Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

Johnny Hodges

To John Coltrane, Johnny Hodges was "the world's greatest saxophone player", and his gorgeous alto solos defined the Duke Ellington band for decades. Geoffrey Smith picks some highlights from a unique jazz career.

1 hour

Last on

Sun 6 Aug 2017 00:00

Music Played

  • Duke Ellington

    It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)

    Performer: VOCES8.
    • Columbia/Legacy.
    • COLUMBIA/LEGACY.
    • 1.
  • Duke Ellington And The Blanton-Webster Band & The Blanton-Webster Band

    Blue Goose

    • RCA.
    • RCA.
    • 14.
  • Johnny Hodges and His Orchestra

    Squatty Roo

    • Proper.
    • Proper.
    • 19.
  • Johnny Hodges, Ray Nance, Harry Carney, Duke Ellington & Sonny Greer

    Passion Flower

    • Proper.
    • Proper.
    • 20.
  • Johnny Hodges & Duke Ellington and His Orchestra

    In A Mellotone

    • RCA.
    • RCA.
    • 9.
  • Johnny Hodges & Duke Ellington

    Main Stem

    • RCA.
    • 1.
  • Johnny Hodges & Duke Ellington and His Orchestra

    Magenta Haze

    • Naxos.
    • Naxos.
    • 2.
  • Johnny Hodges & Duke Ellington and His Orchestra

    Jeep's Blues

    • Columbia/Legacy 501034.
    • Columbia/Legacy.
    • 19.
  • Edison, Johnny Hodges, Duke Ellington, Al Hall & Jo Jones

    Wabash Blues

    • Verve 521 404-2.
    • Polydor.
    • 1.
  • Johnny Hodges & The Duke Ellington Orchestra

    Blood Count

    • "...and his mother called him Bill".
    • RCA.
    • 3.
  • Johnny Hodges & Charlie Parker and His Orchestra

    Funky Blues

    • Verve 5113912.
    • VERVE.
    • 3.

Performers:

IT DON’T MEAN A THING IF IT AIN’T GOT THAT SWING

Duke Ellington

Composer: Duke Ellington

Album Title: Ken Burns Jazz: The Story of America’s Music

Label: Columbia/Legacy 549-352-2

Duration: 3.08

Performers:Ìý Ivie Anderson, Freddie Jenkins, Arthur Whetsol, Cootie Williams, Lawrence Brown, Joe Nanton, Juan Tizol, Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney, Fred Guy, Wellman Braud, Sonny Greer

Ìý

BLUE GOOSE

The Blanton Webster Band

Composer: Duke Ellington

Album Title: The Blanton – Webster Band

Label: RCA RCA-74321131012

Duration: 3.21

Performers:Ìý Rex Stewart, Wallace Jones, Cootie Williams, Lawrence Brown, Joe Nanton, Juan Tizol, Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges, Otto Hardwick, Ben Webster, Harry Carney, Duke Ellington, Fred Guy, Jimmie Blanton, Sonny Greer

Ìý

SQUATTY ROO

Johnny Hodges & his orchestra

Composer: Hodges

Album Title: The Jeep is Jumpin’

Label: Proper P-1130

Duration: 2.26

Performers:Ìý Johnny Hodges, Billy Strayhorn, Ray Nance, Lawrence Brown, Harry Carney, Jimmy Blanton, Sonny Greer

Ìý

PASSION FLOWER

Johnny Hodges & his orchestra

Composer: Strayhorn

Album Title: The Jeep is Jumpin’

Label: Proper P-1330

Duration: 3.10

Performers:Ìý Johnny Hodges, Billy Strayhorn, Ray Nance, Lawrence Brown, Harry Carney, Jimmy Blanton, Sonny Greer

Ìý

IN A MELLOTONE

Duke Ellington & his orchestra

Composer: Ellington

Album Title: In a Mellotone

Label: RCA 74321-13029

Duration: 3.17

Performers:Ìý Rex Stewart, Wallace Jones, Cootie Williams, Lawrence Brown, Joe Nanton, Juan Tizol, Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges, Otto Hardwick, Ben Webster, Harry Carney, Duke Ellington, Fred Guy, Jimmie Blanton, Sonny Greer

Ìý

MAIN STEM

Duke Ellington & his Orchestra

Composer: Ellington

Album Title: In a Mellotone

Label: RCA 74321-13029

Duration: 2.47

Performers:Ìý Duke Ellington, Rex Stewart, Wallace Jones, Ray Nance, Lawrence Brown, Joe Nanton, Juan Tizol, Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges, Otto Hardwick, Ben Webster, Harry Carney, Billy Strayhorn, celeste; Fred Guy, Junior Raglin, Sonny Greer

Ìý

MAGENTA HAZE

Duke Ellington & his orchestra

Composer: Ellington

Album Title: Jam-A-Ditty

Label: Naxos 8120813

Duration: 2.58

Performers:Ìý Duke Ellington, Shelton Hemphill, Taft Jordan, Francis Williams, Cat Anderson, Harold Baker, Ray Nance, Lawrence Brown, Wilbur DeParis, Claude Jones, Jimmy Hamilton, Russell Procope, Johnny Hodges, Al Sears, Harry Carney, Fred Guy, Oscar Pettiford, Sonny Greer

Ìý

JEEP’S BLUES

Duke Ellington & his orchestra

Composer: Ellington/Hodges

Album Title: Ken Burns Jazz: Duke Ellington

Label: Columbia/Legacy 501034

Duration: 4.40

Performers: Duke Ellington, ÌýJohn Cook, Ray Nance, Clark Terry, William Anderson, ÌýBritt Woodman, Quentin Jackson, John Sanders, Russell Procope, Johnny Hodges, Jimmy Hamilton, Paul Gonsalves, Harry Carney, James Woode, Sam Woodyard

Ìý

WABASH BLUES

Duke Ellington & Johnny Hodges

Title: Wabash Blues

Composer: Meinken/Ringle

Album Title: Duke Ellington & Johnny Hodges Play the Blues Back to Back

Label: Verve 521 404-2

Performers:Ìý Duke Ellington, Johnny Hodges, Harry ‘Sweets’ Edison, Les Spann, Al Hall, Jo Jones

Ìý

BLOOD COUNT

Duke Ellington & his orchestra

Composer: Strayhorn

Album Title: And His Mother Called Him Bill

Label: RCA 63744

Duration: 4.16

Performers:Ìý Cat Anderson, Mercer Ellington, Herb Jones, Cootie Williams, Clark Terry, Lawrence Brown, Buster Cooper, Chuck Connors, Jimmy Hamilton, Johnny Hodges, Russell Procope, Paul Gonsalves, Harry Carney, Duke Ellington, Aaron Bell, Steve Little

Ìý

FUNKY BLUES

Charlie Parker & his orchestra

Composer: Hodges

Album Title: Charlie Parker Plays the Blues

Label: Verve 5113912 1

Duration: 13.29

Performers:Ìý Charlie Shavers, Benny Carter, Johnny Hodges, Charlie Parker, Flip Philips, Ben Webster, Oscar Peterson, Barney Kessel, Ray Brown, J.C. Heard

Broadcast

  • Sun 6 Aug 2017 00:00

Podcast