Coleman Hawkins was called "The father of the tenor sax". He was a pioneer in this instrument, starting his career with the blues singer Mamie Smith in 1921. In 1923 he played with Fletcher Henderson until 1934. In this orchestra he was a partner of Louis Armstrong in 1924. In the mid-thirties he went to Europe and played with many musicians, for example Django Reinhardt, Stephane Grappelli and Benny Carter. In 1939 he returned to the USA and made a classic recording of "Body and Soul". The next year he formed his own big band. He was in activity until his death in 1969, in these last years he played with a small group with the trumpet player Roy Eldridge.