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Ben Webster
Ben Webster ca. May 1946 (cropped).jpg
Webster c. 1946
Background information
Birth name Benjamin Francis Webster
Born (1909-03-27)March 27, 1909
Kansas City, Missouri U.S.
Died September 20, 1973(1973-09-20) (aged 64)
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Genres Jazz
Occupation(s) Musician
Instruments Tenor saxophone
Associated acts Duke Ellington, Coleman Hawkins, Oscar Peterson, Raymond Scott

Benjamin Francis Webster (born March 27, 1909 – died September 20, 1973) was a famous American jazz tenor saxophonist. He was known for his smooth and powerful sound. Many people consider him one of the greatest jazz musicians.

Ben Webster's Musical Journey

Early Life and Starting Out

Ben Webster grew up in Kansas City, Missouri. He started his musical journey by learning the violin. Later, he learned to play blues on the piano from a musician named Pete Johnson. He also took saxophone lessons from Budd Johnson.

Ben played with Lester Young in the Young Family Band. He then joined the Bennie Moten Orchestra, where he played alongside other jazz legends like Count Basie. Throughout the 1930s, he performed with many different bands. These included groups led by Benny Carter, Cab Calloway, and Fletcher Henderson.

Playing with Duke Ellington

From 1940, Webster became a main soloist for the Duke Ellington Orchestra. He played on many famous songs, including "Cotton Tail." He looked up to Johnny Hodges, another saxophonist in Ellington's band, as a big influence.

Ben Webster was a very talented musician, but he sometimes had disagreements with others. He left Ellington's band in 1943.

Later Years in America

After leaving Ellington, Webster worked in New York City. He recorded many albums as a band leader and with other musicians. He played with artists like Raymond Scott and John Kirby. In 1948, he briefly rejoined Ellington's orchestra.

In 1953, he recorded a well-known album called King of the Tenors. He worked with pianist Oscar Peterson a lot during this time. He also toured and recorded with "Jazz at the Philharmonic," a group led by Norman Granz. In 1957, he recorded Coleman Hawkins Encounters Ben Webster with another great tenor saxophonist, Coleman Hawkins. This was a special meeting of two jazz giants.

In the late 1950s, Ben Webster formed a group with Gerry Mulligan. They often played at a club in Los Angeles. They even recorded an album together called Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster.

Moving to Europe

In late 1964, Ben Webster moved to Europe. He continued to play jazz with American and local musicians. He lived in London, then in Scandinavia, and later in Amsterdam. His last home was in Copenhagen, Denmark, starting in 1969.

In 1971, he played with Duke Ellington and his orchestra again in Copenhagen. He also recorded with Earl Hines in France. Ben Webster continued to perform and record with many other jazz artists.

Ben Webster passed away in Amsterdam in September 1973 after becoming ill. His ashes are buried in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Ben Webster used the same saxophone from 1938 until he died. He asked that it never be played again. You can see his saxophone on display at Rutgers University in New Jersey. There's even a street named after him in Copenhagen, called "Ben Websters Vej."

The Ben Webster Foundation

After Ben Webster's death, a special group called the Ben Webster Foundation was created in Denmark. This non-profit organization helps keep his musical legacy alive.

During his time in Denmark, Ben Webster didn't have a manager to help with his music rights. Billy Moore Jr., an arranger, helped him get his royalties. Moore then started the Ben Webster Foundation with the person in charge of Webster's estate. Ben Webster's only legal heir, Harley Robinson, agreed to give his rights to the Foundation.

The Queen of Denmark officially approved the Ben Webster Foundation in 1976. One of its main goals is "to support the spreading of jazz in Denmark." The foundation uses Webster's music earnings to help musicians in Denmark and the U.S. Each year, they give out the Ben Webster Prize to a talented young musician. This award is very respected. The Foundation has also helped American musicians visit Denmark for concerts and supported other jazz events.

The people on the foundation's board were close friends and fans of Ben Webster. They make sure his music is re-released properly and legally. In 2009, the foundation helped open the Copenhagen Jazz Festival with a special concert.

Ben Webster's Music (Discography)

As the Main Artist or Co-Leader

  • King of the Tenors (Verve, 1953)
  • Music for Loving (Norgran, 1955)
  • The Art Tatum – Ben Webster Quartet (Verve, 1958)
  • Soulville (Verve, 1958)
  • Coleman Hawkins Encounters Ben Webster (Verve, 1959)
  • Ben Webster and Associates (Verve, 1959)
  • Ben Webster Meets Oscar Peterson (Verve, 1959)
  • At the Renaissance – with Jimmy Witherspoon and Gerry Mulligan, (HiFi Jazz, 1959)
  • Ben Webster at the Renaissance (Contemporary, 1960)
  • Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster (Verve, 1960)
  • The Soul of Ben Webster (Verve, 1960)
  • The Warm Moods (Reprise, 1961)
  • BBB & Co. (Swingville, 1962) – with Benny Carter and Barney Bigard
  • Wanted to Do One Together (Columbia, 1962)
  • Soulmates with Joe Zawinul (Riverside, 1963)
  • See You at the Fair (Impulse!, 1964)
  • Intimate! (Fontana, 1965)
  • Big Ben Time! (Fontana, 1967)
  • Ben Webster Meets Don Byas (SABA, 1968)
  • Big Sound (Polydor, 1969)
  • Ben Webster at Ease (Ember, 1969)
  • For the Guv'nor (Columbia, 1969)
  • Webster's Dictionary (Philips, 1970)
  • Ben at His Best (RCA Victor, 1970)
  • Atmosphere For Lovers And Thieves (Black Lion, 1971)
  • Autumn Leaves with Georges Arvanitas (Futura, 1972)
  • Swingin' in London (Black Lion, 1972)
  • My Man: Live at Montmartre 1973 (Steeplechase, 1973)
  • Previously Unreleased Recordings (Verve, 1974)
  • Saturday Night at the Montmartre (Black Lion, 1974)
  • Rare Live Performance 1962 (Musidisc, 1975)
  • Ben and the Boys (Jazz Archives, 1976)
  • Sunday Morning at the Montmartre (Black Lion, 1977)
  • Layin' Back with Ben Vol. 1 (Honeydew, 1977)
  • Layin' Back with Ben Vol. 2 (Honeydew, 1977)
  • Carol & Ben (Honeydew, 1977)
  • Did You Call? (Nessa, 1978)
  • The Horn (Circle, 1982)
  • Plays Duke Ellington (Storyville, 1988)
  • Ben Webster Plays Ballads (Storyville, 1988)
  • Meets Bill Coleman (Black Lion, 1989)
  • Live in Paris 1972 (France's Concert, 1989)
  • Live in Amsterdam (Affinity, 1989)
  • The Jeep Is Jumping (Black Lion, 1990)
  • 1953: An Exceptional Encounter (The Jazz Factory, 2000)

As a Supporting Musician

With Duke Ellington

  • The Blanton–Webster Band (Bluebird 1940–1942)
  • The Great Ellington Units (Bluebird 1940–1941)
  • Never No Lament: The Blanton-Webster Band (RCA-BMG, 1940–1942)

With Johnny Hodges

  • The Blues (Norgran, 1955)
  • Blues-a-Plenty (Verve, 1958)
  • Not So Dukish (Verve, 1958)

With others

See also

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