Customer Reviews

Coleman Hawkins Encounters Ben Webster

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One of the most beautiful records ever made. The "Master Edition" sound quality lets you truly hear the heartrending tone of these tenor giants. Beyond jazz, this will move anyone with a pulse. After seven tracks that leave you emotionally stunned, where you kept turning it up to savor every nuance of tone and feeling, you suddenly get the sound of a recording engineer barking into a mike! The fools just had to fill some unused CD real estate and mar one of the most beautiful records ever made with some let's look behind the curtain "Blues for Yolanda" outtakes! Why not use "Maria" and "Cocktails for Two", tracks from the same session I've found on other compilations? So be ready to shut down your CD player after "Shine On Harvest Moon". Grafitti on the Mona Lisa, fercrysakes.

A classic of jazz, the studio work of these 2 giants together in this mid to late 1950's period put forth some of the greatest sounding music ever layed down.

Hawkinks the master,Webster,the sweet soul bluesman on these tracks are an amazing display of blues,and jazz with the great Oscar Peterson on piano.

There are a whole slew of recordings done in this 1950's era for Verve comprising a similiar lineup of these stellar musicians and many are on the Veve master-editions issue...not to be missed for those exploring are the Genius of Coleman Hawkins,Ben Webster and Associates,Ben Webster meets Oscar Peterson,Ben Webster's Soulville..these releases were all repackaged with liner notes and given great treatment..

All of these "senior" masters were given their due late on in their careers but the greatness of their youth is revisited on this and the other fine releases.

Some might say (including historians, musical producers and liner notes writers) that Hawkins was much better than Webster, that only Young could equall his power with his unique approach. Even if this is true, the level at which Hawk and Webster play is so high that I see the meeting of two true giants.
Impecable rhythm section led by great Oscar Peterson always helps at these Verve style encounters and I feel that both tenor plays made the best of it. Whether it is gentle ballads, blowing the blues or harmonizing in rhythm, this CD should satisfy not only swing and mainstream fans but also modern jazz fans: mainstream by definition leans somewhat towards modern jazz and Hawk and Peterson particularly well blend the best of both worlds (as they did throught their careers; Hawkins even before modern jazz was born).
A classic.

A great album to do nothing but relax to. Turn this one on, dim the lights down low, crash on the couch and let this marvelous music work it's magic. This album is the perfect panacea for the blues, a perfect preventive for all of the daily stress in living in this chaotic, barbarous world. If you are a fan of jazz, and you don't own this one yet, then you definitely need to make this purchase.

This 1957 recording is a work of art, and why shouldn't it be with a such a great group of legends. The whole album, every second, every single solo, every song, is perfect. And first-rate of a line-up this certainly is, with - Hawkins & Webster (tenor sax), Oscar Peterson (piano), Herb Ellis (guitar), Ray Brown (bass) and Alvin Stoller (drums) - all giving excellent, first-rate performances.

Webster is wonderful! He plays with such warmth and tenderness and in many ways his playing reminds me of Sinatra (when crooning a sad song) in the way that he is not afraid of bravely baring his whole, frail soul. He emits from his sax the softest, sweetest, most serene sounds I can ever remembering hearing from anyone at anytime. And then, there's Coleman Hawkins (a.k.a the Bean) who compliments his partner so well with his sweet, soulful, harmonious style. Hawk always seems to be under full control, always at ease, while he makes it look and sound so effortless, so easy it almost seems as if he came out of his mother's womb making those sounds. As I said before, and it's worth repeating - WHAT A COMBO!

These two legends really shine, and with the excellent, if not perfect performances by their supporting cast it makes for one of the most memorable recordings in my jazz collection and one that I very highly recommend. This music is soft, stirring and tranquil, yet most of all it's just plain and simply BEAUTIFUL!

Enjoy and live well!

For every jazz fan - this is an absolute requirement to have this album !
Just listen to Prisoner of Love or It never entered my mind.. No further comments !

Recorded in 1957 this session captures Coleman Hawkins and Ben Webster duelling on Tenor Saxophones. The standard is set on the opening track ' Blues for Yolande'. This is a steady driving blues. Hawkins takes the first solo and after two choruses lets rip on the 3rd chorus with as raucous a blues riff as you're ever likely to hear on a Tenor Saxophone.
Whether 'Blues for Yolande' was the first recorded track I don't know, but it wouldn't surprise me if that was Coleman Hawkins putting down a marker. Of course later on Ben Webster gets a chance to shine with some of his brilliant breathy ballad playing.

The rhythm section is Alvin Stoller on drums, Ray Brown on Bass, Herb Ellis on Guitar and Oscar Peterson on Piano. As the previous reviewer said these guys are as good as it gets.

A marvellous album that grows on you with repeated listens.

A week ago I felt that all saxophones should be melted down and made into brass instruments; I've heard so much soulless screeching rock sax that I hated the instrument. I got this CD a week ago, and I've listened to it a few times every day since. I have now told my wife that I want to get a multi thousand dollar tenor sax. That should pretty much describe how I feel about this album. Oh yeah and by the way the piano accompanist is perhaps the greatest pianist of all time. My life was incomplete before I heard this record.

The great thing about "Coleman Hawkins Encounters Ben Webster" is it's not a showcase for chops, but showcase of pure musical expression. These two play great together and their styles are very similar. The Hawk and Frog are joined by Oscar Peterson on piano, Herb Ellis on guitar, Ray Brown on bass, and Alvin Stoller on drums. This such a great recording and it would be wise to pick it up before it goes out of print.

This has to be in every jazz buff's collection!a must have as they say!
Listen to how this album swings and the ballad It never entered my mind is down right a tear jerker!
Get it now!

Backed by the Oscar Peterson quartet on this 1959 Verve release, `Coleman Hawkins Encounters Ben Webster' is mandatory listening for jazz fans. Hawkins and Webster were two jazz saxophone ambassadors. This fairy-tale meeting of raw talent falls nothing short of spectacular. The album has been remastered at a 20-bit transfer with bonus alternate takes of "Blues for Yolande".

Track 1, "Blues for Yolande", is a bluesy jazz tune in stereo that you can really dig. Track 2 is a solemn, mellow bluesy tune called "It Never Entered My Mind". Track 3, "La Rosita", starts to a Latin rhythm with Hawkins and Webster amusing listeners with smooth and bouncy blows. Oscar Peterson kicks it off on track 4, "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To", with Hawkins and Webster kicking up a more swinging endeavor. "Prisoner of Love", track 5, is a satisfyingly quiet song perfect for a late night drink. Track 6, "Tangerine", is laid back and slicker than grease. "Shine on Harvest Moon", Track 7, puts on its Sunday best and marches down the avenue with a slow motion marching band. The remaining two tracks are a monaural version of "Blues for Yolande" and an incomplete take of the song, as well. A great album well worth the time and money.

Personnel: Coleman Hawkins and Ben Webster (ts), Oscar Peterson (p), Herb Ellis (g), Roy Brown (b), and Alvin Stoller (d).