1959 · Album
Coleman Hawkins encounters Ben Webster
Recorded October 16, 1957 · Verve Records · Produced by Norman Granz
Two Tenors, One Afternoon, Pure Swing
Webster and Hawkins push each other without pretense, just two masters solving problems in real time.
This album captures something you don't always get in studio settings: two heavyweight saxophonists genuinely playing off each other, not taking turns. Coleman Hawkins and Ben Webster were different players—Hawkins all gravel and authority, Webster more lyrical and warmly toned—and that contrast is what makes the record work. They're backed by Oscar Peterson on piano with a tight rhythm section, and Peterson does what he does best: swing hard in a trio, no frills, just propulsion. The session happened in a single day, October 16, 1957, and you can hear the immediacy in it.
What actually comes through when you listen is how much ground these two cover without feeling rushed or overstuffed. Hawkins doesn't dominate; Webster doesn't defer. They find the pocket together, trade phrases, sometimes harmonize. The rhythm section stays solid and unobtrusive, which is exactly right—this is about the horns. Peterson's comping is clean and supportive. There's no sense of anyone trying to prove anything beyond "let's see what happens when we play this tune together."
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings gave it top marks, and that's fair—this is a clean, purposeful session that sits comfortably in both players' catalogs without being a peak moment for either one. It's not a record you need to hear before anything else, but if you already know and like both Hawkins and Webster, this is exactly the kind of straightforward, well-recorded encounter that rewards repeated listening.
Who's playing
Ray Browndouble bass
Oscar Petersonpiano
Herb Ellisguitar
Coleman Hawkinstenor saxophone
Ben Webstersaxophone
Alvin Stollerdrums
Where next?
More by Ben Webster
The Tatum Group Masterpieces 1958
At the Renaissance 1960
Soulmates 1963
Ben Webster and Associates 1959
The musicians on this record
Ben Webster Meets Oscar Peterson 1959
Oscar Peterson
plays piano here
plays piano here
♫
The Hawk Flies High 1957
Coleman Hawkins
plays tenor saxophone here
plays tenor saxophone here
Cannonball Adderley and the Poll-Winners 1960
Ray Brown
plays double bass here
plays double bass here
Herb Ellis Meets Jimmy Giuffre 1959
Herb Ellis
plays guitar here
plays guitar here
