Fellow saxophonist Lester Young, known as "Pres", commented in a 1959 interview with The Jazz Review: "As far as I'm concerned, I think Coleman Hawkins was the President first, right? As far as myself, I think I'm the second one." Miles Davis once said: "When I heard Hawk, I learned to play ballads."
One of the first prominent jazz musicians on his instrument, as Joachim E. Berendt explained: "there were some tenor players before him, but the instrument was not an acknowledged jazz horn".
Hawkins was born in Saint Joseph, Missouri, in 1904. Although some sources say 1901, there is no evidence to prove an earlier date; instead, there is record of Hawkins's parents' first child, a girl, being born in 1901 and dying at the age of two, possibly basis for the mistaken belief. He was named Coleman after his mother Cordelia's maiden name.
He attended high school in Chicago, then in Topeka, Kansas at Topeka High School. He later stated that he studied harmony and composition for two years at Washburn College in Topeka while still attending high school. In his youth he played piano and cello and started playing saxophone at the age of nine; by the age of fourteen he was playing around eastern Kansas.
Hawkins's first major gig was with Mamie Smith's Jazz Hounds in 1921, and he was with the band full time from April 1922 to 1923, when he settled in New York City. In the Jazz Hounds, he coincided with Garvin Bushell, Everett Robbins, Bubber Miley and Herb Flemming, among others. Hawkins joined Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra, where he remained until 1934, sometimes doubling on clarinet and bass saxophone. Hawkins's playing changed significantly during Louis Armstrong's tenure with the Henderson Orchestra (1924–25). In the late 1920s, Hawkins also participated in some of the earliest interracial recording sessions with the Mound City Blue Blowers. During his time with Henderson, he became a star soloist with an increasing amount of solos space on records. While with the band, he and Henry "Red" Allen recorded a series of small group sides for ARC (on their Perfect, Melotone, Romeo, and Oriole labels). Hawkins also recorded a number of solo recordings, with either piano or with a pick-up band of Henderson's musicians in 1933–34, just prior to his period in Europe. He was also featured on a Benny Goodman session on February 2, 1934 for Columbia, which also featured Mildred Bailey as guest vocalist.
In late 1934, Hawkins accepted an invitation to play with Jack Hylton's orchestra in London, and toured Europe as a soloist until 1939, performing and recording with Django Reinhardt and Benny Carter in Paris in 1937. Following his return to the United States, on October 11, 1939, he recorded a two-chorus performance of the pop standard "Body and Soul", which he had been performing at Bert Kelly's New York venue, Kelly's Stables. In a landmark recording of the swing era, recorded as an afterthought at the session, Hawkins ignores almost all of the melody, with only the first four bars stated in a recognizable fashion. In its exploration of harmonic structure it is considered by many to be the next evolutionary step in jazz recording after Louis Armstrong's "West End Blues" in 1928.
After an unsuccessful attempt to establish a big band, he led a combo at Kelly's Stables on Manhattan's 52nd Street with Thelonious Monk, Oscar Pettiford, Miles Davis, and Max Roach as sidemen. Hawkins always had a keen ear for new talent and styles, and he was the leader on what is generally considered to have been the first ever bebop recording session in 1944 with Dizzy Gillespie and Max Roach. Later he toured with Howard McGhee and recorded with J. J. Johnson and Fats Navarro. He also toured with Jazz at the Philharmonic.
After 1948 Hawkins divided his time between New York and Europe, making numerous freelance recordings. In 1948 Hawkins recorded "Picasso", an early piece for unaccompanied saxophone.
Hawkins directly influenced many bebop performers, and later in his career, recorded or performed with such adventurous musicians as Sonny Rollins, who considered him as his main influence, and John Coltrane. He appears on the Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane (Jazzland/Riverside) record. In 1960 he recorded on Max Roach's We Insist! suite.
In the 1950s, Hawkins performed with more traditional musicians such as Henry "Red" Allen and Roy Eldridge with whom he appeared at the 1957 Newport Jazz Festival and recorded Coleman Hawkins Encounters Ben Webster with fellow tenor saxophonist Ben Webster along with Oscar Peterson (piano), Herb Ellis (guitar), Ray Brown (bass), and Alvin Stoller (drums). In the 1960s, he appeared regularly at the Village Vanguard in Manhattan.
Meanwhile, Hawkins had began to drink heavily and his recording output began to wane. However, he did manage to record some notable albums, including an album for the Impulse! label with Duke Ellington. His last recording was in 1967.
With failing health, Hawkins succumbed to pneumonia in 1969 and is interred in the Yew Plot at the Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx.
The Song of the Hawk, a 1990 biography written by British jazz historian John Chilton, chronicles Hawkins's career as one of the most significant jazz performers of the 20th century.
Stompin at the Savoy
Coleman Hawkins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Savoy--it wins you with a glance
Savoy gives happy feet a chance to dance
Your old form just like a clinging vine
Your lips so warm and sweet as wine
Your cheek so soft and close to mine, divine
How my heart is singing
I'm never tired of romping
And stomping with you at the Savoy
What joy, a perfect holiday
Savoy, where we can glide and sway
Savoy, let me stomp away with you
The home of sweet romance
It wins you at a glance
Gives happy feet a chance to dance
Just like a clinging vine
So soft and sweet as wine
So soft and close to mine, divine
How my heart is singing
While the band is swinging
I'm never, never, never tired of romping
And stomping with you at the Savoy
What joy, a perfect holiday
Savoy, where we can glide and sway
Savoy, let me stomp away with you
The lyrics of "Stompin' At the Savoy," a jazz standard composed by Benny Goodman, Andy Razaf, and Chick Webb in 1934, describe the experience of dancing with a lover at the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem, New York City, which was a renowned venue for swing dancing during the 1930s. The first stanza evokes the romantic allure of the Savoy, which is portrayed as a place where happy feet can express themselves through dance. The singer is captivated by the beauty of their partner, whose lips are "warm and sweet as wine" and whose cheek is "soft and close to mine, divine." The second stanza emphasizes the joy and excitement of dancing to the swing rhythms played by the band at the Savoy, which lifts the singer's spirit and makes their heart sing with pleasure. The repeated refrain reinforces the idea that dancing with the beloved at the Savoy is a perfect holiday, a moment of pure bliss that the singer never tires of.
The lyrics of "Stompin' At the Savoy" reflect the cultural and social context of Harlem in the 1930s, when swing music and dance were popular among African American communities. The Savoy Ballroom, which opened in 1926 and closed in 1958, was a hub of swing culture, attracting dancers of all ages and backgrounds. The ballroom had a large dance floor, a bandstand, and a mezzanine where people could watch the dancers below. The Savoy was known for its energetic and competitive dance contests, which encouraged dancers to showcase their skills and creativity. The Savoy also hosted many famous jazz musicians, such as Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Ella Fitzgerald, who performed there and inspired the dancers with their music. The lyrics of "Stompin' At the Savoy" celebrate the joy and freedom of swing dancing, which allowed people to express themselves physically and emotionally, and to connect with others in a dynamic and rhythmic way.
In summary, "Stompin' At the Savoy" is a song that pays tribute to the Savoy Ballroom as a place of romance, joy, and artistic excellence, where dancers could experience the thrill of swing music and express themselves through movement. The lyrics evoke a sense of nostalgia for a bygone era when the Savoy was a center of African American culture and creativity, and when swing music and dance were a source of pride and identity for many people.
Line by Line Meaning
Savoy--the home of sweet romance
The Savoy is a place where love is present everywhere
Savoy--it wins you with a glance
A quick look at the Savoy is enough to enchant you
Savoy gives happy feet a chance to dance
Dancing at the Savoy is joyful and liberating
Your old form just like a clinging vine
You hold on to me tightly like a vine to a tree
Your lips so warm and sweet as wine
Your kisses are intoxicatingly pleasurable
Your cheek so soft and close to mine, divine
Feeling your soft cheek against mine is heavenly
How my heart is singing
I am overwhelmed with emotions
While the band is swinging
The music is lively and upbeat
I'm never tired of romping
I never want to stop dancing
And stomping with you at the Savoy
I want to dance with you at the Savoy
What joy, a perfect holiday
It brings great happiness and creates unforgettable memories
Savoy, where we can glide and sway
A place where we can dance gracefully and rhythmically
Savoy, let me stomp away with you
Let's dance energetically together at the Savoy
Lyrics © REGENT MUSIC CORPORATION, BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Benny Goodman, Edgar Sampson, Chick Webb
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind