The Hawk Relaxes LP

Coleman Hawkins slows all the way down on this one, cut in a single February 1961 session at Rudy Van Gelder's studio for Prestige's Moodsville imprint. A quintet backs him through seven ballad standards, Esmond Edwards producing, with Hawkins easing into lyrical, unhurried playing instead of the harder-driving bebop that marked his earlier years. AllMusic gave it four and a half stars, calling the group as unique as any Hawkins ever fronted and ranking it among his best late-period work. Nothing here rushes toward the exit.