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 201-225 of 257 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Brunswick | B18319 | 10-in. | 12/03/1935 | Spreadin' the rhythm around | Billie Holiday ; Teddy Wilson Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |
Brunswick | B19495 | 10-in. | 6/30/1936 | It's like reaching for the moon | Billie Holiday ; Teddy Wilson Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |
Brunswick | B19496 | 10-in. | 6/30/1936 | These foolish things | Billie Holiday ; Teddy Wilson Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |
Brunswick | B19498 | 10-in. | 6/30/1936 | I cried for you | Billie Holiday ; Teddy Wilson Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |
Brunswick | B19499 | 10-in. | 6/30/1936 | Guess who? | Billie Holiday ; Teddy Wilson Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |
Brunswick | B20911 | 10-in. | 3/31/1937 | Carelessly | Billie Holiday ; Teddy Wilson Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |
Brunswick | B20912 | 10-in. | 3/31/1937 | How could you? | Billie Holiday ; Teddy Wilson Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |
Brunswick | B20913 | 10-in. | 3/31/1937 | Moanin' low | Billie Holiday ; Teddy Wilson Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |
Brunswick | B21117 | 10-in. | 5/11/1937 | Sun showers | Billie Holiday ; Teddy Wilson Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |
Brunswick | B21118 | 10-in. | 5/11/1937 | Yours and mine | Billie Holiday ; Teddy Wilson Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |
Brunswick | B21119 | 10-in. | 5/11/1937 | I'll get by | Billie Holiday ; Teddy Wilson Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |
Brunswick | B21120 | 10-in. | 5/11/1937 | Mean to me | Billie Holiday ; Teddy Wilson Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |
Decca | 60201 | 10-in. | 12/6/1935 | Willow tree | Mildred Bailey and her Alley Cats | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | ||
Decca | 60202 | 10-in. | 12/6/1935 | Honeysuckle rose | Mildred Bailey and her Alley Cats | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | ||
Decca | 60203 | 10-in. | 12/6/1935 | Squeeze me | Mildred Bailey and her Alley Cats | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | ||
Decca | 60204 | 10-in. | 12/6/1935 | Down-hearted blues | Mildred Bailey and her Alley Cats | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | ||
Decca | 71939 | 4/5/1944 | As long as I live | Woody Herman Orchestra | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |||
Decca | 71940 | 10-in. | 4/5/1944 | Perdido (Lost)-1 | Woody Herman Orchestra | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | ||
Decca | 71941 | 10-in. | 4/5/1944 | I didn't know about you | Woody Herman Orchestra | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | ||
Decca | 71941[a] | 4/5/1944 | Blue lullaby | Woody Herman Orchestra | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |||
Decca | 102957 | 7/23/1957 | Nobody knows the trouble I've seen | The Ellingtonians ; Al Hibbler | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |||
Decca | 103169 | 8/27/1957 | White Christmas | The Ellingtonians ; Al Hibbler | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |||
Decca | 103170 | 8/27/1957 | How blue can you get | Chubby Kemp and the Ellingtonians | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |||
Decca | 103171 | 8/27/1957 | Set 'em up | Sara Ford and the Ellingtonians | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |||
Decca | 105297 | 7/14/1958 | Steppin' into swing society | Mercer Ellington Orchestra | instrumentalist, alto saxophone |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Hodges, Johnny," accessed November 24, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/103184.
Hodges, Johnny. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 24, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/103184.
"Hodges, Johnny." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 24 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
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