Swiss Radio Days Jazz Series Vol. 13: Lausanne 1949

There are relatively few live Coleman Hawkins recordings from the 1940s, but this broadcast from a 1949 concert in Lausanne, Switzerland, is a welcome addition to his discography, even if the sound is a bit distorted with surface noise. The big-toned tenor sax giant is heard with a quartet that includes drummer Kenny Clarke, bassist Pierre Michelot, and pianist Jean-Paul Mangeon, including Hawkins' driving "Rifftide" (a reworking of "Oh, Lady be Good") as well as "Stuffy" and another riff tune, "Disorder at the Border." "Sophisticated Lady" is a great ballad feature for Hawkins, and "Body and Soul" was readily expected by audiences after his famous 1939 recording became a landmark. Trombonist Nat Peck, along with alto saxophonist Hubert Fol and tenor saxophonist James Moody, appears on several numbers, but none of them are anywhere near the equal of Coleman Hawkins during this concert. Even with the nagging sound problems, this CD is worth picking up. ~ Ken Dryden