Gentle Ben (Remastered)

Gentle Ben (Remastered) splendidly reproduces Ben Webster’s glorious, utterly unique rich sound in Stereo DSD 128.  This remastered album from 2xHD and Storyville Records with the Tete Montoliu Trio was made in a small theatre directly to a two-track Analog Tape Recorder. 

Described as one of ‘the warmest and most sensitive of performers, Ben Webster is among that exclusive hierarchy of Jazz artists to whose consistent excellence there can never be an over-abundance of recorded testimony.

The title ‘Gentle Ben’ was inspired by the warm and gentle atmosphere created by Ben during this, his last recording session before his death. Even if his body declined during his last years, his playing never did.  To the last day, Webster played with passion and intensity, and his ballad playing became even more beautiful and tender, simplified almost to the laconic and delivered with weight on every note. 

He never launched into double-time while playing ballads, as was the customs with most tenor saxophonists at that time but maintained the song’s feeling throughout while staying in the slow tempo.  Webster was one of the unique jazz musicians whose presence came through on every recording.

Dizzy Gillespie hit it right on the button when he said: “I’ve heard Ben play in so many settings but to sit down and listen to him play a ballad – nobody who ever played a ballad does a better job than Ben Webster does on it.  I don’t care from what age they come in music”.