Coleman Hawkins (1904-1969), nicknamed "Hawk", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist who transformed the instrument from a novelty into a cornerstone of jazz. He gained prominence with Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra (1923-1934) and his 1939 recording of 'Body and Soul' became a landmark of jazz. He embraced bebop in the 1940s and influenced generations of saxophonists including Ben Webster, Lester Young, Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane.