Coleman 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.
CD1
Mound City Blue Blowers (New York, 14 Nov 1929, VICTOR)
1. 57145-3 Hello, Lola!
2. 57146-3 One Hour (If I Could Be With You One Hour Tonight)
Jack Purvis And His Orchestra (New York, 4 April 1930, OKEH)
3. 403891-A Dismal Dan
4. 403892-A Poor Richard
5. 403893-A Down Georgia Way
McKenzie's Mound City Blue Blowers (New York, 30 Oct 1930, Columbia)
6. 10194-3 Girls Like You Were Meant for Boys Like Me
Mound City Blue Blowers (New York, 30 June 1931, OKEH
7. 404966-C Georgia on My Mind
8. 404967-B I Can't Believe That You're in Love With Me
9. 404994-A The Darktown Strutters' Ball
10. 404995-A You Rascal You
Henry Allen - Coleman Hawkins And Their Orchestra (New York, *27 March & 21 July 1933, *Brunswick & Banner)
11. 13183-A Someday, Sweetheart*
12. 13184-A I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate*
13. 13616-1 The River's Takin' Care of Me
14. 13617-1 Ain't Cha Got Music
15. 13618-1 Stringin' Along on a Shoe String
16. 13619-1 Shadows on the Swanee
Coleman Hawkins And His Orchestra (New York, 29 Sept 1933, Parlophone)
17. 265143-2 The Day You Came Along
18. 265144-2 Jamaica Shout
19. 265145-2 Heartbreak Blues
Horace Henderson And His Orchestra (New York, 3 Oct 1933, Parlophone)
20. 265150-2 Happy Feet
21. 265151-1 I'm Rhythm Crazy Now
22. 265152-1 Ol' Man River
23. 265153-2 Minnie the Moocher's Wedding Day
24. 265154-1 Ain't Cha Glad?
CD2
As above.
1. 265155-1 I've Got to Sing a Torch Song
Henry Allen - Coleman Hawkins And Their Orchestra (New York, 9 Nov 1933, Banner) 2. 14282-1 Hush My Mouth (If I Ain't Goin' South)
3. 14283-1 You're Gonna Lose Your Gal
4. 14284-1 Dark Clouds
5. 14285-1 My Galveston Gal
Benny Goodman And His Orchestra (New York, 2 Feb 1934, Columbia)
6. 152701-3 Georgia Jubilee
7. 152702-2 Junk Man
8. 152702-3 Junk Man
9. 152703-2 Ol' Pappy
10. 152704-2 Emaline
Coleman Hawkins (New York, 8 March 1934, Parlophone)
11. 265173-2 I Ain't Got Nobody
12. 265174-2 It Sends Me
13. 265175-1 On the Sunny Side of the Street
Coleman Hawkins (London, 18 Nov 1934, Parlophone)
14. CE-6739-1 Lullaby
15. CE-6740-1 Oh, Lady Be Good
16. CE-6741-1 Lost in a Fog
17. CE-6742-1 Honeysuckle Rose
Coleman Hawkins acc. by The Ramblers (The Hague, 4 Feb 1935, Decca)
18 AM-148-2 Some of These Days Brooks 2:33
19 AM-149-1 After You've Gone
20 AM-149-2 After You've Gone
21 AM-150-1 I Only Have Eyes for You
22 AM-150-2 I Only Have Eyes for You
23 AM-151-1 I Wish I Were Twins
24 AM-151-2 I Wish I Were Twins
CD3
1. AM-153-1 Hands Across the Table
2. AM-153-2 Hands Across the Table
Coleman Hawkins acc. by Michel Warlop And His Orchestra (Paris, 2 March 1935, HMV)
3. OLA-346-1 Blue Moon
4. OLA-347-1 Avalon
5. OLA-348-1 What a Diff'rence a Day Made
6. OLA-349-1 Stardust
Coleman Hawkins acc. by The Ramblers (Laren, 26 Aug 1935, Decca)
7. AM-177-1 Chicago
8. AM-177-2 Chicago
9. AM-178-2 Meditation
10. AM-179-1 What Harlem Is to Me
11. AM-179-2 What Harlem Is to Me
12. AM-180-1 Netcha's Dream
13. AM-180-2 Netcha's Dream
Coleman Hawkins acc. by The Berries (Zurich, April 1936, Parlophone)
14. BB 1075-1 Love Cries
15. BB 1076-2 Sorrow
16. BB 1077-1 Tiger Rag17. BB 1078-1 It May Not Be True
Coleman Hawkins (Bern 1937, private recording)
18. FK 103-A I'm in the Mood for Love
Coleman Hawkins acc. by The Ramblers (Laren, 26 April 1937, Decca)
19. AM-376-1 I Wanna Go Back to Harlem
20. AM-376-2 I Wanna Go Back to Harlem
21. AM-377-1 Consolation
22. AM-377-2 Consolation
23. AM-378-1 Strange Fact
24. AM-378-2 Strange Fact
CD4
1. AM-379-1 Original Dixieland One-Step
2. AM-379-2 Original Dixieland One-Step
3. AM-380-1 Smiles
4. AM-380-2 Smiles
5. AM-381-1 Something Is Gonna Give Me Away
6. AM-381-2 Something Is Gonna Give Me Away
Coleman Hawkins And His All Star Jam Band (Paris, 28 April 1937, Swing)
7. OLA 1742-1 Honeysuckle Rose
8. OLA 1743-1 Crazy Rhythm
9. OLA 1744-1 Out of Nowhere
10. OLA 1745-1 Sweet Georgia Brown
Coleman Hawkins (Laren, 26 May 1937, Decca)
11. AM-382-1 Lamentation Bulterman 3:15
12. AM-382-2 Lamentation Bulterman 3:01
13. AM-383-1 Devotion Hawkins 2:51
14. AM-383-2 Devotion Hawkins 2:46
Benny Carter, Coleman Hawkins, Freddy Johnson And Orchestra (The Hague, 18 Aug 1937, Panachord)
15. AM-397-1 Somebody Loves Me
16. AM-397-2 Somebody Loves Me
17. AM-398-3 Mighty Like the Blues
18. AM-399-1 Pardon Me, Pretty Baby
19. AM-399-2 Pardon Me, Pretty Baby
20. AM-400-1 My Buddy
21. AM-400-2 My Buddy
Coleman Hawkins (same as above)
22. AM-401-2 Stardust
23. AM-402-2 Well, All Right Then
Coleman Hawkins Trio (Laren, 14 June 1938, Panachord)
24. AM-488-1 Blues Evermore
CD5
As above.
1. AM-488-2 Blues Evermore
2. AM-489-1 Dear Old Southland
3. AM-489-2 Dear Old Southland
4. AM-490-1 Way Down Yonder in New Orleans
5. AM-490-2 Way Down Yonder in New Orleans
6. AM-491-1 I Know That You Know
7. AM-491-2 I Know That You Know
8. AM-492-2 When Buddha Smiles
9. AM-492-2 When Buddha Smiles
10. AM-493-1 Swinging in the Groove
11. AM-493-2 Swinging in the Groove
Jack Hylton And His Orchestra
12. OEA 7953-1 Darktown Strutters' Ball
13. OEA 7954-2 My Melancholy Baby
Coleman Hawkins And His Orchestra (New York, 11 Oct 1939, Bluebird)
14. 042933-8 Meet Doctor Foo
15. 042934-12 Fine Dinner
16. 042935-1 She's Funny That Way
17. 042936-1 Body and Soul
Coleman Hawkins And His Orchestra (New York, 3 January 1940, Bluebird)
18. 046156-1 When Day Is Done
19. 046157-1 Sheik of Araby
20. 046158-1 My Blue Heaven
21. 046159-1 Bouncing with Bean
Coleman Hawkins And The Chocolate Dandies (New York, 25 May 1940, Commodore)
22. R 2995-T Smack
23. R 2995-1 Smack
24. R 2995-2 Smack
CD6
Same.
1. R 2995-3 Smack
2. R 2995 Smack
3. R 2995-4 Smack
4. R 2996 I Surrender, Dear
5. R 2996-2/1 I Surrender, Dear
6. R 2996-2 I Surrender, Dear
7. R 2996-3 I Surrender, Dear
8. R 2997 I Can't Believe That You're in Love With Me
9. R 2997-1 I Can't Believe That You're in Love With Me
10. R 2998 Dedication
11. R 2998-1 Dedication
12. R 2998-2 Dedication
Coleman Hawkins And His Orchestra (New York, 9 August 1940, OKEH)
13. 27850-2 Passin' It Around
14. 27851- Serenade to a Sleeping Beauty
15. 27852-1 Rocky Comfort
16. 27853-1 Forgive a Fool
Metronome All-Star Band (New York, 16 January 1941, Victor)
17. 060331-1 Bugle Call Rag
18. 060332-1 One O'Clock Jump
Count Basie And His Orchestra (Chicago, 10 April 1941, OKEH)
19. C-3678-1 Nine-Twenty Special
20. C-3678-2 Nine-Twenty Special
21. C-3680-1 Feedin' the Bean
22. C-3680-2 Feedin' the Bean
