‘Big Ben: Celebrating saxophonist Ben Webster’ will be premiered at the EFG London Jazz Festival on Friday 17th November 2023. 50 years on from Webster’s death, pianist/arranger Alex Webb has worked with saxophonist Tony Kofi to curate a narrated show touching on key aspects of the tenor giant’s career, including the acclaimed years with Duke Ellington, his work with Billie Holiday, his visits to Ronnie Scott’s in London, his later years in Copenhagen and his remarkable work with strings.

Webster (1909 – 1973) was a true giant of the tenor sax and one of the most-loved of all African-American jazz musicians. His career spanned several generations of jazz and resulted in hundreds of recordings, including many acknowledged classics.

Kofi and Webb will lead a band of major UK jazz musicians, including Alan Barnes on reeds, Freddie Gavita on trumpet, Richard Henry on trombone and a rhythm section of bassist Dave Green (who played and recorded with Ben Webster in the 1960s) and Clark Tracey, whose legendary father also accompanied Webster on his 1960s UK dates. The group will be augmented with a string section for some selections, and the show will be narrated by Lulu Pierre, who will also sing some of the songs on which Billie Holiday partnered with Webster.

This show is a Copasetic production and the first promotion by Watford Jazz Junction to be part of the EFG London Jazz Festival; the organisers acknowledge the support of the Arts Council of England.

Line-up

Tony Kofi (saxophone) and Alex Webb (piano) will lead a band of major UK jazz musicians, including Alan Barnes (reeds), Freddie Gavita (trumpet), Richard Henry (trombone) and a rhythm section of Dave Green (bass) who played and recorded with Ben Webster in the 1960s, and Clark Tracey (drums) whose legendary father also accompanied Webster on his 1960s UK dates.

This fabulous group will be augmented with the J.A.M. String Collective from Tomorrow's Warriors for some selections, and the show will be narrated by Lulu Pierre, who will also sing some of the songs on which Billie Holiday partnered with Webster.