Pittsburgh Jazz Network
Jazz Trivia
Question: How did Coleman Hawkins acquire the name "Bean"? (Answer at end of post.)
Tuesday, Nov. 21st is the 113th birth anniversary of COLEMAN HAWKINS! WKCR.org will broadcast Hawk's music ALL DAY, NON-STOP. Host Phil Schaap will present from 2:00pm-6:30pm (EST).
WKCR.org
https://www.cc-seas.columbia.edu/wkcr/#
Click "Listen" in upper right corner
Trivia answer: Early in Hawkins' career, his virtuosity dubbed him "the Best and Only", which became shortened to, 'B 'n O", then "Beano", and finally, "Bean". Check Hawkins' 1944 recording, "Bean At The Met" which launches "How High The Moon", into jazz repertoire; its chordal changes becoming the basis for Hawkins' "melody-less" composition. The recording session occurred 2 weeks following Hawkins' performance at NYC's Metropolitan Opera House.
Bob Garvin
For those who didn't see the trivia question that I posted elsewhere, here is a repeat: Whose band were both Tadd Dameron and Benny Golson, two of the greatest jazz composers/arrangers, performing for in 1952? What is the connection of that bandleader to Pittsburgh?
Nov 21, 2017
Melissa Jones
Is the Dameron/Golson bandleader Bull Moose Jackson? If so, I'm clueless as to the Pittsburgh connection.
Nov 21, 2017
Bob Garvin
You're right, Melissa. Blues singer Bull Moose had both men as instrumentalists in his band. Jackson was retired from the music business and working for a catering firm at Howard University in in D.C., when a Pittsburgh blues group called the Flashcats heard about him. With their help. his musical career was rejuvenated. He went on tour including appearances in Pittsburgh in the '80s and was a big hit with a young audience---except for me.. He had made an LP recording called "Moosemania" (of which, I have an autographed copy). It includes some of his risque stuff. In the 1940s, I had a 78 RPM record of "I Love You, Yes I Do', which was very popular.
Nov 22, 2017