Johnny Hodges With Billy Strayhorn And The Orchestra |
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Artist:
Johnny Hodges,
Billy Strayhorn
Average Customer Rating: 
List Price: £9.99
Our Price: £7.31
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Disc 1:
| 1. Don't Get Around Much Anymore - Johnny Hodges, Billy Strayhorn | | 2. I've Got It Bad And That Ain't Good - Johnny Hodges | | 3. Gal From Joe's - Johnny Hodges | | 4. Your Love Has Faded - Billy Strayhorn, Orchestra, Johnny Hodges | | 5. I'm Just A Lucky So-And-So - Billy Strayhorn, Orchestra, Johnny Hodges | | 6. Jeep's Blues - Johnny Hodges | | 7. Day Dream - Johnny Hodges | | 8. Juice A Plenty - Johnny Hodges | | 9. Azure - Billy Strayhorn, Orchestra, Johnny Hodges | | 10. Tailor Made - Billy Strayhorn, Orchestra, Johnny Hodges | | 11. Stardust - Billy Strayhorn, Orchestra, Johnny Hodges |
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Amazon.co.uk Review
This album is virtually a showcase for the alto saxophone of Johnny Hodges. The only other soloist on most of the numbers is trombonist Lawrence Brown who is wonderful on "Stardust". He's accompanied by the Duke Ellington band with Billy Strayhorn replacing Ellington at the piano and the crisp drumming throughout is by Sam Woodyard. But half a dozen of the Ellingtonians including Harry Carney and Paul Gonsalves solo on Hodges's own tune, "Tailor Made". All the arrangements were written by Strayhorn and most of the tunes are his or Ellington's, including fine lesser-played pieces like "The Gal From Joe's" and "Azure". Hodges always contrived to be impeccable and inspired at the same time. He was one of the great originals, instantly identifiable by his superb sound, impeccable poise and instinctive feeling for jazz. He was remarkable for many things, not least his ability to play romantic music without ever sounding sentimental or banal. A perfect example of this is on "Your Love Has Faded" where the listener is treated to the sort of playing that caused Charlie Parker to speak of "Johnny Lily Pons Hodges". --Steve Voce--
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The Finest Possible Showpiece for a Legend, 2002-11-13
The more snide critic that this album barely qualifies as jazz, but it is the firm framework of Billy Strayhorn's specially commissioned new arrangements (ranging from the reworking of the 1940's hit 'Azure' to the tweaking of the introduction and ensemble passages on 'Jeep's Blues'), that allows Hodges to shine as a soloist comletely unhindered.
The results are spectacular - no man in history has achieved such liquid purity, such languid poise and elegance as Hodges on this album. From the falling first notes of 'Don't Get Around Much Anymore' he is at his best, glissing, bending and swelling as only he could.
He may be superb, but he is run close by the majesty of his old compatriot in the Ellington Band, Laurence Brown, whose trombone lights up Hoagy Carmichael's classic 'Stardust'.
It is the very quality of Strayhorns arrangements that make this album so approachable - many of the classic Ellingtonian discords have disappeared, and the modern idioms that interested Hodges in the mid 1960's have yet to appear. The result is perfect, easy-listening Jazz majesty - this album is certainly one of the jewels of the known World.
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Binding: Audio CD
EAN: 0731455754322
Format: Original recording remastered
Label: Universal Classics
Manufacturer: Universal Classics
Number Of Discs: 1
Publisher: Universal Classics
Release Date: 1999-05-25
Running Time: 36
Studio: Universal Classics |
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