At Ease With Coleman Hawkins

Coleman Hawkins | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 1, 1991)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Ojc
• ASIN: B000000YA6
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #15,208 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my all-time favorite Hawk cd's, November 19, 2004

By 

Jack Dempsey (South Miami Beach, Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: At Ease With Coleman Hawkins (Audio CD)

I have a ton of Hawk cd's. Yet this is one that I invariably reach for time and time again. It is absolutely flawless from start to finish. There is absolutely not one wrong note on this entire session, not one thing that I would change, except perhaps, out of selfishness, to make it a bit longer. 42 minutes just does not seem long enough.

But if you know the Hawk when he's blowing ballads, you know what to expect. Although it doesn't explicitly say it, this was done for the Moodsville series. So that kind of gives you the vibe on this one. So does the title though. But then you have Tommy Flanagan on the keys, and on upright, you have Wendell Marshall who set things so right on Red Garland's session during "When There Are Grey Skies." The bottom line is that you are in for a treat from the moment you pop this baby in your cd player. Dim the lights, turn up the volume, curl up with your baby, and you know what to do. At the same time, and speaking from experience, this cd is perfect for letting you know, late at night (or early in the morning depending on how you look at things), that "fella, you ain't in things alone and many a good man has done been down exactly the same road you're traveling." It's a comforting reminder, believe me.

So this is a cd for all times, good and bad and it's a dam! beautiful one. You can't pass this one up any longer. Get it today. You'll thank yourself and then kick yourself for not getting it a long, long time ago.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simple Perfection, April 25, 2002

By 

A. K. L. "flamotte" (Steilacoom, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: At Ease With Coleman Hawkins (Audio CD)

This is the kind of album that the 'critics' always give three stars because it 'doesn't break new ground.' Granted, there is little virtuosity and no outside harmony. But sometimes it's enough to hear the Master play the melody, and protect the melody for all time. The Hawk can put more intelligence, heart, and soul in a single note than most tenors can squeeze into a whole album of cutting edge jazz. And Hawk's acid sweetness puts all of 'smooth jazz' to shame: the taste of wine compared to cool aid. Like Ben Webster, Ike Quebec, and Gene Ammons, the Hawk is one of the few great balladeers. In fact, he's the one who started it all: he invented THE TONE. A great teacher needs few words: a great musician needs few notes.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars YES...BEAN IS "NUMERO UNO"..., November 24, 2003

By 

"douglasnegley" (Pittsburgh, Pa. United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: At Ease With Coleman Hawkins (Audio CD)

I really wanted to end my reviewing here on Amazon on a good note...with one last great CD...and this one sort of dropped into my lap, after listening to the LP last night. Then here it was on CD. I love the statement below by the previous reviewer about Hawk being the greatest. I made that same statement this morning to a jazz friend and studio owner. He did not disagree, but he said to put the #1 label on any player is not fair to all the other diverse players. But I can't help it, it's just how I feel. I love Webster, and Carter, and Willie Smith, and Bird, and Trane, and Mobley, and Stan, etc. I just think the Bean is the Best. As the title infers, these are ballads and, oh, how lovely Hawk swoops through them. Again I agree with the sentiment about Coltrane's "Ballads" on 'Impulse'. Even though that is one of my favorite ballad recordings also, I go with this one first as well. This is artistry, mastery, AND ease. I think the 'ease' part is what seperates the two for me. I can't say enough about this one. The review below says it for me. Thanks.