Webster, Ben

Webster, Ben(jamin Francis)

(born March 27, 1909, Kansas City, Mo., U.S.—died Sept. 20, 1973, Amsterdam, Neth.) U.S. tenor saxophonist. Influenced by Coleman Hawkins and Johnny Hodges, he played in several important swing bands before joining that of Duke Ellington in 1940. After 1943 he worked mostly as the leader of small ensembles. He moved to Europe in 1964. His sensual, breathy tone and wide vibrato were his trademarks, and he became one of the master interpreters of jazz ballads.

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Webster, (Benjamin Francis) Ben (1909–73) jazz musician; born in Kansas City, Mo. He was an outstanding tenor saxophonist who played with Bennie Moten and Fletcher Henderson during the 1930s and emerged as a featured soloist with Duke Ellington between 1940–43. He free-lanced thereafter and spent the last ten years of his life in Copenhagen.