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, saxophone, leader, 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 226-250 of 257 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Decca | 105298 | 7/14/1958 | Black butterfly | Mercer Ellington Orchestra | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |||
Decca | 105299 | 7/14/1958 | Got my foot in the door | Mercer Ellington Orchestra | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |||
Decca | 105300 | 7/17/1958 | Indelible | Mercer Ellington Orchestra | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |||
Decca | 105301 | 7/17/1958 | Ruint | Mercer Ellington Orchestra | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |||
Decca | 105302 | 7/17/1958 | Frolic Sam | Mercer Ellington Orchestra | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |||
Decca | 105303 | 7/17/1958 | Be patient | Mercer Ellington Orchestra | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |||
Decca | 105304 | 7/22/1958 | If you were in my place | Mercer Ellington Orchestra | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |||
Decca | 105305 | 7/22/1958 | The gal from Joe's | Mercer Ellington Orchestra | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |||
Decca | 105306 | 7/22/1958 | Afternoon moon | Mercer Ellington Orchestra | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |||
Decca | 105307 | 7/22/1958 | Broadway babe | Mercer Ellington Orchestra | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |||
Decca | 105308 | 7/22/1958 | Yearning for love | Mercer Ellington Orchestra | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |||
Decca | 106805 | 3/16/1959 | Cherry pink | Mercer Ellington Orchestra | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |||
Decca | 106806 | 3/16/1959 | Azure | Mercer Ellington Orchestra | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |||
Decca | 106807 | 3/16/1959 | Little white lies | Mercer Ellington Orchestra | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |||
Decca | 106808 | 3/18/1959 | Coral rock | Mercer Ellington Orchestra | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |||
Decca | 106809 | 3/18/1959 | Aqua-tonic | Mercer Ellington Orchestra | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |||
Decca | 106810 | 3/18/1959 | Maroon | Mercer Ellington Orchestra | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |||
Decca | 106811 | 3/18/1959 | Black and tan fantasy | Mercer Ellington Orchestra | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |||
Decca | 106812 | 3/18/1959 | Mood indigo | Mercer Ellington Orchestra | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |||
Decca | 106813 | 3/18/1959 | Blue serge | Mercer Ellington Orchestra | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |||
Decca | 106814 | 3/18/1959 | Golden cress | Mercer Ellington Orchestra | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |||
Decca | 106815 | 3/18/1959 | The moon was yellow | Mercer Ellington Orchestra | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |||
Decca | 106816 | 3/18/1959 | Down of a greenhorn | Mercer Ellington Orchestra | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |||
Signature | BOB-1 | 5/26/1944 | Flamingo | Eddie Heywood Jazz Trio | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |||
Signature | BOB-2 | 5/26/1944 | On the sunny side of the street | Eddie Heywood Jazz Trio | instrumentalist, alto saxophone |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Hodges, Johnny," accessed November 21, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/103184.
Hodges, Johnny. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 21, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/103184.
"Hodges, Johnny." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 21 November 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
Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license
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