Photo: Hulton Archive
Sidney Bechet was the first jazz musician to use soprano saxophone extensively, and is widely regarded as the grand master of the instrument. Born and raised in New Orleans, Bechet was a contemporary of Louis Armstong -- and, in a fair world, would be held in similar regard. A jazz pioneer and innovator in New Orleans jazz and blues, Bechet was making revolutionary work even early in his career.
Although Billie Holiday did the first jazz version of "Summertime" in 1936, Bechet's was the first instrumental cover of the Gershwin/Heyward classic; it remains one of the best. And you can't beat his choice of sidemen: Meade Lux Lewis (piano), Teddy Bunn (guitar), Sid Catlett (drums) and Johnny Williams (bass). Together, they take a song that was written in Tin Pan Alley and make it sound as if it was born in Storyville.
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