Coleman Hawkins’ Landmark Recording of “Body and Soul” Turns 75 Today — openculture.com

The jazz standard “Body and Soul” was first performed live in London by singer Gertrude Lawrence in 1930, and then recorded later that year by the great Louis Armstrong. But Coleman Hawkins cut the most historic version on October 11, 1939 — exactly 75 years ago today. The Missouri-born musician made the recording almost by accident, on a spur-of-the-moment-decision, and he had no inkling that he had created the first commercial hit of a pure jazz recording.

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