Colman Hawkins - The Hawk Flies High

Hawkins is one of the greatest tenor sax players the world has ever known, a great improviser and almost as much an influence on bebop as Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. This 1957 album was recorded at a time when Hawkins wasn’t in fashion, but it actually triggered a renaissance for the artist, who was then in his 50s. He often surrounded himself with younger musicians and The Hawk Flies High features the likes of JJ Johnson on trombone, Idrees Sulieman on trumpet, Hank Jones on piano, Barry Galbraith on guitar and Oscar Pettiford on bass. The six tracks are excellently arranged and played, and include Mercer and Raksin’s Laura, plus Hawkins’ own Sancticity. This Mobile Fidelity pressing is a half-speed edition on heavyweight vinyl. Wonderfully produced, the half-speed mastering enhances both dynamics and detail.