Coleman Hawkins

According to a note on the back cover, this home video "compiles the majority of [Coleman Hawkins] filmed work from the last decade of his life." That decade was the 1960s, and the DVD presents black-and-white performances from four sources ranging from 1961 to 1966, three of them in Europe. (The fourth is the 26-minute 1961 film After Hours, set in a club in New York City and billed as a bonus.) The best and longest segment is the first, taken from the Town Hall in Wembley, London, England, in October 1964 and featuring a quartet co-led by Harry "Sweets" Edison. In the 44 minutes of the set, the group performs a three-part ballad medley, only the first part of which, "September Song," actually features Hawkins, with pianist Sir Charles Thompson taking over for "What's New" and trumpeter Edison handling "Willow Weep for Me." Drummer Jo Jones gets his showcase on "Caravan." Still in London in 1966 at the Royal Jazz Festival, Hawkins is part of a quintet co-led by Benny Carter, and their 29 minutes include Hawkins' signature tune, "Body and Soul," although the tenorist does not play during Carter's "I Can't Get Started," and the Hawkins-composed "Disorder at the Border" is given over almost entirely to soloing by drummer Louie Bellson. Only one number, "Moonglow," is said to come from a 1962 Paris show and features a dark-haired, bearded Hawkins (as he had appeared in the 1966 segment), while he has short white hair and is clean shaven with a mustache in a Brussels studio session that follows, also said to be from 1962. In this 31-minute portion, Hawkins begins with an unaccompanied "Blowing for Adolphe Sax" before being joined by a quartet featuring guitarist Mickey Baker, who takes the lion's share of "South of France Blues." Although contrived, After Hours features some effective playing, particularly by Hawkins on "Lover Man" and by trumpeter Roy Eldridge on "Sunday." If this two hours and 15 minutes really is the majority of what exists on film of Hawkins' latter days, one can only wish there were more. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide