Ben Webster Arrives in Copenhagen: 1965

Ben Webster on the cover of the album being discussed (photograph by Jan Persson, from the Amazon.com Web page for this recording)

Tenor saxophonist Ben Webster tends to be remembered for his contribution to Duke Ellington’s ensemble between 1935 and 1943. This period in Ellington history is so well known that the group is usually referred to as the Blanton-Webster band, coupling Webster’s contributions with those of bassist Jimmy Blanton. Webster’s departure was a contentious one, but his career did not suffer for it. Nevertheless, like many of his contemporaries, he realized that appreciation for good jazz was much stronger in Europe than it was in the United States. He made his move to Europe in 1964 and never returned.

He began with a year in London, where he was successfully received, particularly at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in Soho. In January of 1965 he made his first trip to the continent to perform at Radiohuset (“The Radio House”), the concert hall for DR (Danmarks Radio, the Danish public-service radio and television broadcasting company) in Copenhagen. He led a quartet whose other members were Kenny Drew on piano, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pederson on bass, and Alex Riel on drums. Fortunately, this concert was recorded; and, at the end of last month, that recording was released by Storyville Records. Webster would subsequently move to Copenhagen; and, following his cremation after his death in September of 1973, his ashes were buried in the Assistens Cemetery in the Nørrebro section of the city.

Many concert recording albums end with a “bonus track.” This one begins with one. Webster demonstrates at the piano to the rest of his group the sort of rhythm he likes when playing Ellington’s “In a Mellow Tone.” The remainder of the album appears to document a single set that lasts for about half an hour. Ellington also closes out the set with “Cotton Tail;” and, while the back cover lists him as the composer of “Blues in B Flat,” I noticed that, for this piece, there is no attributed composer on Webster’s Verve album with Gerry Mulligan. (Unfortunately, the liner notes for the CD release of those sessions leave much to be desired.) The other selections are familiar “songbook” tunes, “Pennies from Heaven,” “My Romance,” and “Over the Rainbow.”

For this gig Webster was definitely a generous leader. All three rhythm performers were given ample opportunity for their own solo riffs. Like Webster, Drew made Copenhagen his home; and his body was interred in the same cemetery that hold Webster’s ashes. Riel would go on to become a rock drummer, but Ørsted Pedersen would spend the rest of his life jamming with some of the biggest names in jazz and playing regularly at the Jazzhus Montmartre in Copenhagen. This is very much an album of historical significance; but it is also an opportunity to enjoy Webster’s take on straight-ahead jazz at its best.