His instrument is now synonymous with jazz, but Coleman Hawkins was the first to carve out a place for the tenor saxophone in the music. A burly-toned player with an advanced harmonic understanding, Hawkins was not only a titan of early jazz, but also a progenitor of developments to come.
Eric Reed, one of the standout pianists of his own generation, came to Jazz at Lincoln Center last November to celebrate the 110th birthday anniversary of Coleman Hawkins.