“I don’t suppose there is anybody in the business who can do more with a melody than Johnny Hodges.”
–Wild Bill Davis
Johnny Hodges and Billy Strayhorn
The recordings heard on this podcast episode:
Straight Back (CD: “The Complete Verve Johnny Hodges Small Group Sessions 1956-61” Mosaic MD6-200)
Recorded 7 April 1959, New York City
Harold “Shorty” Baker – trumpet; Quentin Jackson, John Sanders – trombone; Johnny Hodges, Jimmy Hamilton, Ben Webster – reeds; Jimmy Jones – piano; Les Spann – guitar; Ray Brown – bass; Jo Jones – drums.
Echoes of Harlem/ Black, Brown and Beautiful (CD: Oliver Nelson “Black, Brown and Beautiful” )
Recorded 17/19 March 1970, New York City
Ernie Royal, Snooky Young, Marvin Stamm, Randy Brecker – trumpets; Al Grey, Garnett Brown, Quentin Jackson, Thomas Mitchell – trombones; Johnny Hodges, Danny Bank, Frank Wess, Jerome Richardson, Jerry Dodgion, Joe Farrell, Bob Ashton – reeds; Hank Jones – piano; Ron Carter – bass; Grady Tate – drums.
Wanderlust (CD: Johnny Hodges “Buenos Aires Blues” Lone Hill Jazz – LHJ10373)
Recorded 26 May 1963, New York City
Johnny Hodges – alto sax; Lalo Schifrin – piano; Barry Galbraith – guitar; George Duvivier – bass; Dave Baker – drums.
Squatty Roo (CD: “Johnny Hodges, Verve Jazz Masters 35” Verve 314 521 857-2)
Recorded 20 February 1959, New York City
Johnny Hodges – alto sax; Dizzy Gillespie – trumpet; Junior Mance – piano; Les Spann – guitar; Sam Jones – bass; Lex Humphries – drums.
Back Beat (CD: “Johnny Hodges, Verve Jazz Masters 35” Verve 314 521 857-2)
Recorded 17 November 1959, Los Angeles
Johnny Hodges – alto sax; Gerry Mulligan – baritone sax; Claude Williamson – piano; Buddy Clark – bass; Mel Lewis – drums.
In a Sentimental Mood (CD: “Johnny Hodges with Lawrence Welk’s Orchestra” Ranwood Records 8246)
Recorded 21 December 1965, Los Angeles
Johnny Hodges – alto sax; Lawrence Welk orchestra – musicians uncredited.
Rabbit Out of the Hat (CD: “Con Soul & Sax/Wild Bill is the Boss” Lone Hill Jazz LHJ10283)
Recorded 17 January 1966, New York City
Johnny Hodges – alto sax; Lawrence Brown – trombone; Jimmy Hamilton – clarinet; Wild Bill Davis – organ; Billy Butler – guitar; Bob Bushnell – bass; Joe Marshall – drums.
Stolen Sweets (CD: “Mess of Blues” Lone Hill Jazz LHJ10285)
Recorded 3/4 September 1963, New York City
Johnny Hodges – alto sax; Wild Bill Davis – organ; Kenny Burrell – guitar; Osie Johnson – drums.
Don’t Sleep in The Subway (CD: “Johnny Hodges, Verve Jazz Masters 35” Verve 314 521 857-2)
Recorded 17, 18, 21 August 1967, Los Angeles
Johnny Hodges – alto sax; Ernie Royal, Snooky Young – trumpet; Bill Berry – trumpet, vibraphone; Tony Studd – bass trombone; Jerome Richardson, Frank Wess – flute, clarinet, alto sax; Jimmy Hamilton – clarinet, tenor sax; Danny Bank – baritone sax, clarinet; Hank Jones – piano; Everett Barksdale – guitar; Milt Hinton – bass; Grady Tate – drums; Jimmy Jones – arranger, conductor
Broadway Babe (CD: Mercer Ellington “Stepping Into Swing Society” Fresh Sound Records FSR-CD 531)
Recorded 20 July 1958, New York City
Cat Anderson, Harold “Shorty” Baker, Clark Terry – trumpet; Britt Woodman, Quentin Jackson, John Sanders – trombone; Johnny Hodges, Russell Procope, Jimmy Hamilton, Ben Webster, Harry Carney – reeds; Jimmy Jones – piano; Skeeter Best – guitar; Wendell Marshall -bass; Joe Marshall – drums.
The Gal From Joe’s/ Your Love Has Faded (CD: “Johnny Hodges, soloist, Billy Strayhorn and The Orchestra” Verve 314 557 543-2)
Recorded 11/12 December 1961, New York City
Cat Anderson, Harold “Shorty” Baker, Ed Mullens, Bill Berry – trumpets; Lawrence Brown, Quentin Jackson, Chuck Connors – trombones; Johnny Hodges, Russell Procope, Jimmy Hamilton, Paul Gonsalves, Harry Carney – reeds; Billy Strayhorn – piano; Jimmy Jones – piano; Aaron Bell – bass; Sam Woodyard – drums.
Once Upon a Time (CD: Earl Hines “Once Upon a Time” Impulse! A-9108)
Recorded 10/11 January 1966, New York City
Cat Anderson, Clark Terry, Ray Nance, Bill Berry – trumpet; Lawrence Brown, Buster Cooper – trombone; Johnny Hodges, Russell Procope – alto sax; Paul Gonsalves, Harold Ashby – tenor sax; Earl “Fatha” Hines – piano; Aaron Bell -bass; Elvin Jones – drums.
— Our closing music —-
It’s Something You Ought To Know (Paul Gonsalves – “Ellingtonia Moods and Blues,” RCA Victor / RCA63562)
Recorded 29 February 1960, New York City
Paul Gonsalves- tenor sax; Johnny Hodges – alto sax; Ray Nance – cornet; Mitchell “Booty” Wood – trombone; Jimmy Jones – piano; Al Hall – bass; Oliver Jackson – drums.