Name/Title
Hawkins, ColemanEntry/Object ID
9999.BHF.278Scope and Content
Hawkins, Coleman
Includes:
--"The Song of the Hawk" by John Chilton Ann Arbor (photocopy of article), The University of Michigan press 1990. As a person, Coleman Hawkins is an enigma to many people. Quiet, reserved, cynical, worldly, he is enormously different from the portrait of the average jazz musician. This was from the Down Beat magazine October 20, 1950.
In this booklet article is a picture of Jimmy Harrison, Jack Hylton, Leno 'Chu' Berry, Fletcher Henderson and Coleman Hawkins. There are pictures of Coleman Hawkins in Ostend, Belgium summer 1937, Coleman Hawkins with Willie Lewis's band, Coleman Hawkins, Theo Uden Masman and Jack Bulterman in Laren, Holland, 1935, Coleman Hawkins at LeBocuf Sur Le Tott, Brussels, 1938, Coleman Hawkins, Louis Armstrong, Roy Eldridge in Esquire Metropolitan Opera House Concert, January 1944, Coleman Hawkins and Don Byas, 1944, Keynote recordings session, New York City, February 1944, Coleman Hawkins at the piano, Coleman Hawkins, Norman Granz and Ella Fitzgerald, 1950, Coleman Hawkins with Pierre Michelot, Kenny Clarke, and Jean Paul Mengeon, December 1949, recording session New York City, 1958 Doc Cheatham, Buster Bailey, Coleman Hawkins, Juanita Hall, Claude Hopkins, George Duvivier, Jimmy Crawford, Coleman Hawkins and Sonny Rollins, 1963,
Barry Harris, Coleman Hawkins and Roy Eldridge, Chicago April 1969, and Sara Vaughn, Joe Benjamin, Coleman Hawkins and Illinois Jacquet, England October 1954. .
Coleman Hawkins died May 19, 1969. He was 64. His mother Cordelia Hawkins died in St. Joseph Missouri January 9 at age 96. William Hawkins died as he took his life walking into the Missouri River, March 1935. He was Sixty. .
---Coleman Hawkins Page from the Encyclopedia of Black America Central Library (photocopy). Coleman Hawkins 1904-1969 was a tenor saxophonist born in St. Joseph, Missouri. He studied at Washburn College in Topeka, Kansas. He joined Mamie Smith's Jazz Hounds in 1922. He also played in Fletcher Henderson's band from 1923 -1934. He organized his own band and toured England and the Continent. His solo record "Body and Soul made in 1939 is a jazz classic. In 1944 he organized an all-star band for the first Bop recording sessions and gave encouragement to "Dizzy" Gillespie, Charlie "Bird" Parker and other performers he admired.
-- Coleman Hawkins birth announcement. A ten-pound son was born to W. D. Hawkins and wife , 1713 Angelique street last night. Coleman was delivered by Dr. Preston Edwards. News-Press, November 21, 1904
-Hawkins application to leave the United States from New York and sail on the Majestic March 16, 1937 (photocopy). There is also a photocopy of his birth sent to passport agent verifying his birth to Cordelia Coleman Haskins and William D. Hawkins living at 1713 Angelique Street, St. Joseph, Missouri. There is also a copy of his passport application.
---Coleman Hawkins photo in the early sixties (photocopy).
The book The Hawk is at central library. Also there is a book by Robert B. Stepto (cousin) at the same library.
---St. Joseph News-Press article, June 30, 1983 film recordings and a platoon of saxophones were brought together for an educational and sensational tribute to a St. Joseph, Missouri native at the Kool Jazz Festival. Coleman turned the tenor saxophone into a jazz instrument. The Hawkins method stressed close attention to chord progressions, firmly constructed solos, a heavy sound ideal, and short, punchy phrases, often limited to two bars. This was from Jazz Style in Kansas City by Ross Russell.
---St. Joseph News-Press/Gazette February 2, 1992. Versatile jazzman recalls local roots by Alonzo Weston. The story is about Horace Washington a famed Kansas City saxophone player readily admits his ties to St. Joseph. He went to Missouri Western and his grandparents Flora and Eugene Washington lived here. Coleman Hawkins was born here but according to the Hawkins biography "Song of the Hawk" written by John Chilton, Hawkins would rather have everyone believe that he was born at sea than admit he came from St. Joseph.
---Mrs. Hartonia's home photo [photocopy).. On the back is written house was across the street from Coleman Hawkins birthplace 1713 Angelique; torn down in 1994. Behind St. Francis Church. built 1867 by ex slave Anthony Woodard. Public Library census 1880 photocopy shows Anthony Woodward name in the report.
---St Joseph News-Press June 17, 1999 Remembering Coleman Hawkins has a picture of Horace Washington, leader of the Horace Washington Trio, playing for the early afternoon crowd during the group's set.
---St. Joseph News-Press Focus on Living story titled Lost Legend Jazz great first heard the blues in St. Joseph; there is also a picture of Coleman Hawkins dated October 11, 1942.
---St.. Joseph News-Press picture of Coleman Hawkins playing the saxophone. In this article Ms. Sandehn, who is on the planning committee for the Coleman Hawkins Jazz Festival June 12 a day long event that celebrates the artist's ties to his hometown, St. Joseph, is telling the story of how Coleman Hawkins achieved his status as a great saxophone player.
---Poem written by The Poet of Frederick Avenue about Coleman Hawkins Jazz Festival.
---St. Joseph News-Press June 7 2000 is the story about the 2000 Jazz Festival.
---Coleman Hawkins USA 32 cent stamp (photocopy).
---St. Joseph News-Press May 10, 2002 Mark Sheehan writes about the Jazz Festival.
--- William Hawkins and Cordelia Coleman marriage license (photocopy). The date is June 16, 1900. It was filed for record August 2, 1900
---Hawkins Home and Mrs. Hawkins photos
---St. Joseph News-Press June 6, 2003 the corner where Hawkins lived is beautified to benefit youths. Members of the Central Christian Church Youth Service Group help clear the area where the home of Coleman Hawkins use to stand. The youths, along with the St. Joseph Youth Alliance and MidCity excellence, were planting flowers in the shape of a saxophone.
---St. Joseph News-Press November 13, 2004 article about celebrating the Hawk, Coleman Hawkins, This party was to celebrate the 100 anniversary of the birth of the Jazz Legend,
---St. Joseph News-Press July 18, 1999 The Coleman Hawkins Jazz Festival won, a month ago, the Allied Arts Council's Mayor's Award for a new curtural project.
---St. Joseph News-Press August 30, 1998. In 1956 Coleman Hawkins was asked where he was born. He replied that his mother and father were on their way home from Europe when he was born. On the Atlantic Ocean , on a boat Mr. Hawkins replied. His father was from St. Joseph, His mother was from Plattsburg. He was born at 1713 Angelique, St. Joseph, Missouri. There is a photocopy of the house.
--Jazz Festival Advertisement, Joseph News-Press
---St. Joseph News-Press August 20, 1988 Jazz Festival. Alonzo Weston writes that Kathryn May isn't sure is she's related to Coleman Hawkins. She just remembers that as a young girl, whenever her father came to St. Joseph from Plattsburg, Missouri he would always take some of his home grown vegetables to some body named Coleman who lived on 17th street.
---St. Joseph News-Press November 8, 1998 is a photocopy picture of the home of Coleman Hawkins. This picture was probably taken in 1950 which might explain its dilapidated state. There is also a photocopy of Robert B. Stepto who wrote a book about Coleman Hawkins.
---A Great Day in Harlem, news article with photo, Wall Street Journal, Nov. 3, 2018. Photo of 57 jazz greats posed on steps of a Harlem rowhouse. Included in the photo is Coleman Hawkins.Collection
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