Customer Reviews

Hawk Flies High

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I can't believe that this album has been reviewed only once. Then again, I often gravitate to the unheralded works when buying the music of jazz's grand masters. The Hawk Flies High is my favorite of the Coleman Hawkins recordings I've heard so far. One great thing about him, aside from that full, robust and muscular tone, is that Hawkins always kept abreast of "new" styles. He was also secure enough to nurture, and even learn from younger players, many of whom were achieving stardom in their own right. For this reason, I really look forward to hearing the CD which documents Hawkins and Sonny Rollins on record together in 1963.

For The Hawk Flies High, Hawkins's hand-picked lineup is stellar, beginning with the rhythm section. Pianist Hank Jones is brilliant on "Chant". Bassist Oscar Pettiford is most notable on the soulful, "Juicy Fruit". Papa Joe Jones is subtle and strong throughout. I am not very familiar with guitarist Barry Galbraith, but he gives the rhythm real poignancy on "Laura". If the rhythm provides the album's drive, the horn players provide the excitement. Trumpeter Idress Sulieman tears it up on "Juicy Fruit". His solo features a moment where he holds one thrilling note for ALMOST TWO MINUTES. The most creative tension on the CD comes from the interplay between Hawkins, and J.J. Johnson, my all-time favorite trombonist. Check out J.J. providing a cushion for the leader, as Hawkins goes all-out in a suspenseful solo in "Sancticity." Hawkins really rose to the occasion on this album, and plays ferociously on "Chant" and "Juicy Fruit". On the ballads, "Think Deep" and "Laura", he is both tender and warm. J.J. Johnson offers memorable solos on "Chant," "Juicy Fruit", "Laura" and "Sancticity"(which is also called The Walker, a tune which Hawk has performed live with Roy Eldridge).

I highly recommend this powerful, monstrously beautiful album, which finds Coleman Hawkins and his cohorts in great form. Sorry for being long-winded, but I really love this album. Unfortunately, it is much too short. I know I've enjoyed a CD when I wish that I'd been in the room with an artist while he or she performed it; or feel like I know the artist in a way I couldn't have without hearing it.

If this recording were a painting, it would be hanginÕ in the Met.

What can you say about Coleman Hawkins? Now here is a guy who not only produced great standards covered by such heavyweights like, John Coltrane, Stan Getz, Art Pepper, Frank Sinatra, Benny Goodman, and Thelonious Monk, but continued to produce great work for decades.

This snippet on Coleman Hawkins from Harlem.org: "...Coleman Hawkins popularized the tenor saxophone and gathered a legion of followers who copied his style. In 1924 he joined Fletcher Henderson's band and began a tenure which lasted over a decade. In 1936 Hawkins recorded 'Body and Soul,' which is his most famous composition. At the time it was a huge hit and very innovative, because most of it was improvised. He participated in early bop dates after he hired Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk and Max Roach. Coleman Hawkins is a true legend of 20th century music.Ó

Now how is that for a rˇsumˇ?

With that out of the way, here is the review: ColemanÕs tenor sax has a rich, round sound that plays ÒswingÓ one moment, and then flips to Òbe-bopÓ to perk it up. He is a dexterous as ever and delivers a very relaxing sound.The liner notes state that Hawkins got to pick his own musicians and what musicians he picked.

On the song ÒJuicy FruitÓ and ÒSancticityÓ, each musicians delivers inspired improv lines with no attention paid to the clock. The Hawk just lets each band member tear into it any way they want and there is a lot of innovation here to appreciate and even study.

The song "Blue Lights" features a nice guitar solo by Barry Galbraith with very stylish arranging overall.

The song "Think Deep" sounds like a sequel to "Harlem Nocturne" and it's quite fun.

Though the album is just 39 minutes long, it is still worth the price of admission.

Recorded live in a New York City studio circa 1957 and digitally remastered in 1987, this jewel of a CD is nothing but inspired performances and bliss.

Coleman Hawkins virtually invented the jazz tenor saxophone. It was an equally amazing feat that thirty years after he rose to stardom in Fletcher Henderson's big band, he could still make an album as consistently modern and enjoyable as "The Hawk Flies High." This Riverside date from March 1957 really helped to give Hawk back his wings. He was allowed to hand pick the band for this date, and what a group he assembled -- trombonist J.J. Johnson, underrated trumpeter Idrees Sulieman, pianist Hank Jones, guitarist Barry Galbraith, bassist Oscar Pettiford and drummer Jo Jones. They swing their way through six great tunes, including the lengthy "Juicy Fruit," Gigi Gryce's "Blue Lights" and the Hawkins original "Sancticity." The success of this album jump started a second career for Hawk -- he went to cut two memorable dates for Norman Granz, "The Genius of Coleman Hawkins" and "Coleman Hawkins Encounters Ben Webster," and a string of albums for the Prestige label and its Moodsville series. While those dates were memorable, the Hawk would never soar as high as he did on "The Hawk Flies High."

This is definitely one of my favorite Jazz albums in my collection of over 200 Jazz CDs. It is a terrific ensemble of 7 great instrumentalists. It is true, as one reviewer objected, that Hawkins gives equal solo time to the other soloists, but I think that this is exactly what makes this album so special. It combines great ensemble writing with excellent solos. All 6 pieces pulse with abundant energy and style. I especially like the 2 longer pieces, "Juicy Fruit" and "Sancticity" that clock in at 11 and 9 minutes respectively. But the shorter pieces are also great. "Chant" and "Blue Lights" are both funky. "Think Deep" has a haunting melody that makes me think of film noire movies. This is followed by "Laura" which actually is from a film noire film of the same title.

"Juicy Fruit" has an incredible 1 minute note held by trumpeter Idrees Sulieman which he follows up with a wonderfully inventive solo; no mean feat! I was so impressed by his solo that I looked for other CDs by or with him and purchased "Now is the Time" (1976) which he headlined and "The Cats" (1957) which was another ensemble project headlined by Tommy Flanagan, John Coltrane, Kenny Burrell, and Sulieman; this was recorded just one month after "The Hawk Flies High". These are also very good CDs. Sulieman also has other exciting solos throughout the album.

Hawkins sounds great in his solos on all 6 pieces despite the fact that he had been playing since the 1920s. But age is no detriment to great musicians; I recently heard Sonny Rollins at his 50th anniversary Carnegie Hall concert when he was over 80 and still sounded great. Sonny also sounds great on his recent "Sonny, Please" album. Wayne Shorter is another saxophonist still releasing albums in the past few years despite having started in the 1960s.

J.J. Johnson also delivers some nice solos and blends in well with Hawkins and Sulieman in the ensemble sections. The rhythm section of Oscar Pettiford, Hank Jones, Jo Jones, and Barry Galbraith maintains a steady vibe throughtout the entire album.

Note that this review is based on the 1987 version of the CD. Riverside released a new remastering by the original producer, Orrin Keepnews, in 2008. I have not yet heard that new version. One reviewer indicated that it sounds fuller and more life-like than the original CD.

I find this a pleasant group effort, but to my ears the music wanders, lacking the focused solid groove featured on many Coleman Hawkins recordings. Very egalitarian of him to let all the band members solo, but Hawk is silent while that goes on. Idries Sulieman blowing a single trumpet note for a full minute is not my idea of great music. For some more exciting Hawk, put your money into "Retrospective: 1929-1963" for a good overview of His early work, "Encounters Ben Webster" for a compellingly romantic session, and "Night Hawk" for an exciting session with another protege, Eddie Lockjaw Davis.