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Ben Webster

Benjamin Francis Webster (March 27, 1909 – September 20, 1973) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. He is considered one of the three most important "swing tenors" along with Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young. Known affectionately as "The Brute" or "Frog", he had a tough, raspy, and brutal tone on stomps (with growls), yet on ballads he played with warmth and sentiment. He was indebted to alto saxophonist Johnny Hodges, who, he said, taught him to play his instrument.

Birth and Death Data: Born March 27th, 1909 (Kansas City), Died September 20th, 1973 (Amsterdam)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1932 - 1966

Roles Represented in DAHR: tenor saxophone, arranger

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 145 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-74846 10-in. 12/13/1932 Toby Kansas City Orchestra ; Bennie Moten Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Victor BS-74847 10-in. 12/13/1932 Moten's swing Kansas City Orchestra ; Bennie Moten Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Victor BS-74848 10-in. 12/13/1932 Blue room Kansas City Orchestra ; Bennie Moten Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Victor BS-74849 10-in. 12/13/1932 Imagination Kansas City Orchestra ; Bennie Moten Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Victor BS-74850 10-in. 12/13/1932 New Orleans Kansas City Orchestra ; Bennie Moten ; Jimmy Rushing Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Victor BS-74851 10-in. 12/13/1932 The only girl I ever loved Kansas City Orchestra ; Bennie Moten Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Victor BS-74852 10-in. 12/13/1932 Milenberg joys Kansas City Orchestra ; Bennie Moten Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Victor BS-74853 10-in. 12/13/1932 Lafayette Kansas City Orchestra ; Bennie Moten Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Victor BS-74854 10-in. 12/13/1932 Prince of Wales Count Basie ; Kansas City Orchestra ; Bennie Moten Jazz/dance band, with piano instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Victor BS-041408 10-in. 9/11/1939 Hot mallets Lionel Hampton Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Victor BS-044887 10-in. 3/6/1940 You, you darlin' Duke Ellington Famous Orchestra ; Herb Jeffries Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Victor BS-044888 10-in. 3/6/1940 Jack the Bear Duke Ellington Famous Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Victor BS-044889 10-in. 3/6/1940 Ko-ko Duke Ellington Famous Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Victor BS-044890 10-in. 3/7/1940 Morning glory Duke Ellington Famous Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Victor BS-044891 10-in. 3/7/1940 So far, so good Ivie Anderson ; Duke Ellington Famous Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Victor BS-049015 10-in. 3/15/1940 Conga brava Duke Ellington Famous Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Victor BS-049016 10-in. 3/15/1940 Concerto for Cootie Duke Ellington Famous Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Victor BS-049017 10-in. 3/15/1940 Me and you Ivie Anderson ; Duke Ellington Famous Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Victor PBS-049655 10-in. 5/4/1940 Cotton tail Duke Ellington Famous Orchestra Jazz/dance band arranger, instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Victor PBS-049656 10-in. 5/4/1940 Don't get around much anymore Duke Ellington Famous Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Victor BS-053020 10-in. 5/28/1940 Dusk Duke Ellington Famous Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Victor BS-053021 10-in. 5/28/1940 Bojangles Duke Ellington Famous Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Victor BS-053022 10-in. 5/28/1940 A portrait of Bert Williams Duke Ellington Famous Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Victor BS-053023 10-in. 5/28/1940 Blue goose Duke Ellington Famous Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Victor BS-053427 10-in. 9/5/1940 There shall be no night Duke Ellington Famous Orchestra ; Herb Jeffries Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
(Results 1-25 of 145 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Webster, Ben," accessed April 20, 2021, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103716.

Webster, Ben. (2021). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 20, 2021, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103716.

"Webster, Ben." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2021. Web. 20 April 2021.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103716

External Sources

Wikipedia:

Discogs: Webster, Ben

Allmusic: Webster, Ben

Linked Open Data Sources

LCNAR: http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n82090923

Wikidata: http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q438460

VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/20492247/

MusicBrainz: https://musicbrainz.org/artist/e28c0b26-3bdb-45dc-b4f5-f309c7c35ec4

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