JOHNNY HODGES - Storyville Masters of Jazz (2006) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Johnny Hodges is forever associated with Duke Ellington as one of his principle soloists, though he recorded extensively as a bandleader himself beginning in the '50s. This compilation draws from earlier Storyville releases, including a number of features for the alto saxophonist with Ellington, highlighted by "All of Me" and "Jeep's Blues." But the bulk of this CD contains all ten tracks of Hodges' earlier disc, Masters of Jazz, Vol. 9, which features the saxophonist leading two separate groups of all-stars in club settings. Six tracks come from a 1960 set at The Cellar in San Francisco, with Ben Webster providing a perfect foil for Hodges, all originals by the leader. Four selections come from a Norman Granz-sponsored European tour in 1961, where Hodges led a group of fellow Ellington veterans (Harry Carney, Ray Nance, Lawrence Brown, Aaron Bell and Sam Woodyard, with pianist Al Williams). Hodges' swinging take of "On the Sunny Side of the Street" is brilliant, with the other horn providing lush background and soft rifts for the soloist. In addition to Hodges, Brown also solos in both "Good Queen Bess" and a rousing "Things Ain't What They Used to Be." Highly recommended! Ken Dryden
Tracklist :
1     Don't Get Around Much Anymore 3:50     
Duke Ellington    
2     Passion Flower 4:13
Billy Strayhorn    
3     Perdido 2:56     
Juan Tizol    
4     All of Me 1:55
Gerald Marks    
5     C Jam Blues 2:30
Duke Ellington    
6     I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good 2:23    
Duke Ellington
7     In a Mellotone 7:10
Duke Ellington    
8     Cambridge Blues 3:42
Johnny Hodges    
9     Brute's Roots 4:37
Johnny Hodges    
10     Bouncing with Ben 2:51
Johnny Hodges    
11     One for the Duke 5:16
Johnny Hodges    
12     Walkin' the Frog 5:49
Johnny Hodges    
13     Rabbit Pie 4:52
Johnny Hodges    
14     On the Sunny Side of the Street 4:17
Jimmy McHugh    
15     Good Queen Bess 3:36
Johnny Hodges    
16     The Jeep Is Jumpin' 2:53
Duke Ellington / Johnny Hodges    
17     Things Ain't What They Used to Be 5:22
Mercer / Ellington
18     Jeep's Blues 02:34
Duke Ellington / Johnny Hodges    
19     Dooji Wooji 4:05
Duke Ellington