Coleman Hawkins
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Saxophonists · 1904–1969

Coleman Hawkins

American jazz saxophonist (1904–1969)

Born
21 November 1904
St. Joseph
Died
19 May 1969
New York City
Country
United States
Active
1921–
Record labels
Candid Records, Apollo Records
Discography
76 albums

Biography

Coleman Hawkins was a jazz musician who played saxophone. Coleman Hawkins was born on 21 November 1904 in St. Joseph and died on 19 May 1969 in New York City. The music is usually filed under jazz. Record labels: Candid Records and Apollo Records. The discography here lists 76 albums, from “Sir Charles Thompson and His Band Starring Coleman Hawkins” (1954) to “Coleman Hawkins and His Orchestra” (2025).

Coleman Randolph Hawkins (November 21, 1904 – May 19, 1969), nicknamed "Hawk" and sometimes "Bean", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. One of the first prominent jazz musicians on his instrument, as Joachim-Ernst Berendt explained, "There were some tenor players before him, but the instrument was not an acknowledged jazz horn." Hawkins biographer John Chilton described the prevalent styles of tenor saxophone solos prior to Hawkins as "mooing" and "rubbery belches". Hawkins denied being first and noted his contemporaries Happy Caldwell, Stump Evans, and Prince Robinson, although he was the first to tailor his method of improvisation to the saxophone rather than imitate the techniques of the clarinet.

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Discography

Studio and live albums

Sir Charles Thompson and His Band Starring Coleman Hawkins 1954
The "Hawk" Talks 1955
The Hawk Returns 1955
The Hawk in Hi-Fi 1956
At The Opera House 1957 · Live
The Genius of Coleman Hawkins 1957
The Hawk Flies High 1957
Soul 1958
The Gilded Hawk 1958
The High and Mighty Hawk 1958
Hawk Eyes 1959
Swingville: Coleman Hawkins With the Red Garland Trio 1959
At Ease With Coleman Hawkins 1960
Coleman Hawkins and Confrères 1960
Jazz Reunion 1961
Night Hawk 1961
Stasch 1961
The Hawk Relaxes 1961
The Hawk Swings 1961
Desafinado 1962
Back in Bean's Bag 1963
Hawkins! Alive! At The Village Gate 1963 · Live
Coleman Hawkins 1965
Wrapped Tight 1965
Hawk in Germany 1972 · Live
52nd Street; Volume 2 1974
Sirius 1974
In the Hush of the Night 1977
At The Bayou Club Volume 1 1983 · Live
Body And Soul At The Bayou Club Volume 2 1984 · Live
Lover Man 1987 · Live
Bean Stalkin' 1988 · Live
Body and Soul 1988
In a Mellow Tone 1988
Accent on Tenor Sax 1989
Live in Concert 1989 · Live
The Hawk Swings, Volume 2 1989 · Live
Three Great Swing Saxophones 1989
Coleman Hawkins: 1927-1939 1990
Father Bean 1990
Tenor Genius at the Festivals in Cannes and Paris 1990 · Live
Commodore Classics In Swing Coleman Hawkins 1991
Dali 1991
Hawkins! Eldridge! Hodges! Alive! + Alive! At The Village Gate 1992 · Live
Jam Session in Swingville 1992
Standards / Warhorses 1993
The Hawk Takes Flight 1993
The Hawk in Paris 1993 · Live
The Bop Years 1994
Supreme 1995 · Live
Cool Groove 1996
Hawk Talk 1996
Sax, vol 1 1996
Solitude 1996
Good Old Broadway 1997
The Genius of Coleman Hawkins 1997
Dutch Treat! Coleman Hawkins in Holland 1998
Hawk's Groove 1999
At the Golden Circle 2001
Bean and the Boys 2001 · Live
Portrait 2001
Get Happy 2002
Prestige Profiles 2004
At Newport 2007 · Live
and His Confréres 2010
Coleman Hawkins 2011
The Lost 1950 Munich Concert 2014 · Live
Savoy Ballroom Sessions (Live) 2018
Selected Sessions (1934-1943) 2019
The Complete 1960 Essen Jazz Festival 2019 · Live
Too Cool 2022
Hawk Eyes 2023
Coleman Hawkins and His Orchestra 2025
Disorder At The Border · Live
Hawkins! Alive! At the Village Gate
Jazz/Tones

Also plays on

Albums where Coleman Hawkins is credited as a sideman

Analysed solos by Coleman Hawkins

Historic 78 rpm records

  • OL' PAPPY Benny Goodman · Coleman Hawkins · Mildred Bailey archive.org ↗
  • GEORGIA JUBILEE BENNY GOODMAN & HIS ORCHESTRA · Manny Klein · Charlie Margulis ·… archive.org ↗
  • HOW HIGH THE MOON Willie Smith · Coleman Hawkins, Flip Phillips · Buck Clayton ·… archive.org ↗
  • EMALINE BENNY GOODMAN & HIS ORCHESTRA · Coleman Hawkins · Manny Klein ·… archive.org ↗
  • HOW HIGH THE MOON Willie Smith · Coleman Hawkins; Flip Phillips · Buck Clayton ·… archive.org ↗
  • GEORGIA JUBILEE BENNY GOODMAN & HIS ORCHESTRA · Coleman Hawkins · Manny Klein… archive.org ↗
  • SWINGING IN THE GROOVE COLEMAN HAWKINS TRIO · Coleman Hawkins · Maurice Van Clef · Freddy… archive.org ↗
  • JUNK MAN Benny Goodman · Coleman Hawkins · Mildred Bailey archive.org ↗

Listen on Spotify

Frequently asked questions

What instrument did Coleman Hawkins play?

Coleman Hawkins is known for playing saxophone.

When and where was Coleman Hawkins born?

Coleman Hawkins was born 21 November 1904 in St. Joseph.

What are Coleman Hawkins's best-known albums?

Albums in our database include Sir Charles Thompson and His Band Starring Coleman Hawkins (1954), The "Hawk" Talks (1955), The Hawk Returns (1955), The Hawk in Hi-Fi (1956) and At The Opera House (1957).

External links

Data compiled from open sources; see the source links below. Spotted an error? Let us know.