Coleman Hawkins - The Hawk in Paris (Remastered) (2022) [Hi-Res]

Hawk first visited Paris in the mid 1930's and acquired a life-long love for European culture and acceptance . Like many American Jazzmen of his time it was here that he felt he had garnered the first real appreciation due to him as an artist.

Whilst recorded in New York this album is comprised of songs associated with France and with Paris in particular. Hawkins collaborates on these selections with composer/arranger Manny Albam. This was a musical partnership that would be re-visited in 1965 with the "Wrapped Tight " session. The arrangements are highly dramatic but contain many humorous moments with the insertion of quotes such as "Ta-Ra-Ra-Boom-De-Ay " from the woodwind in "April In Paris ", the "Can Can " used as a counter-melody in "La Vie En Rose " and "An American In Paris " in "I Love Paris."
This recording is essential Hawkins, essential tenor saxophone and essential Jazz !

This album is a major surprise. Hawkins had always wanted to record with a large string section and he received his wish on the majority of these 12 romantic melodies, all of which have some association with Paris. The surprise is that he plays with a great deal of fire (his doubletiming on "My Man" is wondrous), and that Manny Albam's arrangements mostly avoid being muzaky and quite often are creative and witty. What could have been a novelty or an insipid affair is actually one of Coleman Hawkins's more memorable albums.