WKCR announces our annual celebration of the extraordinary Coleman Hawkins with a 24-hour birthday broadcast on November 21st, the 120th anniversary of his birth. Born on November 21st, 1904, Hawkins was a larger-than-life figure in the jazz world. It’s safe to say “Hawk” (who was also called “Bean”) influenced every saxophone player to come after him, directly or indirectly. With his signature sound and harmonic approach, he helped make the saxophone an essential instrument in jazz. While Bean is primarily associated with the swing era, he also participated in the inception and development of bebop. Many historians believe his 1944 session with Dizzy Gillespie, Don Byas, Oscar Pettiford, and Max Roach (among others) was the first recorded “bebop” session.
A musical prodigy, Hawk’s first instrument was the piano, taught to him by his mother, in addition to the cello. When he turned nine, his parents bought him a C-melody saxophone and he fell in love with the sound of the instrument. During his early teenage years, he began playing gigs around Kansas City. There he met jazz and blues singer Mamie Smith, and after sitting in, he joined her group: Mamie Smith’s Jazz Hounds. He toured with them for a couple of years before moving to New York and joining the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra. By this time, after trying out various saxophones, Hawk had settled on the tenor. With Henderson, Hawk began developing a new style and refining his sound. He left the big band in 1934 and toured Europe for five years as a soloist before returning to the states and forming his own band––The Coleman Hawkins Orchestra––with which he recorded one of the most famous jazz recordings ever made: a version of the popular tune “Body and Soul”. Hawkins continued to make successful records and perform throughout his career until his passing in 1969.
Tune in on the 21st to help us celebrate the incomparable Coleman Hawkins. Hawk lives on WKCR! Follow WKCR on Instagram (@wkcr) and Twitter (@WKCRFM) for further updates. Online listening is available 24/7 at wkcr.org via our web stream.
