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Ben Webster

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Ben Webster was an American tenor saxophonist, born in 1909 in Kansas City, Missouri. He studied the violin, learned blues on the piano from Pete Johnson and received saxophone lessons from Budd Johnson. He played in the Young Family Band with Lester Young and became a member of the orchestra of Bennie Moten, with, among others, Count Basie and Hot Lips Page. In 1940 he joined the orchestra of Duke Ellington as a soloist, where he can be heard on Cotton Tail. Johnny Hodges was a great influence on his playing there. Because of his difficult character, things often went wrong with the rest of the band, and in 1943 he left.

Music and breakthrough

Afterwards he worked on 52nd Street in New York. In 1953 he recorded with the pianist Oscar Peterson The Consummate Artistry of Ben Webster, now known as King of the Tenors. Peterson remained an important partner on records for Norman Granz. He also played with Jazz at the Philharmonic and in 1956 recorded an album with the pianist Art Tatum. In 1959 appeared, among others, Ben Webster Meets Oscar Peterson, Coleman Hawkins encounters Ben Webster and Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster. At the end of 1964 he moved to Europe, lived for three years in Amsterdam and from 1969 in Copenhagen. He died in 1973 in Amsterdam.

Influence

Webster is known for a broad, warm tenor sound, with a soft, breathy tone on ballads and a rougher punch on the fast numbers. He is regarded as one of the great swing tenors, alongside Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young. A street in Copenhagen is named after him, and the Ben Webster Foundation presents an annual prize to a young talent.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to Cotton Tail by the Duke Ellington orchestra from 1940. Notice the burly, rounded sound of Webster in his solo.

Discography

Studio albums

Other work

In School of Rock

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See also

Categories: ArtistsSwing and big bandKansas City jazz