One hundred years after his birth, Ben Webster remains one of the weightiest of all Jazz tenor sax players. One can still hear the signature elements of his influence: That breathy phrasing. That lilting devotion to melody. That unmistakable tone, so reverberant and roomy. So airy and large.
From the late â50s into the â60s, Webster maintained a free agent status, recording for a number
of labels until 1964 when he relocated in Copenhagenâanother American jazzman preferring the relatively racist-free comfort of Denmark. There he lived out the remainder of his days playing when and where he chose.
Culled from albums released by a number of labels during Websterâs last few years as a U.S. resident, Concord Records' "Ben Webster Centennial Celebration" reveals his musical resilience and enduring popularity with the leading jazz producers of the day.
