Coleman Hawkins, the pioneering tenor saxophonist and one of the greatest of all time, had a 40-year prime from 1925 to 1965. He possessed an encyclopedic knowledge of chords and harmonies, making him a modern improviser who could hold his own against any competitor. Hawkins' early years saw him develop his own sound on the saxophone, departing from its previous novelty status and establishing himself as a professional musician by age 12.

After a successful stint with Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra and a period in Europe, Hawkins returned to the U.S. in 1939 and continued to influence the jazz scene. Despite shifts in tenor saxophone trends, Hawkins remained a dominant force, fostering younger talent and adapting his harmonically advanced style to collaborate with emerging bop-oriented musicians. His career saw various collaborations and recordings, demonstrating his lasting impact on the genre until his decline in the late 1960s. Hawkins' legacy lives on through numerous outstanding recordings, solidifying his reputation as the "king of the saxophone."