Possessor of the most beautiful tone ever heard in jazz, altoist Johnny Hodges formed his style early on and had small cause to shift it done the decades.
Although he could stomp with the best swing players and was masterful on the blues, Hodges' luscious playing on ballads has never been topped.
He played drums and piano early on before switching to soprano sax when he was 14. Hodges was taught and inspired by Sidney Bechet, although he soon used alto as his main ax; he would regretfully drop soprano altogether after 1940. His former experiences included playing with Lloyd Scott, Chick Webb, Luckey Roberts, and Willie "The Lion" Smith (1924), and he too had the opportunity to work with Bechet.
In May 1928 Johnny joined Duke Ellington's orchestra and he remained a pillar of the radical for the following 40 years. From his first recording in 1928 he revealed his office and technical mastery of the saxophone, playing with a broad, sweeping tone and producing impressive, cascading runs. In the feeling of many people, he presently became Duke's most valuable soloist. He made hundreds of recordings with Duke and from 1937 led his own small studio group drawn from the orchestra which made many successful series of recordings for Victor and other labels. Titles included "Jeep's Blues," "Hodge Podge," "The Jeep is Jumpin" all of which were co-written with Duke. Also in this point of outstanding creativity he played in many other little groups with musicians such as Lionel Hampton, Teddy Wilson, etc. producing classics of the period.
He was one of the prominent Ellington Band members who featured in Benny Goodman's legendary 1938 Carnegie Hall concert. Goodman described Hodges as "by far the greatest man on alto sax. that I ever heard." Charlie Parker called him "the Lily Pons of his instrument.
Johnny was one of the many stars of the Ellington band of the 40s producing solos of vast confidence on songs such as "Things Ain't What They Used To Be," "Don't Get About Much Any More," "Passion Flower," etc. From the 40s he concentrated on the alto leaving the soprano alone wholly and in this point he regularly won the popularity polls run by magazines such as Downbeat, Metronome, and Esquire.
Because he was such an essential member of Ellington's orchestra in the thirties and '40s, it was thus a shock, in 1951, when he decided to leave Duke Ellington and take a lot of his own
In March 1951 Johnny left Duke to cast his own small group taking with him Lawrence Brown and Sonny Greer and in their first recording session they produced a hit record called "Castle Rock." Johnny disbanded the group in the form of 1955 and later a brief tour of TV work on the Ted Steele Show, rejoined Duke in August of that year where, apart from a few brief periods, he remained for the remainder of his life. In the form of 1958 he worked with Billy Strayhorn and in 1961 went to Europe with some of the former band members in a group called The Ellington Giants.
He continued to record prolifically with musicians such as Wild Bill Davis, Earl Hines, and yet one session with Lawrence Welk. Duke and Billy Strayhorn continued to write compositions and arrangements featuring Johnny's unique voice and talents leaving a grand legacy of recorded music for the use of successive generations of enthusiasts. He won the appreciation of many saxophonists such as Ben Webster and yet John Coltrane who played in one of the little groups in 1953-4 said that Johnny was ever one of his favorite players.
In his late years Johnny used fewer and fewer notes, remaining faithful to the air in ballads and improvising simple but telling riffs on the faster numbers, many of which were based on the blues . The king of his playing came from his voice and his soul, generating immense swing and building the dramatic tension from chorus to chorus. His final effort at recording was the monumental "New Orleans Suite," but he would not go to see the last product.
Hodges' last performances were at the Purple Room in Toronto, less than a week before his death. His final recordings are featured on The New Orleans Suite, incomplete upon his death.
Johnny Hodges, whose unchanging style always managed to sound fresh, was yet with Duke Ellington when he suddenly died of a heart attack in New York City on May 11, 1970.
"Never the world's most highly animated showman or greatest stage personality, but a spirit so beautiful it sometimes brought tears to the eyes, this was Johnny Hodges. Because of this great loss, our band will never good the same. Johnny Hodges sometimes sounded beautiful, sometimes romantic, and sometimes people spoke of his look as being sensuous. With the exclusion of a class or so, almost his entire career was with us. So far as our wonderful listening audience was concerned, there was a large opinion of expectancy when they looked up and saw Johnny Hodges sitting in the middle of the sax section, in the front row. I am happy and grateful that I had the favour of presenting Johnny Hodges for 40 years, night after night. I think I have been much envied, but thanks to God." - Duke Ellington eulogy of Johnny Hodges
Johnny Hodges Discography
(This is his solo work, and act as a band leader only)
1950 The Rabbit in Paris Inner City
1951 Johnny Hodges Collates, Vol. 1 Clef
1951 Castle Rock Polygram
1951 Memories of Ellington Norgran
1951 More of Johnny Hodges Norgran
1951 The Jeep Is Jumpin' Verve
1952 In a Tender Mood Verve
1952 The Blues Norgran
1952 Perdido Norgran
1952 Swing with Johnny Hodges Clef
1952 Alto Sax RCA Victor
1953 Johnny Hodges Collates, Vol. 2 Mercury
1954 Used to Be Duke Verve
1954 Alto Blue Verve
1954 A Man and His Music Storyville
1954 At a Dance, in a Studio, on Radio Enigma
1955 Dance Bash Norgran
1955 Creamy Norgran
1956 Ellingtonia Norgran
1956 Duke's in Bed Verve
1957 The Big Sound Verve
1958 Not So Dukish Verve
1958 Blues a Plenty Classic
1958 Side by Side Verve
1958 Johnny Hodges and His Strings Represent the. Verve
1959 A Politic One Verve
1960 Masters of Jazz, Vol. 9 Storyville
1960 The Prettiest Gershwin Verve
1960 Duke Ellington and Johnny Hodges Play the...
1960 Johnny Hodges Verve
1961 At Sportpalast, Berlin (live) Pablo
1961 Blue Hodges Verve
1961 Johnny Hodges with Billy Strayhorn and the. Polygram
1963 The 11th Hour Verve
1963 Previously Unreleased Verve
1963 Blue Rabbit Verve
1963 Mess of Blues Verve
1963 Sandy's Gone Verve
1963 Johnny Hodges Verve
1964 Everybody Knows GRP/Impulse!
1965 Joe's Blues Verve
1965 Johnny Hodges/Wild Bill Davis, Vols. 1 & 2 RCA Jazz
1965 Wings and Things Verve
1965 Johnny Hodges with Lawrence Welk's Orchestra Ranwood
1965 Blue Pyramid Verve
1966 Stride Right Verve
1966 In a High Tone Bluebird/RCA
1966 Things Ain't What They Used to Be RCA
1966 Johnny Hodges and All the Dukesmen Verve
1966 The Incomparable Pairing of Blues and Johnny. Verve
1967 Triple Play RCA
1967 Blue Notes Verve
1967 Don't Sleep in the Subway Verve
1968 Swing's Our Thing
1969 Rippin' and Runnin' Verve
1970 Three Shades of Blue Flying
Johnny Hodges Discography with Duke Ellington
Early Ellington: The Complete. (1926) Clarinet, Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano)
Jungle Nights in Harlem (1927) Clarinet, Reeds, Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano)
OKeh Ellington (1927) Clarinet, Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano)
Rockin' in Rhythm (Jazz Hour) (1927) Sax (Alto)
Duke Ellington (1927-1934) (1927) Reeds, Reeds (Multiple)
Great Original Performances 1927. (1927) Clarinet, Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano)
Playing the Blues (1927-1939) (1927) Clarinet, Sax (Alto), Sax (Baritone), Sax (Soprano)
Jubilee Stomp (1928) Clarinet, Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano)
Jazz Cocktail (1928) Clarinet, Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano)
1928 (1928) Clarinet, Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano)
1928-1929 (1928) Clarinet, Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano)
Duke Ellington, Vol. 9: Pianist (1928) Sax (Alto)
Jungle Band: Brunswick Era, Vol. 2 (1929) Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano)
1929 (1929) Clarinet, Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano)
1929-1930 (1929) Clarinet, Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano)
1930 (1930) Clarinet, Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano)
1930, Vol. 2 (1930) Clarinet, Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano)
1930-1931 (1930) Multi Instruments
1931-1932 (1931) Clarinet, Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano)
1932-1933 (1932) Clarinet, Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano)
Duke Ellington and His Great. (1932) Saxophone
British Connexion (1933) Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano)
Duke's Men: The Small Groups, Vol. (1934) Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano)
Back Room Romp (1936) Performer
Braggin' in Brass: The Immortal. (1938) Clarinet, Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano)
Duke's Men: The Small Groups, Vol. (1938) Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano), Orchestra
Blanton-Webster Band (1939) Clarinet, Horn, Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano)
In Boston 1939-1940 (1939) Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano)
Through the Roof (1939) Sax (Alto)
In a Mellotone (1940) Clarinet, Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano)
Fargo 1940, Vol. 1 (1940) Sax (Alto)
Fargo 1940, Vol. 2 (1940) Alto
Sophisticated Lady (RCA) (1940) Clarinet, Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano)
Sophisticated Lady (Bluebird) (1941) Clarinet, Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano)
Duke Ellington and His Orchestra,. (1943) Sax (Alto)
Carnegie Hall Concerts (January. (1943) Reeds
Duke Ellington and His Orchestra (1943) Reeds, Sax (Alto)
Carnegie Hall Concerts (December. (1944) Reeds
1944-1945 (1944) Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano)
Uncollected Duke Ellington & His. (1946) Reeds
Carnegie Hall Concerts (January. (1946) Reeds
Happy-Go-Lucky Local (1946) Saxophone
Duke Ellington & His World Famous. (1946) Reeds
Great Chicago Concerts (1946) Reeds, Sax (Alto)
Duke Ellington Centenary. (1946) Reeds
Carnegie Hall Concerts (December. (1947) Reeds
Duke Elilngton Cornell University Concert (1948) Sax (Alto)
Masterpieces by Ellington (1950) Reeds
Live at the Blue Note (1952) Reeds, Reeds (Multiple)
Two Large Concerts (1952) Saxophone
Duke Plays Ellington (1953) Clarinet, Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano)
Jazz Profile (1953) Sax (Alto)
Duke Ellington Presents (1956) Sax (Alto)
Private Collection, Vol. 1: Studio (1956) Sax (Alto)
Ellington at Newport (1956) Sax (Alto)
Historically Speaking: The Duke (1956) Sax (Alto)
First Annual Connecticut Jazz. (1956) Reeds
All Star Road Band, Vol. 2 (1957) Sax (Alto)
Indigos (1957) Sax (Alto)
Happy Reunion (1957) Sax (Alto)
Such Sweet Thunder (1957) Saxophone
Satin Doll (1957) Sax (Alto)
Live at the 1957 Stratford. (1957) Reeds, Saxophone, Sax (Alto)
Private Collection, Vol. 7: Studio (1957) Reeds
Private Collection, Vol. 8: Studio (1957) Reeds
Blues in Orbit (1958) Reeds, Sax (Alto)
Duke Ellington With Johnny Side by Side (1958) Sax (Alto), Performer
In Concert at the Pleyel Paris,. (1958) Saxophone
Duke Ellington With Johnny Back to Back (1959) Sax (Alto), Performer
Ellington Suites (1959) Reeds, Saxophone
Newport Jazz Festival (1959) (1959) Sax (Alto)
Jazz Party (1959) Saxophone, Performer
Live at the Blue Note (1959) Reeds (Multiple)
Hot Summer Dance (1960) Sax (Alto)
Piano in the Background (1960) Saxophone
Three Suites (1960) Saxophone
Unknown Session (1960) Sax (Alto)
Unheard Recordings, Pt. 2 (1960) Sax (Alto), Alto (Vocal)
Duke Ellington with Count. First Time! The Count Meets the. (1961) Sax (Alto)
S.R.O. (1961) Saxophone
Duke Ellington w/ Coleman. Duke Ellington Meets Coleman. (1962) Sax (Alto)
Featuring Paul Gonsalves (1962) Saxophone, Sax (Alto)
New Mood Indigo (1962) Reeds
Recollections of the Big Band Era (1962) Sax (Alto)
Afro-Bossa (1962) Sax (Alto)
Private Collection, Vol. 4: Studio (1962) Sax (Alto)
Feeling of Jazz (1962) Sax (Alto)
Masters of Jazz, Vol. 6 (1962) Reeds, Sax (Alto)
Private Collection, Vol. 3: Studio (1962) Sax (Alto)
Reprise Studio Recordings (1962) Sax (Alto)
Great Paris Concert (1963) Sax (Alto)
Private Collection, Vol. 4: Studio (1963) Composer, Saxophone, Sax (Alto)
In the Uncommon Market (1963) Reeds, Saxophone
Symphonic Ellington (1963) Sax (Alto)
Great London Concerts (1963) Reeds
All Star Road Band, Vol. 1-2 (1964) Sax (Alto)
Harlem (1964) Reeds, Saxophone
Ellington Era, Vol. 2 (1964) Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano)
Jazz Group (1964) (1964) Sax (Alto)
Never-Before-Released Recordings (1965) Reeds, Reeds (Multiple)
Private Collection, Vol. 10:. (1965) Reeds
Berlin '65 Paris '67 (1965) Sax (Alto)
Cool Rock (1966) Reeds
Far East Suite (1966) Clarinet, Reeds, Saxophone, Sax (Alto)
Pianist (1966) Saxophone
Soul Call (1966) Sax (Alto)
Ella & Duke at the Cote D'azur (1966) Saxophone
Far East Suite (Special Mix) (1966) Sax (Alto)
...And His Mother Called Him Bill (1967) Clarinet, Saxophone, Sax (Alto)
Duke Ellington Small Bands Intimacy of the Blues (1967) Saxophone, Sax (Alto)
Popular Duke Ellington (Bonus. (1967) Reeds
Private Collection, Vol. 9: Studio (1968) Reeds, Sax (Alto), Sax (Tenor)
Latin American Suite (1968) Saxophone
Second Sacred Concert (1968) Reeds, Saxophone
Yale Concert (1968) Reeds, Saxophone
Private Collection, Vol. 9: Studio (1968) Reeds, Sax (Alto), Sax (Tenor)
Up in Duke's Workshop (1969) Reeds, Saxophone
Intimate Ellington (1969) Reeds, Saxophone, Reeds (Multiple)
New Orleans Suite (1970) Sax (Alto)
Best of Duke Ellington (1971) Reeds, Saxophone
Works of Duke, Vol. 15 (1973) Sax (Alto)
SOURCES:www.allmusic.com; www.allaboutjazz.com; Downbeat Magazine; Princeton Record Exchange; Goodman, Benny; Kolodin, Irving (1939). The Land of Swing. Stackpole Sons. p. 231; Morton, John Fass (2008). Backstory in Blue: Ellington at Newport '56. Rutgers University Press. p. 31. ISBN 0813542820. Retrieved 2 September 2010; Ellington, Duke (1973). Music Is My Mistress. New York: Da Capo. p. 119.
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