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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
This album is virtually a showcase for the alto saxophone of Johnny Hodges. The only other soloist on most of the numbers is trombonist Lawrence Brown who is wonderful on "Stardust". He's accompanied by the Duke Ellington band with Billy Strayhorn replacing Ellington at the piano and the crisp drumming throughout is by Sam Woodyard. But half a dozen of the Ellingtonians including Harry Carney and Paul Gonsalves solo on Hodges's own tune, "Tailor Made". All the arrangements were written by Strayhorn and most of the tunes are his or Ellington's, including fine lesser-played pieces like "The Gal From Joe's" and "Azure". Hodges always contrived to be impeccable and inspired at the same time. He was one of the great originals, instantly identifiable by his superb sound, impeccable poise and instinctive feeling for jazz. He was remarkable for many things, not least his ability to play romantic music without ever sounding sentimental or banal. A perfect example of this is on "Your Love Has Faded" where the listener is treated to the sort of playing that caused Charlie Parker to speak of "Johnny Lily Pons Hodges". --Steve Voce--
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
34 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Finest Possible Showpiece for a Legend,
This review is from: Johnny Hodges With Billy Strayhorn And The Orchestra (Audio CD)
The more snide critic that this album barely qualifies as jazz, but it is the firm framework of Billy Strayhorn's specially commissioned new arrangements (ranging from the reworking of the 1940's hit 'Azure' to the tweaking of the introduction and ensemble passages on 'Jeep's Blues'), that allows Hodges to shine as a soloist comletely unhindered.The results are spectacular - no man in history has achieved such liquid purity, such languid poise and elegance as Hodges on this album. From the falling first notes of 'Don't Get Around Much Anymore' he is at his best, glissing, bending and swelling as only he could. He may be superb, but he is run close by the majesty of his old compatriot in the Ellington Band, Laurence Brown, whose trombone lights up Hoagy Carmichael's classic 'Stardust'. It is the very quality of Strayhorns arrangements that make this album so approachable - many of the classic Ellingtonian discords have disappeared, and the modern idioms that interested Hodges in the mid 1960's have yet to appear. The result is perfect, easy-listening Jazz majesty - this album is certainly one of the jewels of the known World.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
4.8 out of 5 stars (9 customer reviews) 40 of 40 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A rare look at Hodges and Strayhorn without Ellington,
By A Customer - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Johnny Hodges With Billy Strayhorn And The Orchestra (Audio CD)
This disc which is the result of a session in 1961 that features Johhny Hodges on alto sax with Billy Strayhorn as the band leader. Detail of the session is related in Lush Life the biographpy of Billy Strayhorn (pg 217). Briefly, Strayhorn was given free rein in providing new arrangments of songs by Ellington, Hodges and himself. In the 30 plus years they worked together Strayhorn used the Ellington orchestra to feature Hodges. However, this disc really puts Hodges in the forefront of the orchestra and the results are tremendous. Hodges, under Strayhorns direction gives top notch redendtions of 2 of the greatest songs they did together, Day Dream and I Got It Bad. I haven't stopped playing this disc, comparing the arrangements by Strayhorn and playing by Hodges against other Ellington discs. Another one you may want to try is "And His Mother Called Him Bill" which I think is Hodges greatest performance. Oh by the way, Happy 100th Birthday Duke (April 29th) We love you madly!
22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A MUST HAVE FOR ALL ELLINGTON STRAYHORN FANS!,
By A Customer - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Johnny Hodges With Billy Strayhorn And The Orchestra (Audio CD)
And that goes for all Johnny Hodges fans too. If you hear a more lovely reading of "Your Love Has Faded" anywhere, I'd like to know where. Hodges was at the pinnacle of his career and Strayhorn finally got some overdue recognition and lee way to do a fantastic album of covers and originals. Its unknown exactly what was Strayhorn's and what was Ellington's when it came to the big band's compositions, but some of the very best are right here. Where "Faded" moans in an achingly beautiful way, "Tailor Made" and "Juice-A-Plenty" really swing! It is important to remember that Johnny Hodges, while being a very articulate man (probably brushed off from Duke himself) could barely read or even sign his name. Thank God he knew how to play sax!!!
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome Sound, Too,
By Johnny Hodges - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Johnny Hodges With Billy Strayhorn And The Orchestra (Audio CD)
Johnny was a notoriously diffident leader, so his other recordings as headliner (all small groups), while featuring the most beautiful alto player ever, seldom have great arrangements or interplay. With Strays at the helm, this is probably Hodges' most "together" recording.
It is also the best recorded I've heard (as you might imagine from the pseudonym, I have a LOT of his recordings), including my Mosaic boxed set. Jeep has an incredibly delicate tone, and to appreciate the true majesty of his art requires the best possible reproduction. Side By Side makes a perfect companion. A small group session, again in sparkling fi, which (although Duke is on the cover), features a rare glimpse of Strayhorn just playin' with a small band. Duke plays on half the tracks, Bill on the rest. Bet you can't tell which is which without peeking at the liner notes. This is fun to play for people who "don't like jazz". Warning: failure to respond to a Johnny Hodges ballad indicates an urgent need for spiritual and/or medical assistance! |
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