Johnny Hodges
Cornelius "Johnny" Hodges (July 25, 1907 – May 11, 1970) was an American alto saxophonist, best known for solo work with Duke Ellington's big band. He played lead alto in the saxophone section for many years. Hodges was also featured on soprano saxophone, but refused to play soprano after 1946. Along with Benny Carter, Hodges is considered to be one of the definitive alto saxophone players of the big band era. After beginning his career as a teenager in Boston, Hodges began to travel to New York and played with Lloyd Scott, Sidney Bechet, Luckey Roberts and Chick Webb. When Ellington wanted to expand his band in 1928, Ellington's clarinet player Barney Bigard recommended Hodges. His playing became one of the identifying voices of the Ellington orchestra. From 1951 to 1955, Hodges left the Duke to lead his own band, but returned shortly before Ellington's triumphant return to prominence – the orchestra's performance at the 1956 Newport Jazz Festival. |
Birth and Death Data: Born July 25, 1907 (Cambridge), Died May 11, 1970 (New York City)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1928 - 1959
Roles Represented in DAHR: alto saxophone, clarinet, soprano saxophone, composer, leader, saxophone, songwriter
Notes: He is not to be confused with pianist Johnnie Hardge, whose name sometimes appears as "Hodges."
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 151-175 of 236 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Victor | PBS-061942 | 10-in. | 12/2/1941 | What good would it do? | Duke Ellington Famous Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, alto saxophone, clarinet | |
Victor | PBS-061943 | 10-in. | 12/2/1941 | I dont know what kind of blues I got | Duke Ellington Famous Orchestra ; Herb Jeffries | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, alto saxophone, clarinet | |
Victor | BS-070682 | 10-in. | 1/21/1942 | Perdido | Duke Ellington Famous Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, alto saxophone, clarinet | |
Victor | BS-070683 | 10-in. | 1/21/1942 | The "C" jam blues | Duke Ellington Famous Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, alto saxophone, clarinet | |
Victor | BS-070684 | 10-in. | 1/21/1942 | Moon mist | Duke Ellington Famous Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, alto saxophone, clarinet | |
Victor | D5VB-0262 | 10-in. | 5/11/1945 | Caravan | Duke Ellington Famous Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |
Victor | D5VB-0265 | 10-in. | 5/14/1945 | In a sentimental mood | Duke Ellington Famous Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |
Victor | D5VB-0274 | 10-in. | 5/16/1945 | Every hour on the hour (I fall in love with you) | Duke Ellington Famous Orchestra ; Al Hibbler | Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |
Victor | D5VB-0518 | 10-in. | 7/30/1945 | Things ain't what they used to be | Duke Ellington Famous Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |
Victor | D5VB-0662 | 10-in. | 10/8/1945 | Tell ya what I'm gonna do | Duke Ellington Famous Orchestra ; Joya Sherrill | Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |
Victor | D5VB-0663 | 10-in. | 10/8/1945 | Come to baby, do! | Duke Ellington Famous Orchestra ; Joya Sherrill | Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |
Victor | D5VB-0949 | 10-in. | 11/26/1945 | I'm just a lucky so-and-so | Duke Ellington Famous Orchestra ; Al Hibbler | Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |
Victor | D5VB-0951 | 10-in. | 11/26/1945 | The wonder of you | Duke Ellington Famous Orchestra ; Joya Sherrill | Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, alto saxophone, songwriter | |
Victor | D6VB-2093 | 10-in. | 7/9/1946 | Rockabye river | Duke Ellington Orchestra ; Duke Ellington | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |
Victor | D6VB-2095 | 10-in. | 7/9/1946 | Transblucency (a blue fog that you can almost see through) | Duke Ellington Orchestra ; Duke Ellington | Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |
Victor | D6VB-2096 | 10-in. | 7/9/1946 | Just squeeze me (but don't tease me) | Duke Ellington Orchestra ; Duke Ellington | Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |
Victor | D6VB-2113 | 10-in. | 8/26/1946 | Back home again in Indiana | Duke Ellington Orchestra | Piano solo, with jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |
Victor | D6VB-2114 | 10-in. | 8/26/1946 | Blue is the night | Duke Ellington Orchestra | Piano solo, with jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |
Victor | D6VB-2115 | 10-in. | 8/26/1946 | Lover man (Oh, where can you be?) | Duke Ellington Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with piano and female vocal solo | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |
Victor | D6VB-2116 | 10-in. | 8/26/1946 | Just you, just me | Duke Ellington Orchestra | Piano solo, with jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |
Victor | D6VB-2117 | 10-in. | 8/26/1946 | Beale Street blues | Duke Ellington Orchestra | Piano solo, with jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |
Victor | D6VB-2130 | 10-in. | 9/3/1946 | Swamp fire | Duke Ellington Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |
Victor | D6VB-2131 | 10-in. | 9/3/1946 | Royal garden blues | Duke Ellington Orchestra ; Duke Ellington | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |
Victor | D7VB-1676 | 10-in. | 10/6/1947 | It shouldn't happen to a dream | Luther Henderson Orchestra ; Leslie Scott | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | composer | |
Columbia | W148641 | 10-in. | 5/28/1929 | Beggars blues | Sonny Greer and his Memphis Men | Jazz/dance band | songwriter |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Hodges, Johnny," accessed April 25, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103184.
Hodges, Johnny. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 25, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103184.
"Hodges, Johnny." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 25 April 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Johnny Hodges
Discogs: Johnny Hodges
Allmusic: Johnny Hodges
Grove: Johnny Hodges
IMDb: Johnny Hodges
Britannica: Johnny Hodges
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Hodges, Johnny - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n81071360
Wikidata: Johnny Hodges - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q455176
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/71578250
MusicBrainz: Johnny Hodges - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/881d33d8-e86f-42e8-b571-dbde156f6907
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