The Hawk does Broadway
Bomojaz | South Central PA, USA | 01/04/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This 1962 Moodsville quartet date finds Coleman Hawkins in excellent form performing tunes from Broadway shows. It's an unusually lively date for this label that specialized mainly in slow ballad treatments in a jazz setting, and it's a terrific date because of that. Hawk stays down in the lower register of his tenor throughout most of the selections, and his breathy, smoky tone is most attractive. I'LL TALK TO THE TREES and HERE I'LL STAY are wonderful songs, and Hawk delivers them up brilliantly. Pianist Tommy Flanagan offers superb support and also takes his share of excellent solos (the one on STRANGE MUSIC is especially fine). Not a CD filled with unforgettable masterpieces by the master, just a solid, solid set of wonderful jazz playing by Bean and the boys."