Benjamin Francis Webster (Kansas City, Missouri, USA, March 27, 1909 – Amst… Read Full Bio ↴Benjamin Francis Webster (Kansas City, Missouri, USA, March 27, 1909 – Amsterdam, The Netherlands, September 20, 1973) was an influential American jazz tenor saxophonist.
Ben Webster, a.k.a. "The Brute" or "Frog", was considered one of the three most important "swing tenors" along with Coleman Hawkins (his main influence) and Lester Young. Known affectionately as "The Brute", he had a tough, raspy, and brutal tone on stomps (with his own distinctive growls), yet on ballads he played with warmth and sentiment. Stylistically he was also indebted to alto star Johnny Hodges, who, he said, taught him to play his instrument.
Webster learned to play piano and violin at an early age, before learning to play the saxophone. Once Budd Johnson showed him some basics on the saxophone, Webster began to play that instrument in the Young Family Band (which at the time included Lester Young). Webster spent time with quite a few orchestras in the 1930s (including Andy Kirk, Fletcher Henderson in 1934, Benny Carter, Willie Bryant, Cab Calloway, and the short-lived Teddy Wilson big band).
In 1940 Ben Webster became the first major tenor soloist of Duke Ellington's orchestra. During the next three years he was on many famous recordings, including "Cotton Tail" and "All Too Soon." After three productive years of playing with Ellington, Webster left the band in an angry altercation, during which he cut up one of Ellington's suits. After leaving Ellington in 1943, Webster worked on 52nd Street in New York City; recorded frequently as both a leader and a sideman; had short periods with Raymond Scott, John Kirby, and Sid Catlett; and toured with Jazz at the Philharmonic during several seasons in the 1950s.
Webster recorded a classic set with pianist Art Tatum and generally worked steadily, but in 1964 he moved permanently to join other American jazz musicians in Copenhagen, Denmark where he played when he pleased during his last decade. Although not all that flexible, Webster could swing with the best, and his tone was a later influence on such diverse players as Archie Shepp, Lew Tabackin, Scott Hamilton, David Murray, and Bennie Wallace. In 1971 Webster reunited with Duke Ellington and his big band for a couple of shows at the Tivoli Gardens in Denmark
Ben Webster died in Amsterdam, The Netherlands in 1973 and was interred in the Assistens Kirkegård in the Nørrebro section of Copenhagen.
After Webster's death, Billy Moore Jr. created The Ben Webster Foundation, together with the trustee of Webster's estate. Since Webster's only legal heir, Harley Robinson in Los Angeles, gladly assigned his rights to the foundation, The Ben Webster Foundation was confirmed by The Queen of Denmark's Seal in 1976. In the Foundation's trust deed, one of the initial paragraphs reads: "to support the dissemination of jazz in Denmark".
It is a beneficial Foundation, which channels Webster's annual royalties to musicians, both in Denmark and the U.S. An annual Ben Webster Prize is awarded to a young outstanding musician. The prize is not large, but considered highly prestigious. Over the years, several American musicians have visited Denmark with the help of the Foundation, and concerts, a few recordings, and other jazz-related events have been supported.
Webster's private collection of jazz recordings and memorabilia is archived in the jazz collections at the University Library of Southern Denmark, Odense.
Ben Webster has a street named after him in southern Copenhagen, "Ben Websters Vej" (Ben Webster's Street).
Ben Webster, a.k.a. "The Brute" or "Frog", was considered one of the three most important "swing tenors" along with Coleman Hawkins (his main influence) and Lester Young. Known affectionately as "The Brute", he had a tough, raspy, and brutal tone on stomps (with his own distinctive growls), yet on ballads he played with warmth and sentiment. Stylistically he was also indebted to alto star Johnny Hodges, who, he said, taught him to play his instrument.
Webster learned to play piano and violin at an early age, before learning to play the saxophone. Once Budd Johnson showed him some basics on the saxophone, Webster began to play that instrument in the Young Family Band (which at the time included Lester Young). Webster spent time with quite a few orchestras in the 1930s (including Andy Kirk, Fletcher Henderson in 1934, Benny Carter, Willie Bryant, Cab Calloway, and the short-lived Teddy Wilson big band).
In 1940 Ben Webster became the first major tenor soloist of Duke Ellington's orchestra. During the next three years he was on many famous recordings, including "Cotton Tail" and "All Too Soon." After three productive years of playing with Ellington, Webster left the band in an angry altercation, during which he cut up one of Ellington's suits. After leaving Ellington in 1943, Webster worked on 52nd Street in New York City; recorded frequently as both a leader and a sideman; had short periods with Raymond Scott, John Kirby, and Sid Catlett; and toured with Jazz at the Philharmonic during several seasons in the 1950s.
Webster recorded a classic set with pianist Art Tatum and generally worked steadily, but in 1964 he moved permanently to join other American jazz musicians in Copenhagen, Denmark where he played when he pleased during his last decade. Although not all that flexible, Webster could swing with the best, and his tone was a later influence on such diverse players as Archie Shepp, Lew Tabackin, Scott Hamilton, David Murray, and Bennie Wallace. In 1971 Webster reunited with Duke Ellington and his big band for a couple of shows at the Tivoli Gardens in Denmark
Ben Webster died in Amsterdam, The Netherlands in 1973 and was interred in the Assistens Kirkegård in the Nørrebro section of Copenhagen.
After Webster's death, Billy Moore Jr. created The Ben Webster Foundation, together with the trustee of Webster's estate. Since Webster's only legal heir, Harley Robinson in Los Angeles, gladly assigned his rights to the foundation, The Ben Webster Foundation was confirmed by The Queen of Denmark's Seal in 1976. In the Foundation's trust deed, one of the initial paragraphs reads: "to support the dissemination of jazz in Denmark".
It is a beneficial Foundation, which channels Webster's annual royalties to musicians, both in Denmark and the U.S. An annual Ben Webster Prize is awarded to a young outstanding musician. The prize is not large, but considered highly prestigious. Over the years, several American musicians have visited Denmark with the help of the Foundation, and concerts, a few recordings, and other jazz-related events have been supported.
Webster's private collection of jazz recordings and memorabilia is archived in the jazz collections at the University Library of Southern Denmark, Odense.
Ben Webster has a street named after him in southern Copenhagen, "Ben Websters Vej" (Ben Webster's Street).
My Ideal
Ben Webster Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'My Ideal' by these artists:
Art Tatum and His Orchestra Will I ever find the boy in my mind The one…
Bing Crosby Will I ever find the boy in my mind The one…
Bob Eberly Will I ever find the girl on my mind, The one…
Chet Baker Long ago my heart and mind Got together and designed The won…
Chet Baker / Stan Getz Quartet Long ago my heart and mind Got together and designed The w…
Chet Baker Quartet & Russ Freeman Long ago my heart and mind Got together and designed The won…
Chet Baker Russ Freeman Jimmy Bond and Lawrence Marable Long ago my heart and mind Got together and designed The w…
Chet Baker-Archie Shep Quartet Long ago my heart and mind Got together and designed The won…
Chris Connor Will I ever find the boy in my mind The one…
Dinah Washington Will I ever find the boy in my mind The one…
Frank Sinatra Will I ever find the girl on my mind, the…
Gene Krupa and His Orchestra Will I ever find the boy in my mind The one…
Hadda Brooks Long ago my heart and mind Got together and designed The w…
Helen Forrest & Carmen Dragon and His Orchestra Will I ever find the boy in my mind The one…
Jackie Gleason Will I ever find the boy in my mind The one…
Jimmy Dorsey Will I ever find the girl on my mind, The one…
Jimmy Dorsey & His Orchestra Feat. Bob Eberly Will I ever find the girl on my mind, The one…
Jimmy Dorsey v/Bob Eberly Will I ever find the girl on my mind, The one…
Johnnie Ray Will I ever find the boy in my mind The one…
Lawrence Marable Russ Freeman James Bond and Chet Baker Long ago my heart and mind Got together and designed The w…
Lee Wiley Will I ever find the boy in my mind The one…
Margaret Whiting Will I ever find the boy in my mind The one…
Maurice Chevalier Will I ever find The girl {boy} in my mind, The…
Moxie We are few, we are drops. We're that old picture Supposed …
Sarah Vaughan Will I ever find the boy in my mind The one…
Stan Getz & Chet Baker Long ago my heart and mind Got together and designed The won…
Stan Getz/Chet Baker Long ago my heart and mind Got together and designed The w…
The Stan Getz Quartet Long ago my heart and mind Got together and designed The won…
Tony Bennett Will I ever find the girl on my mind, the…
Van Morrison & Chet Baker Long ago my heart and mind Got together and designed The won…
Wendy Moten li grave nan keur'm tanku tatou mon frère quand tu l'as…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Ben Webster:
A Ghost Of A Chance I need your love so badly, I love you, oh,…
A Sunbonnet Blue A sunbonnet blue and a yellow straw hat Shy little he…
After You're Gone Now won't you listen honey, while I say, How could…
All Too Soon All too soon We had to part The moment you had touched…
Almost Like Being in Love What a day this has been! What a rare mood I'm…
Almost Like Being Love What a day this has been! What a rare mood I'm…
Amor Amor, amor, amor This word so sweet that I repeat Means I…
Autumn Leaves The falling leaves drift by the window The autumn leaves of…
Bidin' My Time When the day fades away into twilight The moon is my…
Blue Moon Blue moon you saw me standing alone Without a dream in…
Blues Blue moon you saw me standing alone Without a dream in…
Body and Soul My heart is sad and lonely For you I sigh, for…
But Beautiful Love is funny or it's sad, Or it's quiet or…
C Jam Blues Baby, take me down to Duke's place Wildest box in town…
Caravan Night and stars above that shine so bright The myst'ry…
Caravan - live Night and stars above that shine so bright The myst'ry of…
Chelsea Bridge I was a stranger in the city Out of town were…
Chloe Chloe! Chloe! Someone's calling, no reply Nightshade's f…
Come Sunday Ooh Lord, dear Lord above, God almighty, God of love, Pleas…
Cotton Tail Come on, wail Wail, cotton tail Benny Webster, come on and b…
Danny Boy Oh, Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling From glen…
Do Nothin till you hear from me Someone told someone and someone told you But they wouldn't …
Do nothing til you hear from me Someone told someone and someone told you But they wouldn't…
Do Nothing Till yoou Hear From Me Someone told someone and someone told you But they wouldn't …
Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me Someone told someone and someone told you But they wouldn't…
Don't Blame Me Ever since the lucky night I found you I've hung around…
Don't Get Around Much Any More Missed the Saturday dance Heard they crowded the floor Could…
Don't Get Atound Much Any More Missed the Saturday dance Heard they crowded the floor Cou…
Dont Get Around Much Any More Missed the Saturday dance Heard they crowded the floor Could…
Duke's In Bed My heart is heavy as lead Because the blues has done…
Easy to Love I know too well that I'm just wasting precious time In…
Emaline Don't you hear my heart whisper thru your window, Emaline? I…
Embraceable You Embrace me, my sweet embraceable you! Embrace me, you irrepl…
Exactly Like You I used to have a perfect sweetheart Not a real one,…
Fall Of Love Maybe I'm old fashioned, feeling as I do Maybe I am…
Five O'Clock Drag You're "hep" to what's buzzin', cousin; You're up on what's …
Honeysuckle Rose Every honey bee fills with jealousy When they see you out…
How Deep Is the Ocean How much do I love you? I'll tell you no lie How…
How Deep Is the Ocean? How much do I love you? I'll tell you no lie How…
How High the Moon Somewhere there's music How faint the tune Somewhere there's…
How Long As a tot, when I trotted in little velvet panties, I…
How Long Has This Been Going On? As a tot, when I trotted in little velvet panties, I…
I Can't Get Started I've flown around the world in a plane I've settled…
I can't get started with you I've flown around the world in a plane I've settled…
I Got It Bad Though folks with good intentions Tell me to save my tears W…
I Got Rhythm Days can be sunny with never a sigh Don't need what…
I Surrender Dear Pride, sad, splendid liar, Sworn enemy of love Kept my…
I'll Be Back I'll never be the same Stars have lost their meaning for…
I've Got Rhythm I've got you under my skin. I've got you deep in…
If Dreams Come True If dreams come true I'll be with you I love that smile…
In A Mellow In a mellow tone Feeling fancy free And I'm not alone I've g…
In a Sentimental Mood In A Sentimental Mood I can see the stars come…
Irving Berlin: How deep Is the ocean How much do I love you? I'll tell you no lie How…
Jam Blues Baby, take me down to Duke's place Wildest box in town…
Just a Just friends, lovers no more Just friends, but not like befo…
Just a Settin and a Rockin' I don't go out walking I ain't for no talking My baby's…
Just You Just Me Just you, just me Let's find a cozy spot To cuddle and…
Lady Be Good Listen to my tale of woe, It's terribly sad but…
Like Someone In Love Lately, I find myself out gazing at stars, Hearing guitars…
Londonderry Air Oh, Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling From glen…
Love Is Here to Stay It's very clear, our love is here to stay Not for…
Lover Come Back to Me You went away I let you We broke the ties that bind I…
Makin' Whoopee Another bride, another June Another sunny honeymoon Another …
Memories of you Waking skies at sunrise Every sunset too Seems to be bring…
Misty Look at me I'm as helpless as a kitten up a…
Moonlight In Vermont Pennies in a stream Falling leaves a sycamore Moonlight in V…
My One and Only Love The very thought of you makes my heart sing Like an…
Nearness of You Its not the pale moon that excites me That thrills and…
Oh Lady Be Good Listen to my tale of woe, It's terribly sad but…
Old Folks Everyone knows him as Old Folks Like the seasons, he'll com…
On Green Dolphin Street It seems like a dream, yet I know it happened A…
Once In A While Once in a while will you try to give One little…
Our Love Is Here To Stay It's very clear, our love is here to stay Not for…
Over The Rainbow Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high There's a land that…
Pennies from Heaven Every time it rains, it rains pennies from heaven Don't you…
Perdido Perdido, I look for my heart it's perdido I lost it…
Prelude To A Kiss If you hear A song in blue Like a flower crying For the…
Prisoner of Love Someone that I belong to Doesn't belong to me Someone who …
Sleep Sleep, sleep, sleep How we love to sleep At the close of…
Solitude In my solitude You haunt me With dreadful ease Of days gone …
Someone to Watch Over Me There's a saying old says that love is blind Still were…
Sophisticated Lady Sophisticated lady tryin' to change my ways Just because yo…
Soulville: Where Are You Where are you Where have you gone without me I thought you…
St Louis Blues I hate to see that evening sun go down I hate…
St. James Infirmary It was down by old Joe's barroom, on the corner…
St. Louis Blues I hate to see that evening sun go down I hate…
St.James Infirmary It was down by old Joe's barroom, on the corner…
Star Dust And now the purple dusk of twilight time Steals across the…
Stardust And now the purple dusk of twilight time Steals across the…
Stars Fell On Alabama Moonlight and magnolia, starlight in your hair All the worl…
Stompin' At The Savoy [Instrumental]…
Stormy Weather Don't know why, there's no sun up in the sky Stormy…
Sweet Georgia Brown No gal made has got a shade on sweet Georgia…
Sweet Lorraine Everything is set, skies are blue, Can't believe it yet, but…
Take the ''A'' Train You must take the "A" train To go to Sugar Hill…
Tenderly The evening breeze caressed the trees tenderly The trembling…
That's All I can only give you love that lasts forever And a…
The "C" Jam Blues Baby, take me down to Duke's place Wildest box in town…
The Blues Blue moon you saw me standing alone Without a dream in…
The man I love Maybe I'm old fashioned, feeling as I do Maybe I am…
The Nearness of You Its not the pale moon that excites me That thrills and…
The Sheik Of Araby "I'm the Sheik of Araby, Your love belongs to me. At…
The Whiffenpoof Song To the tables down at Mory's To the place where Louie…
There Is No Greater Love There is no greater love Than what I feel for you No…
Time After Time When the day fades away into twilight The moon is my…
Trav'lin' Light I'm trav'lin' light Because my man has gone So from now on…
Trouble In Mind Trouble in mind, I'm blue But I won't be blue always, 'Cau…
What a Little Moonlight Can Do Ooh, ooh, ooh What a little moonlight can do Ooh, ooh, ooh W…
What Is This Thing Called Love I was a hum-drum person Leading a life apart When love flew…
What'll It Be Wrong Would it be wrong to kiss Seeing I feel like this Woul…
When I Fall in Love Maybe I'm old fashioned, feeling as I do Maybe I am…
When Lights Are Low Listen to the melody entrancing Blending in a soft and sweet…
When Your Lover Has Gone What good is the scheming, the planning and dreaming That co…
where are you You are too beautiful, my dear, to be true And I…
Where Are You? Where are you Where have you gone without me I thought you…
Where or When It seems we stood and talked like this before We looked…
Who's Got Rhythm Days can be sunny with never a sigh Don't need what…
Willow Weep for Me Yes, willow weep for me Willow weep for me Bend your branche…
Yesterdays Yesterdays Yesterdays Days I knew as happy sweet Sequestered…
You Are Too Beautiful You are too beautiful, my dear, to be true And I…
You'd Be so Nice to Come Home To You'd be so nice to come home to You'd be so…
You'll Never Know You'll never know just how much I miss you You'll never…
You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me Every kiss, every hug Seems to act just like a drug You're…
You're My Thrill You're my thrill You do something to me You send chills righ…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
More Genres
No Artists Found
More Artists
Load All
No Albums Found
More Albums
Load All
No Tracks Found
Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Search results not found
Song not found
Li
Listening while reading After Dark. Haruki Murakami has excellent taste in music. :)
nicolas sierra
Same part of book!
Tarık Yıldırım
Türkiye'den selamlar Murakami büyük bir yazar
Carlos Charles
Já conhecia essa gravação e felizmente levo comigo no smartphone pra onde vou.
antonino roca
2 gigantes de la musica que hoy recordamos sabiendo que como ellos ya no los hay.
Bruce Kuehn
I know that some think that Art Tatum can’t be questioned, but I think a great admirer of his, Oscar Peterson, made a better small group mate. When Oscar played with Ben or Prez or others, he could hang back and comp awhile without drawing attention to his own playing. Art alone was truly amazing with his speed and ideas but Oscar could accompany singers and other instrumentalists and let the spotlight fall on someone else. For me, Oscar could have the great solo and still provide the tasteful piano support for the other musicians.
fornatu7
You bring up the 'point of the century'. Assuming Tatum could comp, why didn't he here? And since he is/was (arguably) the single greatest musician ever, maybe Webster didn't care??! I heard Webster had a temper. I'm guessing he wouldn't let anyone walk on him.... maybe except THE Art Tatum.
G-d love to know more about this session. It's the most uncanny album I've ever heard, where solo's are exchanged in a duet form, yet the piano player refuses to stop soloing! One of my favorite all-time records.
Randal Tomasallo
Oscar learned a lot from Tatum and would be the first to say Tatum was a solo pianist. He wasn't a trio player, quartet player or big band pianist. He was a solo player with not just technique, but an uncanny harmonic sophistication that preceded and inspired bebop. What you're hearing here with Webster was Tatum fitting in best he could. Yet we all still want to hear the next few bars whenever it's Art..
Fred Borg
This is what Oscar Peterson said about Art Tatum, "he is the most complete pianist that we have known and possibly will know. I am Tatum-ite"
Amedeo Morrone
Fantastic