BEN WEBSTER-THE SOUND
73.24.15.94 |
||
| Posted on August 25, 2017 at 07:24:55 | ||
|
Posts: 3022
Location: western Missouri Joined: October 9, 2001 |
There was some brief discussion on an earlier thread about this great tenor player, but I thought I would do a new one devoted strictly to him. Webster had a sound on his horn totally his own: Big, round, romantic and sensual, often almost as though he was making love with his instrument (his saxophone, not the other one!). For me that sound defined how the tenor saxophone should sound. If you listen to some of the recordings with other tenor players, e.g., Don Byas, Coleman Hawkins and Dexter Gordon, all essentially from the same era, there is no mistaking who's who on ...Meets Don Byas or Coleman Hawkins Encounters Ben Webster or Ben Webster Dexter Gordon Baden 1972. Webster's sound is unique and easily distinguishable. In addition to those recordings, my other favorites include the quartet with Art Tatum, Soulville, Meet You At the Fair, Gentle Ben, Live at the Renaissance, Meets Gerry Mulligan and almost all of the European recordings with different rhythm sections. Oh, and let's not forget the stuff he did with Ellington, although the sound quality on those mitigates somewhat a full appreciation of that fabulous sound. Webster was not by any means a pioneer or ground breaker, but instead was simply a marvelously consistent soloist, nearly always worthy of a listen.
|
|
| My favs are w/Oscar Peterson Trio. nt, posted on August 25, 2017 at 08:32:55 | |
|
Posts: 10583
Joined: April 12, 2002 |
/
|
