Swing Street Radio brings to You Hits by Coleman Hawkins

The jazz era has seen the rise of several noted musicians and instrumentalists. Moreover, with the inception of big bands, many struggling musicians got the opportunity to show their talents before the mass, and the world. From trumpets and saxophones to trombones and clarinets, people loved to swing to the beats and rhythm of these instruments. With the splendid playing of such instruments, everyone hooked on to the swing and jazz. Although there were many musicians that popularized one instrument or the other with their playing skill, the mastery of Cole Hawkins is our matter of discussion in this write-up. With his huge collection of big band and swing music, the saxophonist legend is still remembered as one of the improvisers and pioneers in the early and mid-twentieth century. Let us take a glimpse into the life of this jazz artist.

Interest in instruments since an early age

Hawkins was only five years old when started receiving his piano lessons. Later on, the sound of saxophone grabbed his attention and Hawkins decided to hone his skills on playing this instrument. With sheer dedication and diligence, Coleman became quite a popular professional at the age of 12 when he started playing in the Kansas City Theatre band. Even though he joined a band named Jazz Hounds initially, he stayed in the background and was not given a major role in playing the instrumentals. To carry on with his aspiration, Hawkins freelanced for some time in New York. However, his first taste of success came in form of his recordings with the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra, a band with a rich collection of big band and swing music.

A career in Europe and the US return

After his brief association with the renowned Orchestra, Hawkins flew off to Europe in search of better opportunities. He collaborated with Alix Combille. Benny Carter, Stephane, and Django Reinhardt to create masterpieces like “Honeysuckle Rose” and “Crazy Rhythm”. However, with the World War II setting in, Hawkins got back to America. Despite his competitors springing up every other day, Coleman secured his unrivaled position once again with the massive hit of “Body and Soul”. With this commercial hit, “Hawk” cemented his position as the legend in jazz. Driven by unbelievable success, the saxophonist arranged and formed a band that focussed on introducing the bebop within the jazz genre.

Influence of Louis Armstrong

The Fletcher Henderson Orchestra also featured Louis Armstrong on the saxophone. Coleman, then a background player, soon came under the influence of the legendary saxophonist. It was during this time, Coleman’s playing underwent a transformation. He replaced the slap tonguing technique with the legato style on the saxophone. His playing began featuring more swing elements in it. Given his improvisation, Coleman Hawkins established himself as a formidable saxophone player in the jazz and swing era.

Conclusion – After fulfilling his exploration of swing and jazz, Coleman Hawkins went on to revolutionize the bebop genre. He was the first one to record bebop in New York. It would not be wrong to say that Coleman was influential in molding the style and essence of jazz. To enjoy his classic hits, do not forget to tune into Swing Street Radio, the top jazz music radio station in theUSA. Given his improvisational mastery, Coleman Hawkins emerged as the rightful legend of the tenor of the saxophone.