Johnny Hodges

The superb November 1960 session recorded by the Ben Webster-Johnny Hodges sextet in studio conditions at the Jazz Cellar, in San Francisco (without an audience). It is presented here in its complete form for the first time ever. These recordings are exceptional in that no other date exists in their collaborative discography featuring them as the only horns. The two great saxophonists were the only horn players heard at the session. They were backed by a rhythm section of piano, guitar, bass and drums. As bonus, to this new DSD release has added a complete (and very rare) octet session featuring Johnny Hodges and His Orchestra from August 27, 1964.

This 1959 Verve record is a collaboration between Ellington and saxophonist Johnny Hodges. Hodges takes the lead on most of the tracks, backed by Ellington and Billy Strayhorn on piano and well-known jazz musicians like Ben Webster, Roy Eldridge, Harry "Sweets" Edison and Jo Jones.

"Jazz pour tous: Johnny Hodges" is a collection recordings of Johnny Hodges compiles from the archives of Bibliothèque nationale de France…

Recorded during the last decade of his long tenure with the Duke Ellington Orchestra, this album finds the great alto saxophonist Johnny Hodges' musical gifts not only intact but stronger than ever. Featuring the Ellington band - with Jimmy Jones on piano and Billy Strayhorn as bandleader and arranger - it is a fascinating program of Ellington remakes, including tome of the orchestra's most familiar numbers, all of which have been given subtle new orchestrations by Strayhorn and melodious new interpretations by Hodges.

A follow-up album to "Back to Back: Duke Ellington and Johnny Hodges Play the Blues". Ellington takes the back seat to saxophonist Hodges in this jam session album, only playing in three of the nine tracks. The album features Hodges, a prominent member of Ellington's legendary band, backed by Ellington and Billy Strayhorn on piano among other notable musicians. The ablum includes works, "Let's Fall in Love", "Just Squeeze Me (But Don't Tease Me)", and "Going Up".

One of the giants of the alto saxophone, Johnny Hodges was perhaps the most important soloist and sideman in Duke Ellington's orchestra from 1928 up to Hodges' death in 1970. The self-taught player made many solo forays during his long career - one of his '50s outfits included a young John Coltrane - but history remembers Hodges for his virtuosic sidemanship, particularly his sensitive rendering of ballads.

One of two albums released from the same 1959 sessions (the other being "Side By Side"), Duke Ellington and alto saxophonist Johnny Hodges come together to play the blues, as the album's subtitle announces. Consisting entirely of covers, the recording features three tunes by classic American blues composer W.C. Handy, including a rendition of "Beale Street Blues".

Shavers and Hodges were genii: unflawed musicians, total original minds, two of the great burnished talents that were ablaze in those fiery jazz years. Both seminal figures: Johnny Hodges, one of the three classic alto-saxophonists in jazz, Charlie Shavers, one of the two or three greatest trumpeters of his era. Both had the gift of making perfection sound easy, and both revelled – with an almost Casanova sensuality – in every tonal, and technical richness that their instrument was capable of. On this record, the two old masters perform in two settings each, both with the kind of ripe luscious talent that grows only in the summertime of an art.

One of two albums released from the same 1959 sessions, Duke Ellington and alto saxophonist Johnny Hodges come together to play the blues, as the album's subtitle announces. Consisting entirely of covers, the recording features three tunes by classic American blues composer W.C. Handy, including a rendition of "Beale Street Blues".