HMR Project: History of Music & Modern Recording

Ben Webster

Birth of Modern Jazz: Ben Webster

Ben Webster

Born on 27 March 1909 in Kansas City, saxophonist, Ben Webster, had first studied violin. He then approached piano with instruction from Pete Johnson before settling with saxophone, taught that instrument by Budd Johnson. He then performed with the Lester Young Family Band.

Webster first recorded with Blanche Calloway's Joy Boys in 1931. That was in Camden, NJ, on March 27, resulting in multiple takes of ''Just a Crazy Song', 'Sugar Blues', et al, issued on Gaps 160, Victor 22661, et al.

'Just a Crazy Song' Ben Webster w Blanche Calloway & Her Joy Boys

27 March 1931 in Camden NJ Matrix 68938-2 Victor 22661-A

Webster's 1st session

Trumpet: Joe Keys / Edgar Battle / Clarence Smith

Trombone: Alton Moore Clarinet / alto sax: Booker Pitman

Alto sax: Leroy Hard Tenor sax: Webster

Piano: Clyde Hart Banjo / guitar: Andy Jackson

Tuba: Joe Durham Drums: Cozy Cole Vocal: Blanche Calloway

Composition by Chick Smith / Spencer Williams

'Make Me Know It' Ben Webster w Blanche Calloway & Her Joy Boys

11 June 1931 in Camden NJ Matrix 69027-4 Victor 22736

Trumpet: Joe Keys / Edgar Battle / Clarence Smith

Trombone: Alton Moore Clarinet / alto sax: Booker Pitman

Alto sax: Leroy Hard Tenor sax: Webster

Piano: Clyde Hart Banjo / guitar: Andy Jackson

Tuba: Joe Durham Drums: Cozy Cole Vocal: Blanche Calloway

Composition by Fess Williams

Webster joined Ben Moten's band in 1932, a session on December 13 yielding such as 'Toby' and 'Moten Swing on Victor 23384. His first tracks with Fletcher Henderson were on September 11, 1934: 'Limehouse Blues' (Decca 157) 'Shanghai Shuffle' (Decca 158), et al. More sessions with Henderson were held that year, again in 1937 and 1939.

'Limehouse Blues' Ben Webster w Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra

11 Sep 1934 in NYC Matrix 38598-A Decca 127

Trumpet: Russell Smith / Irving Randolph / Henry Red Allen

Trombone: Claude Jones / Keg Johnson Clarinet: Buster Bailey

Clarinet / alto sax: Russell Procope / Hilton Jefferson Tenor sax: Webster

Piano: Henderson Guitar: Lawrence Lucie

Bass: Elmer James Drums: Walter Johnson Arrangement: Benny Carter

Composition by Douglas Furber / Philip Braham

On December 13 of 1934 Webster backed Benny Carter on such as 'Shoot the Works' and 'Dream Lullaby' per Vocalion 2898. Carter had been the arranger on Webster's first titles with Henderson. They would work together again with Teddy Wilson, Lionel Hampton, Jazz at the Philharmonic, and backing each other's operations to as late as May 22, 1973, in Holbaek, Denmark, there to record live such as 'I Can't Get Started' and 'Mess a Stomp'.

'Dream Lullaby' Ben Webster w Benny Carter and His Orchestra

13 Dec 1934 in NYC Matrix 16413-1 Vocalion 2898

Trumpet: Russell Smith / Otis Johnson / Irving Randolph

Trombone: Benny Morton / Keg Johnson Clarinet / alto sax: Carter

Alto sax: Ben Smith / Russell Procope Tenor sax: Webster

Piano: Teddy Wilson Guitar: Clarence Holiday

Bass: Elmer James Drums: Walter Johnson

Composition by Benny Carter / Irving Mills

Webster held sessions with Bob Howard and Willy Bryant in 1935 before reaching Teddy Wilson on July 2, 1935. Wilson and Webster had supported Carter and Howard in 1934 and 1935. The date in July of 1935 was significant in that it was Webster's first with the Teddy Wilson Orchestra. Titles on that date were with Billie Holiday on such as 'I Wished on the Moon' and 'What a Little Moonlight Can Do'. Webster would sit in with Wilson's outfit frequently in the decades to come. He and Wilson himself would record to as late as March 19, 1973, at the Stampen Club in Stockholm, Sweden, with Arne Ryskog (trumpet), Sture Nordin (bass) and Ed Thigpen (drums).

'What a Little Moonlight Can Do' Ben Webster w Teddy Wilson and His Orchestra

2 July 1935 in NYC Matrix B17767-1 Brunswick 7498

Trumpet: Roy Eldridge Clarinet: Benny Goodman

Tenor sax: Webster Piano: Teddy Wilson Guitar: John Trueheart

Bass: John Kirby Drums: Cozy Cole Vocal: Billie Holiday

Composition by Harry Woods

Wikipedia

Webster had also recorded with bassist, John Kirby, for the first time on July 2 of 1935 with Wilson. They would find themselves together frequently into 1937. Kirby would later be one of Webster's sextet to record such as 'Randall's Island' and 'Old Folks' on December 27, 1951, in Los Angeles. We temporarily jump ahead to the fifties to present an example of Ben Webster and His Sextet:

'Old Folks' Ben Webster and His Sextet

27 Dec 1951 in Los Angeles Matrix 4721-3 Mercury 8298

Trumpet: Maynard Ferguson Alto sax: Benny Carter Tenor sax: Webster

Piano: Gerald Wiggins Bass: John Kirby Drums: George Jenkins

Music: Willard Robison Lyrics: Dedette Lee Hill

Wikipedia

With nearly 500 sessions to Webster's name, some 120 of those his own, we find space here for the bigger footprint that was Duke Ellington's. Webster joined Ellington's orchestra in time to record such as 'Cotton' and 'Truckin'' in New York City on August 19, 1935. Webster stuck with Ellington until 1943, leaving upon dispute to work as a freelancer in NYC, then joined Ellington again into 1949.

'Exposition Swing' Ben Webster w Duke Ellington and His Famous Orchestra

29 July 1936 in NYC Matrix B-19627-1 Brunswick 8213

Trumpet: Arthur Whetsel / Cootie Williams Cornet: Rex Stewart

Trombone: Joe Nanton / Lawrence Brown / Juan Tizol (valve)

Reeds: Barney Bigard / Otto Hardwick / Johnny Hodges / Harry Carney / Ben Webster

Piano: Ellington Guitar: Fred Guy

Bass: Hayes Alvis / Billy Taylor Drums: Sonny Greer

Composition: Ellington

Another of the larger names with whom Webster worked was Lionel Hampton. On September 11, 1939, they put up 'When Lights Are Low', 'Hot Mallets', et al. Dizzy Gillespie was in on that session as well. Hampton would come around again in 1953 and 1964, their last date that year to yield Hampton's 'You Better Know it'. That went down shortly after Webster backed Milt Hinton on 'Here Swings the Judge'.

'Gin For Christmas' Ben Webster w Lionel Hampton and His Orchestra

30 Oct 1939 in NYC Matrix 043250-1 Victor ‎26423

Composition: Hampton

Highlighting the forties were Webster's first titles as a leader in 1941: 'Ab Swing', 'Eb Swing', et al. Come his Quartet in 1944 for titles like 'Honeysuckle Rose' and 'Blue Skies' after a couple sessions with Woody Herman. Trumpeter, Bill Coleman, backed Webster on 'As Long as I Live' and 'Blue Belles of Harlem' in 1947. They would reunite twenty years later to put away 'Swinging in London' on April 27, 1967.

'Blue Skies' Ben Webster (tenor sax) Quartet

17 April 1944 in NYC

Either S5438-1 on Savoy SJL2208 or S5438-2 on Savoy 505

Piano: Johnny Guarnieri Bass: Oscar Pettiford Drums: David "Chick" Booth

Composition: Irving Berlin

Highlighting the fifties was Webster's first album as a group leader, 'King of the Tenors', released in 1953. In 1959 he recorded titles with Earl Hines and Jimmy Witherspoon at the Monterey Jazz Festival in October to include 'No Rollin' Blues', 'Good Rockin' Tonight', et al. Hines and Webster would hold sessions again in 1965 in Paris. Webster would support several of Witherspoon's albums into 1962.

'Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do' Ben Webster (tenor sax)

2 Oct 1959 at the Monterey Jazz Festival

See 'Jimmy Witherspoon at the Monterey Jazz Festival' on HiFi Jazz J421

Trumpet: Roy Eldridge Clarinet: Woody Herman Tenor sax: Coleman Hawkins

Piano: Earl Hines Bass: Vernon Alley Drums: Mel Lewis

Composition: Jimmy Witherspoon

Webster moved to Europe in 1964, living in London for a year, Amsterdam four, then finally Copenhagen. The first three titles on tape below are thought to have been performed at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in London for BBC's 'Jazz 625' television show sometime 11-18 December of 1964 to be aired on 16 January of 1965 [Jazz Realities]. Discogs has 'Night In Tunisia' going down on the 18th. 'Danny Boy' was recorded on 30 January of 1965 in Copenhagen, Denmark.

'Chelsea Bridge' Ben Webster (tenor sax) Television

18 Dec 1964 Aired 16 Jan 1965 Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in London

Piano: Stan Tracey Bass: Rick Laird Drums: Jackie Doogan

Composition: Billy Strayhorn 1941

Wikipedia

'Night in Tunisia' Ben Webster (tenor sax) Television

18 Dec 1964 Aired 16 Jan 1965 Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in London

Tenor sax: Ronnie Scott Piano: Stan Tracey

Bass: Rick Laird Drums: Jackie Doogan

Composition: Dizzy Gillespie 1942

Wikipedia

'Perdido' Ben Webster (tenor sax) Television

18 Dec 1964 Aired 16 Jan 1965 Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in London

Piano: Stan Tracey Bass: Rick Laird Drums: Jackie Doogan

Composition: Juan Tizol 1941

Wikipedia

'Londonderry Air' aka 'Danny Boy' Ben Webster (tenor sax) Television

30 Jan 1965 Jazzhus Montmartre in Copenhagen

Piano: Kenny Drew Bass: Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen Drums: Alex Riel

Composition: Juan Tizol 1941

Danny Boy Londonderry Air

Webster appeared in the film, 'Quiet Days in Clichy', in 1970. He gave his last performance at Twee Spieghels in Amsterdam, Holland, on September 6 of 1973, that taped for posthumous release as 'Last Concert'.