Bid On Classic Hodges on Vinyl!

"I quit!"--Johnny Hodges to Duke Ellington in 1951.
It was a bold move for the great alto saxophonist, and a blow to the Ellington Orchestra. But after too many years of feeling like a sideman, Johnny Hodges felt the time had come to go it alone.

He'd been with Ellington since 1928, when the Duke first heard the young alto saxophone player. At 22, Johnny Hodges had the chops, together with a fresh individual style that made him a prime candidate for solo stardom.

Through the years, Hodges had many opportunities in the spotlight, both on tour and on recordings. He developed a significant following among jazz fans…and by the late'30s he'd become an important influence. What he didn't have was the chance to prove himself as a leader.

Time to move on.
Hodges' solo caontrct with Normn Granz gave him the opportunity to lead his own, tight, seven-man working band. Over the course of the next five years he would surround himself with a galaxy of '50s jazz greats, including John Coltrane, Jimmy Hamilton, Ben Webster, Flip Phillips, Harry Carney, Emmett Berry, Sonny Greer, Billy Strayhorn, Al Sears and Lawrence Brown.

But, great as the music was, it did not bring Hodges fame, fortune or glory commensurate with the added pressures and details that went with leading his own band.

"Welcome back!"--Duke Ellington to Johnny Hodges in 1955.
In late 1955 Johnny Hodges returned to the Ellington organization.

It was the end of a mini-era. The music created between 1951 and 1955 by Johnny Hodges and his "small big band" was released briefly on the Clef and Norgran labels, and later reissued on Verve. The Complete Johnny Hodges Sessions 1951-1955 is being made available in its entirety, transferred directly from the original master tapes and chronologically sequenced. The tracks total 15 complete studio sessions with Johnny Hodges and Co.---and a delicious wealth of scaled-down Ellingtonian swing.

LPs are used but in excellent condition. Box is in excellent condition. The 16-page booklet includes a musical analysis by Stanley Dance, a biography of Johnny Hodges, and rare photographs of his band in performance.