Coleman Hawkins - (1960) Coleman Hawkins And His Orchestra LP

The abiding contemporaneous of Coleman Hawkins (1904-1969) became in the late Fifties something of a cliché. But cliché or not, he was a 56-year-old veteran who started in jazz 40 years earlier with Mamie Smith s Jazz Hounds, and who when he recorded these sessions more than held his own with younger jazzmen like Thad Jones and Eddie Costa. That is because Hawk was always ahead, harmonically. It was a thing of wonder, to be sure, to hear Hawkins blowing with those modernists in this relaxed set where none of the tempos rises above medium-up. All frameworks for blowing are in the familiar mould of theme-solos-outchorus, and the full session finds Hawk in great form, as if he s got all the time in the world to make his point with a succession of gorgeous solos, full of warmth and invention. Thad Jones, always an intelligent player, is clever and distinctive on open or muted horn, Eddie Costa brings his individuality to bear on vibes and piano, contributing unconventionally and excitingly, while Duvivier and Johnson display fine rapport with him, blending together in a swinging, effective rhythm section.