The Hawk Flies High

by Coleman Hawkins

Product Description:

Personnel: Coleman Hawkins (tenor saxophone); Idrees Sulieman (trumpet); J.J. Johnson (trombone); Hank Jones (piano); Barry Galbraith (guitar); Oscar Pettiford (bass); Jo Jones (drums).

Recorded at Reeves Sound Studios, New York, New York on March 12 & 15, 1957. Originally released on Riverside (233). Includes liner notes by Orrin Keepnews.

Recording information: Fantasy.

Although Coleman Hawkins was 51 when THE HAWK FLIES HIGH was recorded in 1957, he hadn't lost any of the vigor or imaginative dexterity that had typified his original work in the `30s and `40s. In fact, one of Hawkins's greatest assets was his ability to adapt to and incorporate changing styles, and that's precisely what he does here by bringing his swing-inflected chops into a straight bop context. Surrounded by then-young firebrands J.J. Johnson and Idrees Sulieman (on trombone and trumpet, respectively), Hawkins turns in memorable performances on album highlights such as "Juicy Fruit," "Laura," and "Sanctity." The disc was remastered and reissued in 2008.