Although Coleman Hawkins was 51 when THE HAWK FLIES HIGH was recorded in 1957, he hadn't lost any of the vigor or imaginative dexterity that had typified his original work in the `30s and `40s. In fact, one of Hawkins's greatest assets was his ability to adapt to and incorporate changing styles, and that's precisely what he does here by bringing his swing-inflected chops into a straight bop context. Surrounded by then-young firebrands J.J. Johnson and Idrees Sulieman (on trombone and trumpet, respectively), Hawkins turns in memorable performances on album highlights such as "Juicy Fruit," "Laura," and "Sanctity."

Personnel: Coleman Hawkins (tenor saxophone); Idrees Sulieman (trumpet); J.J. Johnson (trombone); Hank Jones (piano); Barry Galbraith (guitar); Oscar Pettiford (bass); Jo Jones (drums).