It's a snapshot of a particular and intriguing phase of Johnny Hodges' career,

Johnny Hodges was a jazz alto saxophonist, who enjoyed a performing and recording career that lasted from the 1920s through to his death in 1970. Best-known for his work with Duke Ellington, he had a pure tone and economy of melody on both the blues and ballads that won him admiration from musicians of all eras and styles, and made him ubiquitous on recording sessions across the spectrum of jazz. He occasionally led his own bands, and this 41-track 2-CD collection focuses on albums he made in a concentrated period in the mid-1950s with his small orchestra for the Clef and Norgran labels, owned by renowned impresario and producer Norman Granz, which were forerunners of Verve. It features the titles from the albums. 'Johnny Hodges Collates', 'Johnny Hodges Collates No. 2', 'Swing With Johnny Hodges', 'Memories of Ellington', 'Castle Rock', 'The Blues' and 'In A Tender Mood', with some of the titles appearing on more than one album. A number of the titles were also released as singles, and two of them 'Castle Rock ' and 'A Pound Of Blues', were US R&B hits. It naturally features some notable musicians of the era, including Al Sears, Leroy Lovett, Billy Strayhorn, Al McGibbon, Sonny Greer, Emmett Berry, Lloyd Trotman, Flip Phillips, Red Callender, Ray Brown, J.C. Heard and others. It's a snapshot of a particular and intriguing phase of Johnny Hodges' career, and a great showcase for his understated virtuosity as a jazz musician and leader.

Track Listing

• You Blew Out The Flame In My Heart [Rabbit's Blues]
• Something To Pat Your Foot To
• Blue Fantasia
• My Reward
• Good Queen Bess
• Jeep's Blues
• Solitude
• The Jeep Is Jumpin'
• Castle Rock
• Sophisticated Lady
• Globetrotter
• A Gentle Breeze
• Sideways
• A Pound Of Blues
• Wham
• Who's Excited ?
• Sweepin' The Blues Away
• Day Dream
• Standing Room Only
• Below The Azores
• Tenderly
• Sweet Georgia Brown

• Duke's Blues (Pt 1 & Pt 2)
• Tea For Two
• What's I'm Gotchere?
• I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good
• Nothing Yet
• Rosanne
• Hodge Podge
• Jappa
• Through For The Night
• Come Sunday
• The Sheik Of Araby
• Latino
• Easy Going Bounce
• Indiana
• Johnny's Blues (Pts 1 & 2)
• In A Mellow Tone
• I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart
• Don't Get Around Much Anymore
• Burgundy Walk

Additional Details

Label: Acrobat

Genre: Jazz

Run Time: 143 mins

Region: 0

Release Date: 12/06/24

UPC: 824046353421