Performer Notes:

• Personnel: Ben Webster (tenor saxophone, piano); Walter Brown (vocals); Herman Bell, Jimmy Cannady, Ole Molin (guitar); Finn Ziegler (violin, strings); Borge Madsen, Per Ludolph, Erling Christensen, Holger Bjerre, Mogens Holm Larsen, Stanley Carlson, Anton Kontra, Aage Bertelsen, Ove Winther, Kurt J. Jensen (strings); Dexter Gordon, Bent Juul Nielsen, Jesper Thilo, Sahib Shihab, Uffe Karskov (reeds); Carmell Jones, Allan Botschinsky, Palle Mikkelborg, Palle Bolvig, Perry Knudsen (trumpet); Torolf Molgaard, Per Espersen, Torolf Molg†rd, Ole Kurt Jensen, Axel Windfel (trombone); Jay McShann, Ole Kock Hansen, Tete Montoliu, Charlie McLean (piano); Rune Carlsson, Joe Veletri, Makaya Ntshoko, Jesse Price, Alex Riel, Bjarne Rostvold, Ray White, Ole Streenberg (drums).
• Recording information: Danish Radio, Copenhagen, Denmark (11/01/1949-05/19/1972); Kansas City (11/01/1949-05/19/1972); Leiden, The Netherlands (11/01/1949-05/19/1972); Nuway Club, New York, NY (11/01/1949-05/19/1972); Odd Fellow Pal‘et, Copenhagen, Denmark (11/01/1949-05/19/1972); Providence, RI (11/01/1949-05/19/1972); The Student's Society, Copenhagen, Denmark (11/01/1949-05/19/1972); TV-Studio, Copenhagen, Denmark (11/01/1949-05/19/1972).
• Director: Niels Jorgen Steen.
• Photographer: Jan Persson.
• In honor of the great tenor saxophonist Ben Webster's 100th birthday, Storyville has brought out this two-CD compilation of rare studio and live cuts, culled mostly from the late, European phase of Webster's career. In 2007, Storyville had already put out an 8-CD box set called DIG BEN--the tracks to be heard on THE BRUTE AND THE BEAUTIFUL were actually put aside at time in anticipation of his centennial. Even more than the bebop-influenced Coleman Hawkins, Webster remained a highly traditional musician to the very end, but his rough-and-ready tone combined with his signature blues-inflected lyricism--the "brute and beautiful" of the title--guaranteed that he sounded fresh and contemporary to the very end.

Producer: Ole Matthiessen, Anders Stefansen

Format: CD (2 Disc)

Country: Denmark

Studio/Live: Mixed

Release Date: 1 June, 2009

Label: Allegro Corporation ***

Dimensions: 12.7 x 14.2 x 1.2 centimeters (0.10 kg)