Benjamin Francis Webster (March 27, 1909 – September 20, 1973) was an American
jazz tenor saxophonist. Webster, born in
Kansas City, Missouri, is considered one of the three most important "swing tenors" along with
Coleman Hawkins and
Lester Young. Known affectionately as
The Brute, or
Frog, he had a tough, raspy, and brutal tone on stomps (with growls), yet on ballads he played with warmth and sentiment. Stylistically he was indebted to alto star
Johnny Hodges, who, he said, taught him to play his instrument.