Artist: Johnny Hodges

Johnny Hodges and the Ellington Men 1956-57, 2010-04-05
I first saw Johnny Hodges with Duke Ellington in the Gaumont State,Kilburn. This was in the Autumn of 1958, and it was an unforgettable experience. These 2 CD's have been out of print for too long, infact although I owned one of the LPs that have been released, the other 2, The Big Sound and Dukes in Bed, I have never seen or heard. This is great swinging jazz and Hodges is on great form. The sound is good, so if you are into Ellington, and his band when these recordings were made was one of his best, treat yourself and enjoy these recordings.

Artist: Johnny Hodges

Artist: Duke Ellington & Johnny Hodges

Artist: Johnny Hodges

A bargain for Hodges fans and music lovers everywhere., 2010-06-29
What can you say?
I have been waiing for reissues of albums lile these for years and suddenly four turn up at once!
Hodges is his usual unflappable self but there are fine contributions from the likes of Harold Baker (tpt), Billy Strayhorn (pno), Al Sears (tnr) and a whole gang of non-Ellingtonians. Recommended listening For all lovers of jazz where melody is the thing and having fun with some friends is an imprtant element in the music making.

Artist: Johnny Hodges

Artist: Johnny Hodges

After 23 years as Duke Ellington's principal soloist Johnny Hodges decided to branch out on his own as a band leader. Less than five years later he was back in the Ellington fold. This album comes from his last year as leader in his own right. Hodges may have left Ellington but the maestro's music was never far away from his thinking. For this album he asked two of his Ellington colleagues--Jimmy Hamilton and Harry Carney--to sit in with his seven-piece band. In addition three other sidemen had been Ellingtonians, trumpeter Shorty Baker, trombonist Lawrence brown and drummer Louie Bellson. So this is in effect an Ellington splinter group in all but name and when Hodges eases into "Warm Valley" the picture is complete. There are some compelling bluesy small band jump pieces and a cover version of "Skokiaan", a hit of the day. But the central work is an 18-minute ballad medley featuring the leader (he plays "Sweet Lorraine" and "All Of Me"), Carney, Hamilton, Baker and pianist Richie Powell. Hodges's tenor saxist at the time was John Coltrane, but his playing is confined to some background work. The tenor solos are played by Jimmy Hamilton. --Steve Voce

Artist: Duke Ellington, Johnny Hodges

Back To Back is an oddity in the Duke Ellington canon, a small-band record that includes not a single Ellington composition and only one Ellington musician, co-leader and alto sax king Johnny Hodges. The repertoire consists of seven classic blues pieces, including three from the pen of W.C. Handy, and the results of this informal 1959 session are nothing short of remarkable. The other major solo voice is Harry "Sweets" Edison, a Count Basie-band veteran who seems particularly inspired on this day. His embrace of the melody on "Basin Street Blues" shows great tenderness laced with simply perfect blues-based accents. Hodges offers a virtual lesson in how to build solos from the ground up, nuzzling the nostalgic melodies at first before adding colourful embellishments. Meanwhile, Ellington's spare improvisations and clever comping offer bold chord choices and typically idiosyncratic timing without overwhelming the basic structure and feeling of the blues. No question, a record of old standards and easygoing statements can be just as powerful as any other. --Marc Greilsamer
A faultless CD, 2009-11-07
Coming to this CD as a committed Johnny Hodges fan I expected him to stand out as the star of the performance. He stood out all right - alongside the rest of the front line. There can't be anyone who isn't impressed and inspired by Hodges' beautiful alto but after hearing these tracks one is equally impressed by Sweets Edison's wonderful trumpet - never a note out of place and perfect delivery. Les Spann on guitar is there when he is wanted and gives us some really thrilling solos throught. Duke Ellington was rarely complimented on his piano playing per se, but here he does all that is required to stop one from wondering why one of the usual crop of pianists who appear on such discs wasn't used.
All in all, a CD that has a place on the 'easy to reach' rack of my collection. A tape of it is in my car and is played virtually wherever I go. I never tire of it - and I doubt if you will. Music that does exactly what music should do - entertain, satisfy, and relax. What a tragedy they cannot cut more such discs. But we must get what we can from those they left behind and never let such music die for to do so would be to let something vital disappear from this world to the severe detriment of future generations.

Artist: Duke Ellington, Johnny Hodges

Of all the huge number of Ellington recordings, very few feature his unique piano work at any length, and those that do are usually unpopulated with front-line horns. By contrast, the three tracks here that involve him (and those on the Back To Back album from the same session) show him interacting with Johnny Hodges and trumpeter Harry Edison in a unique sextet. Edison, Les Spann (guitar/flute), Al Hall (bass) and ex-Basie drummer Jo Jones were musicians he was unaccustomed to working with, and the inspirational sparks flew. A storming version of "Stompy Jones" (especially during the piano solo and closing ensemble), the lesser-known "Goin' Up" from the movie Cabin In The Sky, plus Fats Waller's "Squeeze Me" are performances to treasure. More conventional but not inferior are the remaining septet tracks led by Hodges with Billy Strayhorn on piano, Ben Webster, Lawrence Brown and Roy Eldridge. All the tunes are played at various medium tempos, and everything is imbued with relaxed swing. Once more, the combination of a Ducal atmosphere with the non-Ellingtonians Eldridge and Jo Jones (again) makes for a highly successful performance. --Brian Priestley

Artist: Johnny Hodges