United States
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Coleman Hawkins
Saint Joseph, United States
Archival Overview
American jazz titan known as 'Hawk' and 'Bean', who single-handedly transformed the saxophone into a primary, expressive jazz solo instrument with his landmark 1939 'Body and Soul'.
Biographical Record
Before Coleman Hawkins, the saxophone was treated largely as a novelty, vaudeville clown instrument or military marching horn. Joining the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra in New York in 1924 alongside young Louis Armstrong, Hawkins forged a huge, muscular, vibrato-rich tone and sophisticated harmonic vocabulary that established the tenor saxophone as jazz's premier solo instrument.
On October 11, 1939, Hawkins recorded a legendary, unprompted two-chorus improvisation on 'Body and Soul'. Discarding the melody almost immediately to weave soaring arpeggios and altered chords, it became a massive commercial hit and the founding cornerstone of modern jazz harmonic exploration.
Key Life Milestones
Body and Soul Recording
Recorded his immortal improvisational masterpiece, transforming the tenor saxophone and modern jazz soloing.
First Bebop Recording Session
Organized and led the historic first bebop recording session featuring Dizzy Gillespie and Max Roach.
Memorial Guestbook & Tributes
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Final Resting Place
Perpetual MemorialNew York City, United States