman Hawkins and his Orchestra. side 1: Body and Soul; side 2: Fine Dinner (Bluebird B-10523)
78 rpm
Often considered the first great jazz saxophonist, Coleman Hawkins (1904-1969) is known as the Father of the Tenor Saxophone. Like Louis Armstrong, Hawkins pushed the boundaries of jazz music by improvising solos and altering songs’ basic melodies. His 1939 recording of the jazz standard “Body and Soul” became famous for its use of improvisation. He never played the same version twice. Though primarily a jazz and big band musician, Hawkins experimented in bebop in the 1940s.
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