32c Coleman Hawkins stamp

Coleman Hawkins, born in 1904, was the first artist to move the tenor saxophone from the reed section to the status of a solo instrument in jazz. Hawkins first emerged as a composer while playing in the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra. From 1934 to 1939, he toured England and Europe freelancing and appearing as a guest star with prestigious groups. In New York on October 11, 1939, at the first session upon his return to the United States, he cut the record that was to be his life-long definitive performance, "Body and Soul."

Reference: Postal Bulletin (August 17, 1995)

Scott Catalogue USA: 2983
mint

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Museum ID: 1996.2066.226