Benjamin Francis Webster (March 27, 1909–September 20, 1973) was an influential American jazz tenor saxophonist. March 27 is the 86th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (87th in Leap years). ... 1909 (MCMIX) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... September 20 is the 263rd day of the year (264th in leap years). ... 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday. ... Jazz is an original American musical art form originating around the early 1920s in New Orleans, rooted in Western music technique and theory, and is marked by the profound cultural contributions of African Americans. ... A Yanagisawa tenor sax. ...

Webster, born in Kansas City, Missouri, was considered one of the three most important "swing tenors" along with Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young. He had a tough, raspy, and brutal tone on stomps (with his own distinctive growls), yet on ballads he would play with warmth and sentiment. Stylistically he was heavily indebted to Hawkins, particularly for his low, muscular tone and his vibrato. But Webster was also significantly different from his main influence in that his sound was sleeker, less aggressive, and much more spacious. Nickname: City of Fountains or Heart of America Official website: http://www. ... Coleman Hawkins Coleman Randolph Hawkins, nicknamed Hawk and sometimes Bean, (November 21, 1901 or 1904 - May 19, 1969) was a prominent jazz tenor saxophone musician. ... Lester Willis Young, nicknamed Prez (August 27, 1909 – March 15, 1959) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and clarinetist. ...

Webster learned to play piano and violin at an early age, before learning to play the saxophone. Once Budd Johnson showed him some basics on the saxophone, Webster began to play that instrument in the Young Family Band (which at the time included Lester Young). Webster spent time with quite a few orchestras in the 1930s (including Andy Kirk, Bennie Moten's legendary 1932 band that included Count Basie, Oran Page and Walter Page Fletcher Henderson in 1934, Benny Carter, Willie Bryant, Cab Calloway, and the short-lived Teddy Wilson big band). A grand piano A piano is a musical instrument which is classified as a keyboard, percussion or string instrument, depending on the system of classification used. ... The violin is a bowed stringed musical instrument that has four strings tuned a perfect fifth apart, the lowest being the G just below middle C. It is the smallest and highest-tuned member of the violin family of string instruments, which also includes the viola and cello. ... Saxophones of different sizes play in different registers. ... Andy Kirk (May 28, 1898 - 1992) was a jazz bass saxophonist. ... Fletcher Hamilton Henderson, Jr. ... Bennett Lester Carter (August 8, 1907 – July 12, 2003) was an American jazz alto saxophonist, trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader. ... Cab Calloway, photographed by Carl Van Vechten, 1933 Cab Calloway (December 25, 1907–November 18, 1994) was a famous American jazz singer and bandleader. ... Theodore Shaw Teddy Wilson (born November 24, 1912 in Austin, Texas-died July 31, 1986 in New Britain, Connecticut) was a United States jazz pianist. ...

In 1940 Ben Webster became the first major tenor soloist of Duke Ellington's orchestra. During the next three years he was on many famous recordings, including "Cotton Tail" and "All Too Soon"; his contribution (together with that of bassist Jimmy Blanton) was so important that Ellington's orchestra during that period is known as the Blanton–Webster band. After three productive years of playing with Ellington, Webster left the band in an angry altercation, during which he cut up one of Ellington's suits. After leaving Ellington in 1943, Webster worked on 52nd Street in New York City; recorded frequently as both a leader and a sideman; had short periods with Raymond Scott, John Kirby, and Sid Catlett; and toured with Jazz at the Philharmonic during several seasons in the 1950s. Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy Duke Ellington (April 29, 1899–May 24, 1974), also known simply as Duke (see Jazz royalty), was an American jazz composer, pianist, and bandleader. ... Jimmy Blanton (1918 – July 30, 1942) was an American jazz double bassist. ... The Blanton–Webster Band is a three-CD album containing the master takes of all sixty-six recordings by Duke Ellingtons Orchestra between 1939 and 1942, involving bassist Jimmy Blanton and tenor saxophonist Ben Webster. ... Nickname: The Big Apple Official website: City of New York Government Counties (Boroughs) Bronx (The Bronx) New York (Manhattan) Queens (Queens) Kings (Brooklyn) Richmond (Staten Island) Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Geographical characteristics Area Total 468. ... Raymond Scott (September 10, 1908 – February 8, 1994), was a composer, bandleader, and inventor. ... John Kirby may refer to: John Kirby (1772-1846), Canadian businessman and politician John Kirby (1908-1952), jazz bassist and band leader John Kirby, Bishop of Clonfert in Ireland John Kirby (1690-1753), a landscape artist This is a disambiguation page: a list of articles associated with the same title. ... Jazz at the Philharmonic (JATP) was the title of a series of concerts and recordings produced by Norman Granz. ...

Webster recorded a classic set with pianist Art Tatum, and generally worked steadily, but in 1964 he moved permanently to join other American jazz musicians in Copenhagen, Denmark, where he played when he pleased during his last decade. Although not all that flexible, Webster could swing with the best, and his tone was a later influence on such diverse players as Archie Shepp, Lew Tabackin, Scott Hamilton, David Murray, and Bennie Wallace. In 1971 Webster reunited with Duke Ellington and his big band for a couple of shows at the Tivoli Gardens in Denmark Art Tatum, The Great Jazz Pianist Arthur Tatum, Jr. ... Copenhagen ( (help· info) IPA: ) is the capital of Denmark, and the name of the municipality (Danish, kommune) in which it resides. ... Archie Shepp on the cover of his album Tomorrow Will Be Another Day Archie Shepp is an American jazz saxophonist. ... Lew Tabackin (born March 26, 1940) is a jazz flutist and a tenor saxophonist. ... David Murray Live in Warsaw, Poland, in April 2003 David Murray (born 1955 in Oakland, California, United States) is a notable jazz musician. ... Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy Duke Ellington (April 29, 1899–May 24, 1974), also known simply as Duke (see Jazz royalty), was an American jazz composer, pianist, and bandleader. ... Tivoli Gardens, is a famous amusement park in Copenhagen, Denmark. ...

Ben Webster died in Amsterdam, The Netherlands in 1973 and was buried in the Assistens Kirkegård in the Nørrebro section of Copenhagen. Amsterdam Location Flag Country Netherlands Province North Holland Population 742,951(1 January 2005) Coordinates Website www. ... The Netherlands (Dutch: Nederland) is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Dutch: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden). ... The Assistens Cemetery (Danish: Assistens KirkegÃ¥rd) is located in a large park in the Nørrebro section of Copenhagen, Denmark. ... Nørrebro is a part of Copenhagen, and some peolple would say there is more crime there. ...

After Webster's death, Billy Moore Jr. created The Ben Webster Foundation, together with the trustee of Webster's estate. Since Webster's only legal heir, Harley Robinson in Los Angeles, gladly assigned his rights to the foundation, The Ben Webster Foundation was confirmed by The Queen of Denmark's Seal in 1976. In the Foundation's trust deed, one of the initial paragraphs reads: "to support the dissemination of jazz in Denmark".

It is a beneficial Foundation, which channels Webster's annual royalties to musicians, both in Denmark and the U.S. An annual Ben Webster Prize is awarded to a young outstanding musician. The prize is not large, but considered highly prestigious. Over the years, several American musicians have visited Denmark with the help of the Foundation, and concerts, a few recordings, and other jazz-related events have been supported.

External links

• Ben Webster — by Scott Yanow, for the All Music Guide
• "Ben Webster played a sultry Sax..."
• The Ben Webster Foundation

Samples

• Download sample of his "Blue Sky"