BACH: Pablo Casals/Coleman Hawkins

Coleman Hawkins started his musical career playing the cello, and for a few years and for a few years doubled on cello and saxophone in bands. Until the end of his life, he held Bach as the ultimate composer, in whose work all of the challenges facing jazz musicians could be found.
Hawkins did for the tenor saxophone what Pablo Casals did for the cello: reveal the majesty and sheer power of their instruments in solo performances. Casals' recordings of Bach's Suites for Solo Cello were made in Europe at the same time that Hawkins was in Europe and Scandinavia (1934-39). We know from contemporary reports that he was playing unaccompanied saxophones solos at the time.
In the 1940's, Hawkins finally recorded two solo pieces, and late in life said:" Pablo, Casals - my, he can play. But he's all the time playing those Bach things now. He's through with the adventure. Hell, he must be 90 years old. You know, you start off with those Bach things. You get to be his age, you end with them. In between is the adventure. Now it's over for him. Maybe that's what I'll do when I get that old."
Hawkins' solo in this video comes from a June 1962 Belgian film, and the titles you see played over some of it are the credits.
The Casals performance of Bach's G-major Cello Suite was filmed in August 1954 at Abbaye "Saint-Michel-de-Cuxa",France.
Hawkins died in 1969 at the age of 64.
Casals died in 1973 at the age of 96.

[@RussellShor-k9s]

Loren: You ALWAYS amaze me with your jazz "connections" -- different forms different eras..

[@myroncohen7619]

Fascinating!!!Many great Jazz artists started out on Cello..Ron Carter,Victor Lewis,Azar Lawrence?and Arthur Blythe I believe…Thank you for sharing this wonderful piece!

[@talaixero]

Please don't call him Pablo. His name was Pau. Respect the man.