Title: Hard to Find '40s Hawk
Review: I was going to actually shell out forComplete Coleman Hawkins on Keynotebecause the few Keynote tracks I'd heard on some other compilations sounded so good. Hawkins was standing firmly at the crossroads between swing and bop during this fascinating period in the development of the tenor master. Then I found this collection, and found that 13 of the 16 tracks are all Keynote sessions featuring the likes of Cozy Cole, Teddy Wilson, Sid Catlett, Roy Eldridge, and Buck Clayton. The other three cuts are definitely among Hawk's best for Verve in the '50s: an unaccompanied solo, a gorgeous latin flavored piece with Ben Webster, and a pretty ballad. Sonny Rollins picked the tracks for this collection and thank you Sonny!Sound quality on the Keynotes varies. While less than modern remastering techniques is capable of, it's better than what I've heard on those few tracks I already have on other CDs. Amongst my dozens of Hawkins CDs, this has quickly become one of my favorites.
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