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Webster
Backgrounder: Ben Webster - King of the Tenors
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JazzWax by Marc Myers
Too often we think of the post-war tenor saxophone revolution as being solely in the hands of the tough Coleman Hawkins and laid back Lester Young. There actually was a third revolutionary in the mix—Ben Webster. The breathy Ellingtonian swinger had a gruffer sound than Prez but was more romantic and seductive than Hawk. And while Webster didn't have many followers who imitated his approach, he was still a vibrant force, influencing players such as Lucky Thompson and Jimmy Forrest. ...
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Ben Webster: Webster's Dictionary, 1970
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JazzWax by Marc Myers
One of my favorite Ben Webster albums from the tail end of his career is Webster's Dictionary, recorded in London for Ronnie Scott Records in October 1970. The label was founded by Scott, the famed British tenor saxophonist and club owner, which tells you immediately it's an intelligent record. By intelligent, I mean that Scott did something special with Webster. Rather than the usual album of Ellingtonia or songbook-plus-trio fare, Scott let his saxophone buddy Pete King produce. King bought ...
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Backgrounder: Johnny Hodges and Ben Webster
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JazzWax by Marc Myers
Alto saxophonist Johnny Hodges and tenor saxophonist Ben Webster were a perfect pair. Hodges played with a smooth, bluesy sweetness while Webster offset that with his breathy, husky tone. Both recorded together in the Duke Ellington Orchestra in the 1930s and '40s, and they paired off again in the 1950s on small-group dates. My favorite sessions featuring them in tandem is the so-called Jazz Cellar session of November 1960. It was recorded at a San Francisco club without an audience. ...
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Big 10 by Ben Webster
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JazzWax by Marc Myers
After yesterday's post, I decided to spend the day listening to Ben Webster. In his prime, Webster probably had the biggest sound of any tenor saxophonist. And on ballads, it sounded as if he was weeping through his instrument. Best of all, I love the puffs of air he let off in the spaces on ballads, like a huge truck or bus releasing its air brakes. Here's some of what I was digging yesterday: Here's Webster in Denmark in 1971 ...
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Art Tatum and Ben Webster
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JazzWax by Marc Myers
For me, jazz is divided between those who recorded with Art Tatum and those who didn't. Tatum remains king of the jazz piano—a briskly shaken cocktail of unrivaled technique, impeccable taste and a staggering ability to make you fall in love whatever song he's playing. Every one of his recordings is a gem, exhibiting daring, speed and lyricism. In solo and trio recordings, you are exposed to raw Tatum in all his centipedic glory. But in group settings, you get ...
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Doc: Ben Webster in Europe
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JazzWax by Marc Myers
In this 31-minute documentary of Ben Webster in Europe in 1967, there are whimsical moments and moments of great artistry. In '67, Webster moved to Amsterdam for a year, where director Johan van der Keuken captured him on film between March and June. It's a vastly humanistic mid-length portrait that showcases Webster's sense of humor and his enormous skill on the tenor saxophone. A special thanks to Gerard Sikma in Rotterdam for sending along the link. For more on the ...
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Jazz this week: Brand X, Tony Grey, Old Webster Jazz and Blues Festival, and more
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St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman
This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis features a bit of a British invasion, with two shows featuring headliners with roots in England's homegrown jazz-rock movement, plus several other noteworthy performances. Let's go to the highlights... Wednesday, September 13 The reunited British fusion band Brand X, touring in support of a live album recorded on tour last year, will perform at the Old Rock House. Also on Wednesday, the “Grand Center Jazz Crawl" will feature ...
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Ben Webster + Ahmad Jamal
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JazzWax by Marc Myers
Jazz From Studio 61 was a CBS show hosted by Robert Herridge that aired on February 15, 1960. It was part of the network's Herridge-produced Robert Herridge Theater series. For this half-hour jazz program, Herridge brought together two groups—one led by tenor saxophonist Ben Webster and the other by pianist Ahmad Jamal. In the past, I've only found this show chopped up into segments on YouTube. Now it looks like Don Kaart has uploaded a top-quality print of the entire ...
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Jazz this week: "Music at the Intersection," Tammy McCann, Old Webster Jazz & Blues Festival, Koplant No, and more
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St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman
While this weekend's calendar of jazz and creative music in St. Louis offers a number of noteworthy events, yr. StLJN editor's efforts remain hampered by my recent hand injury, which means today's post once again will be rather short and to the point. Let's go to the highlights.... Thursday, September 15 Guitarist Todd Mosby plays a free concert for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University, and the Young Friends of Jazz St. Louis host their first event of ...
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