Henry Red Allen And Coleman Hawkins – Stormy Weather

Henry Red Allen And Coleman Hawkins – Stormy Weather

Stormy Weather brings together two giants of jazz, trumpeter Henry “Red” Allen and tenor saxophonist Coleman Hawkins, in performances that bridge traditional jazz, New Orleans roots and sophisticated swing. The music draws on a rich repertoire of standards, blues and familiar popular melodies, giving both musicians plenty of room to demonstrate the individuality, imagination and rhythmic character that made them such distinctive voices in American jazz.

Red Allen was one of the most original trumpet stylists of his generation. Although frequently associated with traditional jazz, his inventive phrasing, expressive use of dynamics and willingness to push beyond conventional Dixieland approaches made him a remarkably modern improviser. Coleman Hawkins, meanwhile, helped establish the tenor saxophone as a leading instrument in jazz, developing a powerful, harmonically adventurous style that influenced generations of saxophonists. Their contrasting approaches create a compelling musical partnership, balancing Allen’s nimble trumpet lines with Hawkins’s rich, authoritative tenor sound.

The recordings represented here originate from sessions made in 1957 and 1958, when Allen and Hawkins reunited with experienced musicians from the New York jazz scene. The programme moves between lyrical standards and more spirited traditional material, revealing the breadth of their shared musical vocabulary. The reflective “Summertime” and “Stormy Weather” sit alongside familiar favourites such as “All Of Me” and “Tea For Two”, while “Battle Hymn Of The Republic”, “Won't You Come Home Bill Bailey” and “When The Saints Go Marching In” bring a more overtly traditional jazz flavour. The extended “Blues” and “South” provide further opportunities for the musicians to stretch out.

What makes this music particularly rewarding is the combination of veteran musicianship and genuine improvisational freedom. These are not simply straightforward readings of well-known tunes: the performances draw on decades of experience in swing and small-group jazz, with Allen and Hawkins bringing their own distinctive personalities to the material. The result is a satisfying meeting of classic jazz traditions and individual expression.

For fans of Coleman Hawkins, Red Allen, mainstream jazz, swing and traditional New Orleans-influenced styles, Stormy Weather offers an engaging collection of performances rooted in the golden age of jazz standards. It is also an appealing choice for collectors interested in the later careers of two musicians whose contributions to the development of jazz remain significant.

Tracklist

A1. Mean To Me — 3:55
A2. Lonesome Road — 5:57
A3. Sleepytime Gal — 4:34
A4. Summertime — 5:04
A5. All Of Me — 3:19
A6. Tea For Two — 2:42
B1. Battle Hymn Of The Republic — 3:02
B2. Blues — 5:07
B3. Won't You Come Home Bill Bailey — 4:32
B4. South — 6:32
B5. When The Saints Go Marching In — 3:01
B6. Stormy Weather — 4:02