Johnny Hodges

Artist:  Johnny Hodges
Birth Name:  Comelius "Johnny" Hodges
Born:  July 25, 1907.  Cambridge Massachusetts, USA
Died:  May 11, 1970 (Aged 62).  New York City, USA
Genre:  Jazz, Swing, Mainstream Jazz, Jazz Instrument, Saxophone Jazz, R&B, Early R&B
Occupation:  Musician
Instruments:  Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Clarinet

Johnny Hodges was an American Alto Saxophonist, best known for solo work with Duke Ellington's Big Band, he also played Soprano Saxophone after 1946.  He considered one of the definitive Alto Saxophone Players of the Big Band Era, (along with Benny Carter).  He also plated 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 idenifying voices of the Ellington Orchestra, from 1951 to 1955.   He left Duke to lead his own band, but returned shortly to performance at the 1956 Newport Jazz Festival.

Title:   Blue Pyramid feat. Wild Bill Davis  (2019)
Genre:  Jazz, Swing, Mainstream Jazz, Jazz Instrument, Saxophone Jazz, R&B, Early R&B
Label:   Squatty Roo Records
Rating:   *****

Format:  CD:

Tracks:

 1.  Blues For Madeleine  (4:48)
 2.  Feelin' Kinda Blues  (2:30)
 3.  Pyramid  (2;10)
 4.  Nonchalance  (4:45)
 5.  At Dawn  (3:00)
 6.  The Brown-Skinned Gal In The Calico Gown  (2:35)
 7.  Stormy Weather  (3:56)
 8.  Rabbit Out Of The Hat  (5:10)
 9.  Hash Brown  (4:00)

Personnel:

Johnny Hodges:  Alto Saxophone
Wild Bill Davis:  Organ on Tracks:   1-4, 6-9
Lawrence Brown:  Trombone
Jimmy Hamilton:  Clarinet on Tracks;   1-3, 5, 6, 8, 9
Jimmy Jones:   Piano on Track 5
Billy Butler:  Guitar
Bob Bushnell:  Bass on Tracks:  1-3, 5-9
Johnny Hodges Jr.:  Drums on Track 6
Herbie Lovelle:  Drums on Tracks:  2, 3, 5
Joe Marshall:  Drums on Tracks:  1, 4, 6-9

Blue Pyramid feat. Wild Bill Davis is an album by Johnny Hodges with Wild Bill Davis, originally released in 1966 by Verve Records, remastered and reissued on November 15, 2019 by Squatty Roo Records, featuring Wild Bill Davis, Lawrence Brown, Jimmy Hamilton, Jimmy Jones, Bill Butler, Bob Bushnell, Johnny

Hodges Jr., Herbie Lovelle and Joe Marshall.