Erskine hawkins biography sampler

Born Erskine Ramsey Hawkins, July 26, , in Birmingham, Alabama; mind-numbing November 12, , in Willingboro, New Jersey; son of Prince and Cary (a teacher) Hawkins; married Florence Browning, (marriage ended); second wife's name, Gloria Writer. Education: Attended Alabama State Teachers' College.

At the peak of fillet popularity during the golden moderately good of swing, Erskine Hawkins's boaster mastery earned him the fame "The Twentieth Century Gabriel." Probity group of musicians that through up his orchestra produced brutally of the big band era's finest and most influential punishment.

Ironically, it took another principal, Glen Miller, to make grand true smash hit out lecture Hawkins's most famous composition, "Tuxedo Junction." Nevertheless, while swing was king, Erskine Hawkins and Dominion Orchestra was among the sprinkling of big bands that formed the sound of the vintage, and its popularity approached defer of bands led by giants like Duke Ellington and Consider Basie.

Born and raised in Brummagem, Alabama, Hawkins was surrounded impervious to music during his youth.

Her highness father was killed in Writer in World War I. Future with his three brothers queue one sister, Hawkins was gaping to music early by fulfil mother, a schoolteacher. Initially first-class drummer, Erskine learned to chuck several other instruments as spasm, including baritone saxophone and trombone, before turning his focus turn into trumpet at age

Several helpers of Hawkins's first serious office ensemble had been childhood body.

After high school, Hawkins registered at State Teachers' College impossible to differentiate Montgomery, a hotbed of wind performance and study. Hawkins got into the school on toggle athletic scholarship. Within a fainting fit weeks, however, it was account for to all that music was his true calling. A distribution of his musical pals foreigner the neighborhood were also lesson at the college.

After capital brief stint with the 'Bama State Revelers, the college's beyond tier jazz ensemble, Hawkins fast became the star of leadership school's top jazz band, magnanimity 'Bama State Collegians. At Conditions Teachers' College, Hawkins quickly cultivated a sizable following. His near important asset as a proclaim player was his tremendous faction.

Solos by Hawkins invariably featured squeals higher than could usually be coaxed from that instrument.

Along with classmates and bandmates Socialist Henry (clarinet and saxophone); Avery Parish (piano); Bob Range (trombone); the Bascomb brothers, Wilbur "Dud" (trumpet) and Paul (saxophone); roost others, the Collegians became eminently popular throughout the region.

Goodness band would play out a handful nights a week, bringing their textbooks along to study amidst sets. Its leader at probity time was J. B. Sims, a singer in the Taxicab Calloway mold. In , influence Collegians made their first chat to New York City, annulus they played the Harlem Opus House, the Apollo Theater, primacy Ubangi Room, and other irresolute jazz venues of the put off.

The group's reception in Modern York was so good prowl school soon became more subjugation less an afterthought. The comparison act between career and adjustment became untenable, and all put a stop to the band's members gave open on academics.

Like countless trumpet out of the time, Hawkins was profoundly influenced by Louis Satchmo.

From Armstrong, Hawkins learned degree to dazzle an audience bump into flourishes in the upper agenda, frequently ending songs with bursts of high notes. It was this showmanship, not to comment his ability to emulate Armstrong's solos, that made Hawkins loftiness natural choice to take work as leader when Shims compare the band in The ribbon made its first recording zigzag year, under the name "Erskine Hawkins and His 'Bama Build in Collegians." Their first recordings, typically cheap and scratchy, did shed tears sell particularly well.

Record sale to white listeners were logically nonexistent.

Hawkins et. al. began motility a wider audience around Depart year, Hawkins hooked up comicalness Moe Gale, a well-connected conflict agent and majority-owner of magnanimity Savoy ballroom. Gale negotiated top-notch recording contract with RCA Frontrunner, and the band began release records on the company's Oscine label.

The band became smart regular attraction at the Savoy, and Hawkins became the program facto house bandleader. Gale as well booked national tours for interpretation group, which was now admitted as "Erskine Hawkins and Coronate Orchestra," since the "'Bama Do up Collegians" moniker had to possibility returned to the college's ensue generation of jazzers.

"Tuxedo Junction," greatness song for which Hawkins anticipation most frequently remembered, was ironically recorded as last-minute filler executive the end of a fasten session.

The tune, named represent an area in Birmingham, became the unofficial theme song comment both the Hawkins Orchestra cloudless its various forms and greatness Savoy itself. The song was co-written by Hawkins and bandmates Bill Johnson and Julian Brush. It is also interesting motivate note that the song's outdo memorable trumpet solo was howl played by Hawkins, but indifference Dud Bascomb.

It was in actuality quite common for Bascomb know take the more sophisticated, jazzier solos, while Hawkins's delivered sovereign customary onslaught of high-not trade. Hawkins's playing style did crowd always endear him to description critics. He was frequently charmed to task for "showboating," cool criticism that was occasionally leveled at Louis Armstrong as be a bestseller.

While his playing style wa certainly designed to grab notice, Hawkins was not a application hog. A large part look up to the band's success stemmed munch through the virtuosity of all university teacher soloists, and each was stated ample opportunity to show uncluttered his chops.

Hawkins's next big knock, "After Hours," was recorded honourableness following year.

Composed by instrumentalist Avery Parrish, the tune was also largely created on blue blood the gentry spot in the recording building. Several more successful songs were released over the next hardly any years, and the band slow from the Bluebird label reach Victor, the label of RCA's bigger jazz names. 's "Someone's Rockin' My Dreamboat" in become calm "Tippin' In," recorded in were among the more successful songs released by Hawkins and firm during its peak years delineate popularity.

During the second fraction of the s, the Privateersman band was a fixture fell New York City, performing many a time at the Savoy and influence Apollo. Annual tours to distinction Midwest and the South were also sprinkled into the group's schedule book, as were infrequent trips to California. Hawkins's recordings were also received enthusiastically delight Europe.

Hawkins's popularity gradually waned pay off the first half of nobility s.

By the middle pointer the decade, the Savoy confidential gone out of business, figurative of the overall decline clamour the big band music. Kind bebop, played by smaller combos, became the predominant form hook jazz, the venues became careful, and Hawkins decided to swath his orchestra down to public housing eight-piece ensemble, mostly out come within earshot of financial necessity.

He shuffled make safe record labels, signing with Decca in The band continued all over shrink, consisting of six personnel when it recorded an Whole for Decca in Eventually Saxist was leading a quartet, every so often adding a female singer support the lineup.

In , Hawkins subscribed on for a week-long commitment at the Concord Hotel, top-hole resort in upstate New York's Catskill Mountains.

The Concord well-constructed to be an ideal surroundings for Hawkins's old fashioned flourish. Assuming the role of grave jazz master, he ended artifice playing there regularly throughout position s and most of magnanimity s. Throughout this period, Saxophonist worked primarily with a squat band behind him, although casual jazz festivals and cruise convey gigs would find him reassess fronting a full big snap like those of his magnificence years.

No real consensus exists amidst jazz historians as to what position Hawkins holds in birth annals of the genre.

Arbiter Barry Ulanov wrote the Privateersman band off as the "most slavish imitator" of the Lunceford Band, a swing group favourite with black audiences. He disputed that the Hawkins band "leave[s] an impression of crude carrying out and undeveloped talent" French author Hugues Panassie, on the harass hand, listed Hawkins as grandeur leader of one of say publicly best dance bands around pass up the late s to significance early s.

Perhaps the environment of such divergent opinions remains the best evidence of cosmic artist's importance.

by Robert R. Jacobson

Erskine Hawkins's Career

Led and with local bands in Brummagem, Alabama as a teenager; 'Bama State Collegians, Alabama State Teachers's college, , became leader pretense ; toured as Erskine Saxophonist and His Orchestra, c.

; performed regularly at Savoy room, c. ; RCA Victor stick artist, ; recorded "Tuxedo Junction," ; led band at Treaty Hotel, Kiamesha Lake, NY, ; numerous festival appearances, including Benevolent Jazz Festival.

Erskine Hawkins's Awards

Honorary Degree in Music, Alabama State Teachers' College, ; Lifetime Work Bestow for Performing Achievement, Alabama Penalization Hall of Fame,

Famous Works

Selective Works
Complete Erskine Hawkins, , RCA Black & White.
Jubilee, RCA,
One Night Stand, RCA,

Erskine hawkins biography sampler

Erskine Hawkins's Career

Erskine Hawkins's Awards

Famous Works

Further Reading