Coleman Hawkins - Cool Groove (1955)

Tracklist

01. I'll Never Be The Same
02. Breeze And I
03. When Your Lover Has Gone
04. I'll String Along With You
05. Blue Room
06. What's New
07. Running Wild
08. My Own Blues

One of the rarer Coleman Hawkins sessions has been reissued on this Drive Archive CD. The veteran tenor was somewhat overlooked during the era (prior to a major "comeback" in 1957) but he always played at a consistently high level. On four of the eight selections, Hawk is showcased in a quintet with Joe "Earl" Knight (mostly on piano but also playing some early organ), rhythm guitarist Sidney Gross, bassist Wendell Marshall and drummer Osie Johnson. The remaining four numbers add trumpeter Ernie Royal and trombonist Eddie Bert. Hawkins is in prime form, particularly on "Blue Room," "Running Wild," "The Breeze and I" and "My Own Blues." Although the songs are actually programmed in a slightly different order than is listed, this reissue is worth picking up. ~ Scott Yanow