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| 1. | St. Louis Blues
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| 2. | Royal Garden Blues
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| 3. | Beale Street Blues
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| 4. | Loveless Love
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| 5. | Basin Street Blues
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| 6. | Weary Blues
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| 7. | Squeeze Me
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| 8. | Wabash Blues
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| 9. | Stompy Jones
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| 10. | Going Up
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Jazz
Recorded in New York City, February 20 & 26 (#6-10), 1959
Tracks #1-6 and 8 originally issued as "Back to Back" (Verve MGV-8317).
Tracks #7,9 and 10, were originally issued on "Side by Side" (Verve MGV-8345).
All tracks:
Harry Edison (tp), Johnny Hodges (as), Duke Ellington (p), Les Spann (g), Sam Jones (b), Al Hall (b on #6-10) and Jo Jones (d)
Includes extensive booklet with recording details, extensive notes and rare photos.
Back to back, or side by side, Duke Ellington and Johnny Hodges form a duo which, in terms of sustained jazz artistry, has never been rivaled. The Ellington fanciers will be well rewarded, for there are many passages of Duke’s unusual and charming solo improvisations. "Johnny Hodges," Duke said, "has complete independence of expression. He says what he wants to say on the horn, and that is it. He says it in his language, from his perspective, which is specific, and you could say that his is pure artistry." Hodges carries most of the melodic statements of well-known blues standards, but gets in his share of ad lib choruses along with the swinging trumpet of Harry "Sweets" Edison. This is one of the most thoroughly relaxed, conversational jazz sessions ever recorded.
The tracks on this compilation follow the order of their Verve matrix numbers. However, regarding the recording date, at least one source says that all tracks were recorded in a single session on February 20.
Original sessions produced by Norman Granz.
This compilation produced by Jordi Pujol.
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"An album with the spotlight on Hodges, though Duke is omnipresent [...] Some fine small dates with Hodges up-front and Duke Ellington around the corner."
---Ron Wynn -All Music Guide
"As Duke Ellington's altoist during 1928-51 and 1955-70, Johnny Hodges became world famous and beloved by jazz fans. His luscious tone and melodic style on ballads, blues and swing tunes was highly influential, making him the top altoist (along with Benny Carter) before the rise of Charlie Parker. Hodges led quite a few sessions of his own along the way,. During 1951-55 broke away from Ellington to lead his own combo, before returning for another 15 years.
While Mosaic previously released Hodges' solo recordings of the 1950s on two box sets, those are long out of print. Fresh Sound has come out with four reissues dating from that era. One of the most fun CDs in this batch is Side By Side (FSR 575) which has Hodges and Duke Ellington jamming blues-oriented material in a sextet with trumpeter Harry "Sweets" Edison (who often steals the show) and guitarist Les Spann in 1959."
---Scott Yanow -Los Angeles Jazz Scene (May, 2010)
Johnny Hodges
Active Decades: '20s, '30s, '40s, '50s and '60s
Born: Jul 25, 1907 in Cambridge, MA
Died: May 11, 1970 in New York, NY
Genre: Jazz
Styles: Early R&B, Jazz Instrument, Mainstream Jazz, Saxophone Jazz, Swing
Possessor of the most beautiful tone ever heard in jazz, altoist Johnny Hodges formed his style early on and had little reason to change it through 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 early experiences included playing with Lloyd Scott, Chick Webb, Luckey Roberts, and Willie "The Lion" Smith (1924), and he also had the opportunity to work with Bechet. However, Johnny Hodges' real career began in 1928 when he joined Duke Ellington's orchestra. He quickly became one of the most important solo stars in the band and a real pacesetter on alto; Benny Carter was his only close competition in the 1930s. Hodges was featured on a countless number of performances with Ellington and also had many chances to lead recording dates with Ellington's sidemen. Whether it was "Things Ain't What They Used to Be," "Come Sunday," or "Passion Flower," Hodges was an indispensable member of Ellington's orchestra in the 1930s and '40s. It was therefore a shock, in 1951, when he decided to leave Duke Ellington and lead a band of his own. Hodges had a quick hit in "Castle Rock" (which ironically showcased Al Sears' tenor and had no real contribution by the altoist), but his combo ended up struggling and breaking up in 1955. Hodges' return to Duke Ellington was a joyous occasion and he never really left again. In the 1960s, Hodges teamed up with organist Wild Bill Davis on some sessions, leading to Davis joining Ellington for a time in 1969. Johnny Hodges, whose unchanging style always managed to sound fresh, was still with Duke Ellington when he suddenly died in 1970.
---Scott Yanow, All Music Guide |
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