DUKE ELLINGTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1944-1945 | The Classics Chronological Series – 881 (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The 29th in Classics' reissuance of Duke Ellington's recordings as a leader (which unfortunately skips most alternate takes) features his orchestra shortly after the recording ban of 1942-44 had finally ended. In addition to several vocal numbers for Joya Sherrill (including the hit "I'm Beginning to See the Light"), Al Hibbler and Kay Davis, there are features for trombonist Lawrence Brown ("Blue Cellophane") and altoist Johnny Hodges ("Mood to Be Wooed"), the original four-part studio version of "Black, Brown and Beige" (which totals 18 minutes), a four-song session headed by drummer Sonny Greer that features altoist Otto Hardwick, trumpeter Taft Jordan and clarinetist Barney Bigard (despite what it says in the liner notes, the pianist is the obscure Duke Brooks and not Duke Ellington) and the early V-disc version of "The Perfume Suite." Excellent music from an underrated edition of the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Scott Yanow   Tracklist :

DUKE ELLINGTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1945 | The Classics Chronological Series – 915 (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

After starting off with a few valuable V-disc performances (including 13 minutes of the "Black, Brown and Beige" suite), this CD features some of Duke Ellington's studio recordings of April-May 1945. Although this particular band was not rated as high as their 1939-1942 counterpart, they still ranked near the top of their field. Among the gems are "The Kissing Bug," "Harlem Air Shaft," quite a few fine remakes (this version of "It Don't Mean a Thing" with singers Al Hibbler, Joya Sherrill, Kay Davis, and Marie Ellington is a classic), and a pair of unusual numbers. "Tonight I Shall Sleep" has trombonist Tommy Dorsey guesting with Duke Ellington's orchestra, while on "The Minor Goes Muggin'," Ellington sits in with Dorsey's band. Overall, there is a lot of rather interesting music to be heard on this CD from this underrated version of the Ellington big band. Scott Yanow   Tracklist :

DUKE ELLINGTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1945, Vol. 2 | The Classics Chronological Series – 951 (1997) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Duke Ellington's orchestra in 1945 was riding quite high, with annual Carnegie Hall concerts, constant performing and recording, and appearances on many radio broadcasts. This disc features both studio recordings and a few V-Discs taken from radio shows. The latter are most notable for including the extended two-part "Frankie and Johnny" and the 12-and-a-half-minute "New World A-Comin'," while the studio recordings are highlighted by "Jumpin' Room Only" and three of the four parts of "Perfume Suite." With such soloists as Tricky Sam Nanton, Lawrence Brown, Al Sears, Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney, and four trumpeters, Ellington's big band remained at the top of its field as World War II came to an end. Scott Yanow  Tracklist :

DUKE ELLINGTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1945-1946 | The Classics Chronological Series – 985 (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

There is a lot of intriguing music on this CD, which features Duke Ellington's postwar orchestra. "Dancers in Love" (from "Perfume Suite") and "Carnegie Blues" (from "Black, Brown and Beige") managed to catch on as individual pieces, "I'm Just a Lucky So and So" and "Just Squeeze Me" were hits, and both "Tonk" and "Drawing Room Blues" showcased the piano duo of Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. A few numbers are V-Discs, including a brief version of "C Jam Blues" that features the combined orchestras of Duke Ellington and Woody Herman (his First Herd). Among the changes in personnel were Russell Procope taking over for the retiring Otto Hardwick on alto and clarinet and Oscar Pettiford succeeding Junior Raglin on bass. This underrated music ranks with some of Duke's best work. Scott Yanow   Tracklist :

DUKE ELLINGTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1946 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1015 (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

For the casual listener, "best of" collections are a good way to explore Duke Ellington's legacy. But if you're a serious collector or a completist, it's important to be aware of Classics, a French label that put out more than 30 CDs of the Duke's work in the 1990s. Regrettably, Classics generally skipped alternate takes; but even so, it was nice to see a label reissuing Ellington's master takes chronologically. This rewarding CD focuses on Ellington's recordings of 1946, when his orchestra boasted such heavyweights as trumpeter Cat Anderson, alto saxophonist Johnny Hodges, tenor saxman Al Sears, baritone saxman Harry Carney, trombonist Lawrence Brown, and drummer Sonny Greer. It was in 1946 that the Duke recorded his last two sessions for RCA Victor, and this CD spotlights those two sessions before offering two pieces from an October 23 session for Musicraft ("Magenta Haze" and "Diminuendo in Blue") and several V-disc recordings from a November 23 concert at Carnegie Hall in New York, where Ellington's orchestra performed "The Golden Cress" and "Sultry Sunset" as well as the interesting, four-part "Deep South Suite." The suite's fourth part is the well-known "Happy Go Lucky Local," an infectious blues track that became the basis for Jimmy Forrest's 1951 smash "Night Train" (which was speeded up and covered by the Godfather of Soul James Brown in the early 1960s). Most of the material on 1946 is instrumental, although Ellington features singer Marion Cox on pleasing arrangements of "St. Louis Blues" and "Lover Man," and fares equally well with singer Kay Davis on "I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance With You." While 1946 falls short of essential, the selections are definitely rewarding and prove that the late 1940s was a creatively successful, if underrated, period for the Duke. Alex Henderson     Tracklist + Credits :

DUKE ELLINGTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1950 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1217 (2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Eight of the selections on this interesting CD feature Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn on pianos, with backup work by either Wendell Marshall or Joe Shulman on bass plus an unidentified drummer on a few numbers. Among the more notable selections are "Cotton Tail," "C Jam Blues," "Johnny Come Lately," and particularly a wild version of "Tonk." These performances are easily available on Prestige, while the other numbers have mostly been put out by Columbia. The latter's big-band selections include the initial studio recording of "The Tattooed Bride" and a lengthy exploration (utilizing Yvonne Lanauze's wordless vocals) of "Mood Indigo." This is rewarding music, but one might want to acquire these numbers through Prestige and Sony/Columbia instead, where they fit more into specific concepts. Scott Yanow  Tracklist + Credits :

DUKE ELLINGTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1950-1951 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1258 (2002) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Volume 40 in the complete sequential recordings of Duke Ellington, as compiled and reissued in 2002 as part of the Classics Chronological Series, covers about a half-year's time from December 18, 1950 to May 24, 1951, beginning with two extended tracks initially issued on the Columbia LP Masterpieces by Ellington. With Sophisticated Lady and Solitude, Ellington took advantage of the new long-playing format to allow the band to stretch out as they'd been doing in live performance for many years. The vocalist on Sophisticated Lady was Yvonne Lanauze. In addition to the usual rich palette of Ellington and Strayhorn compositions, this portion of the chronology contains original works by trumpeters Charlie Shavers and William "Cat" Anderson; by valve trombonist and arranger Juan Tizol, tenor saxophonist Paul Gonsalves, and Luigi Paulino Alfredo Francesco Antonio Balassoni, commonly known as drummer Louie Bellson, who had recently migrated from the Harry James Orchestra with Tizol and alto saxophonist Willie Smith. The music heard on this disc was recorded at a time when all of the big bands -- even those led by Count Basie and Duke Ellington -- were struggling to keep their heads above water. This explains the inclusion of seven selections that were released on Mercer records -- a short-lived independent label managed by Mercer Ellington, and Leonard Feather -- featuring a scaled down group known as Duke Ellington's Coronets. The titles credited to the Coronets are "Night Walk (Cat Walk)," "Moonlight Fiesta," "She (Sensuous)," "Swamp Drum," "Sultry Serenade," "Indian Summer," and the "Britt and Butter Blues" which referred to a pair of master trombonists, Britt Woodman and Quentin "Butter" Jackson. arwulf arwulf        Tracklist + Credits : 

DUKE ELLINGTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1951 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1282 (2003) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Volume 41 in the complete chronological recordings of Duke Ellington as reissued by the Classics label contains 16 master takes that came together during the second half of 1951, the year that saw the release of Duke's marvelous Uptown album. Although big bands were struggling to stay together during this period and Johnny Hodges was off making records with producer Norman Granz, the Ellington Orchestra sounds exceptionally fine throughout. Billy Strayhorn had a lot to do with the elegance that characterizes the 1951 recordings, and the soloists are in extraordinarily good form. "Deep Night" features trombonists Juan Tizol, Quentin "Butter" Jackson, and Britt Woodman. "Please Be Kind" belongs to alto saxophonist Willie Smith, an alumnus of the Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra. The "Duet" between bassist Wendell Marshall and clarinetist Jimmy Hamilton is mostly an orchestral number that ends as a duo. Hamilton also plays tenor sax on "Bensonality." "Jumpin' with Symphony Sid," a tune rarely associated with Ellington, here becomes a solid steady groove that you'll want to slip into more than once. "Before My Time" from the "Controversial Suite" was Duke's whimsical response to the language of music critics who used up a lot of energy defining Tradition and Modernity; the Suite's title also referred to the flashy progressivism of Stan Kenton. The vocalist on "Blues at Sundown" is Jimmy Grissom, a steady customer who also handles Strayhorn's "Something to Live For" and "Azalea," a love song that Ellington claimed to have designed for Louis Armstrong, who subsequently recorded it with Duke about ten years later on that utterly essential Roulette album, The Great Summit. arwulf arwulf       Tracklist + Credits :

DUKE ELLINGTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1952 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1320 (2003) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Here's a treat. Vol. 42 of the chronologically reissued recordings of Duke Ellington opens with some 56 minutes of music recorded live at the Civic Auditorium in Seattle, WA, on March 25, 1952. This document fully conveys the excitement of hearing Duke's orchestra in person, on tour in the great Northwest. Ellington enthusiasts have cherished these recordings for years, and this concert is particularly satisfying. "Skin Deep" is an extroverted exercise for drum kit by Louie Bellson. After this percussive fireworks display the leader provides eloquent spoken introductions, acknowledging the musician chosen as soloist on each selection. Conservatory-trained trombonist Britt Woodman -- a favorite of Charles Mingus -- expresses himself beautifully throughout "Sultry Serenade." "Sophisticated Lady" spotlights "internationally celebrated alto saxophonist" Willie Smith. Clark Terry is the star soloist on a smoky ride through Juan Tizol's "Perdido," after which that valve trombonist elucidates another of his marvelous compositions, "Caravan." Ellington composed his majestic "Harlem Suite" for the NBC Symphony Orchestra. He briefly explains the concept of the piece and reminds his audience that Harlem has "more churches than cabarets." This was in keeping with Duke's lifelong dedication to improving the public's understanding and appreciation of Afro-American culture. Louie Bellson's zippy offering, "The Hawk Talks," has a rowdy piano introduction, whereupon the band generates quite a head of steam. There is a very showy crowd-pleasing medley of Ellington hits and lastly the famous "Jam With Sam," during which Ellington briefly introduces each soloist. This may serve as a listening lexicon of more than half of the wind players in the band at that time, enabling the listener to become better acquainted with the specific sounds of Willie Cook, Russell Procope, and Quentin "Butter" Jackson, as well as the familiar tones of Paul Gonsalves and Cat Anderson. On the cusp of June and July 1952, the Ellington orchestra concentrated its energies on the art of making extended LP recordings. Betty Roche added her scat singing to eight glorious minutes of "Take the 'A' Train" and did up "I Love My Lovin' Lover" in what at times seems a fairly close imitation of Dinah Washington. Jimmy Grissom goes out of his way to sound like Al Hibbler during "Come On Home." This full helping of Ellington jazz closes with an exquisitely expanded rendition of Duke's hit of 1928, "The Mooche," with breathtaking solos by Jimmy Hamilton, Quentin Jackson, Willie Smith, Ray Nance, and the mighty Harry Carney. arwulf arwulf    Tracklist + Credits :

DUKE ELLINGTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1952-1953 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1350 (2004) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

You've got to hand it to the folks at Classics. This is Vol. 43 in their meticulous chronological survey of the recorded works of Duke Ellington. Opening with eight and a half glorious minutes of Juan Tizol's "Perdido," this disc provides a glimpse of Duke's orchestra at a time when the music industry was allowing a lot of big bands to dry up and blow away. How sweet -- and hot -- it is to hear this particular ensemble, bristling with a brass menagerie including Clark Terry, Cat Anderson, Butter Jackson, and Britt Woodman. Drummer Louie Bellson is prominently featured on his nearly seven-minute percussion showcase, "Skin Deep." These two extended LP tracks are followed by a series of lesser-known three-minute recordings. "Ballin' the Blues," with shout vocal by Jimmy Grissom, sounds almost like Wynonie Harris. A second version from 1953 provides a rare example of Ellington the boogie-woogie pianist. "Body and Soul," eloquently sung by Betty Roche, comes across majestically cool. "Primpin' for the Prom" turns on the magical Ellington light show, evoking a breathtaking sunset over any large city's skyline. Grissom grinds out a rather neurotic-sounding "Vulture Song," most memorable for Jimmy Hamilton's clarinet runs. "Satin Doll" is charming in this early incarnation. Grissom keeps returning with fairly gruesome existential offerings that make one wish for the stylistic exaggerations of Al Hibbler. But the instrumentals are exquisitely rendered. "Cocktails for Two" unfolds beautifully, and Paul Gonsalves shares "My Old Flame" with Hamilton's clarinet. Duke lays down a few delightfully eccentric chords at the piano during the opening of a marvelous rendition of "I Can't Give You Anything But Love." "Three Little Words" is particularly handsome. "Orson," apparently a portrait of a certain Hollywood director, has an appropriately film noir flavor. "Boo-Dah" features Billy Strayhorn at the piano. "Blossom," an Ellington/Strayhorn collaboration, breathes with beatific calm. The disc ends with an updated "Warm Valley," featuring the milky tenor saxophone of Paul Gonsalves. arwulf arwulf    Tracklist + Credits :

DUKE ELLINGTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1953 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1398 (2005) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :

DUKE ELLINGTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1953, Vol. 2 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1434 (2007) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

During the month of December 1953, Duke Ellington made records for the Capitol label in Chicago and New York with a trio, a quartet, and the full-sized orchestra. Volume 45 in the Ellington stratum of the Classics Chronological Series makes available 21 selections from this wonderfully creative chapter in the lives of the Duke and his men. Seldom, if ever, have the big band and small group recordings from this segment of Ellington's career been reissued in chronological sequence. Over the years, for some reason, the titles "Montevideo" and "Night Time" have both been applied to the thrilling piece of work heard on track two. Inspired by the largest city in the country of Uruguay, this passionate Latin jazz workout is enlivened by the conga drumming of Ralph Collier. Track 20, accurately titled "Night Time," is a gorgeous nocturne written in collaboration with Billy Strayhorn. Tracks four, five, six, eleven and sixteen feature vocals by Jimmy Grissom, and trumpeter/violinist Ray Nance sings "Just A-Settin' and A-Rockin'." Those who desire the complete 1953 trio recordings of Duke Ellington (including the conga-driven quartet recording of "Montevideo") should most definitely seek out the Capitol album Piano Reflections. arwulf arwulf     Tracklist + Credits :

LIONEL HAMPTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1942-1944 | The Chronogical Classics – 803 (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The Lionel Hampton Big Band made it big during the period covered by this CD. "Flying Home," which Hampton had recorded at least twice earlier with combos, became a sensation thanks to Illinois Jacquet's honking tenor (which largely launched R&B) and the excitement generated by Hampton and his band (including the screaming trumpet section). This disc covers most of the war years, has a few V-discs (including the hit version of "Flying Home" and a two-part remake), and such numbers as "Loose Wig," "Hamp's Boogie-Woogie," "Overtime," and "Tempo's Boogie." Jacquet was actually with Hampton for a relatively brief period of time, but Arnett Cobb proved to be a perfect replacement. Also quite notable in the band is pianist Milt Buckner (whose block chords became influential) and such high-note trumpeters as Ernie Royal, Cat Anderson, and Snooky Young. Scott Yanow
Tracklist + Credits :

WYNONIE HARRIS – 1947-1949 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1139 (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The third in the Classics label's series of the recordings of Wynonie Harris traces the blues/early R&B singer's career from just before the recording strike of 1948 up until the end of 1949. The seven sessions (all originally recorded for King) are not as well-known as Harris' earlier material, but they definitely have their moments of interest. Harris is typically exuberant throughout, and the highlights include "Wynonie's Boogie," "Good Morning Mr. Blues," "Crazy Love," "Good Rockin' Tonight" (a major hit), "Grandma Plays the Numbers," "Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee," and "All She Wants to Do Is Rock." Heard from in the impressive backup groups are trumpeters "Hot Lips" Page, Jesse Drakes, Cat Anderson, and Joe Morris, along with tenors Hal Singer, Tom Archia, and Johnny Griffin. Highly recommended, as are the first two Harris Classics CDs. Fun music. Scott Yanow
All Tracks & Credits :

JOHNNY HODGES AND THE ELLINGTON MEN - The Big Sound (1957-2010) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Tracklist :
1    Don't Call Me, I'll Call You 3:31
Composed By – Anderson
2    An Ordinary Thing 3:32
Composed By – Anderson
3    Waiting For Duke 3:54
Composed By – Anderson
4    Dust Bowl 4:26
Composed By – Hodges
5    Little Rabbit Blues 9:23
Composed By – Hodges
6    Viscount 2:30
Composed By – Hodges, M. Ellington
7    Johnny Come Lately 2:26
Composed By – Strayhorn
8    Bouquet Of Roses 3:24
Composed By – Hodges, M. Ellington
9    Gone And Crazy 3:13
Composed By – Hodges
10    Digits 4:19
Composed By – Terry
11    Segdoh 3:27
Composed By – Hodges
12    Early Morning Rock 3:36
Composed By – Hodges
- BONUS TRACKS -        
13    Hi ´Ya    3:11
14    Snibor    7:17
15    I´m Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter    3:30
16    Texas Blues    11:47
Tracks 1-4 :
Bass – Jimmy Woode
Drums – Sam Woodyard
Piano – Billy Strayhorn
Reeds – Harry Carney, Jimmy Hamilton, Johnny Hodges, Paul Gonsalves, Russell Procope
Trombone – Britt Woodman, John Sanders, Quentin Jackson
Trumpet – Cat Anderson, Clark Terry,  Harold Baker, Ray Nance, Willie Cook
Tracks 6, 8, 10 & 12 : Same session as above. Omit Cook, Anderson, Woodman & Sanders
Tracks 5, 7, 9 & 11 : Clark Terry (tp), Ray Nance (tp, vln), Quentin Jackson, Britt Woodman, John Sanders (tb), Russel Procope (cl, as), Jimmy Hamilton (ts, cl), Harry Carney (bar), Billy Strayhorn (p), Jimmy Woode (b), Sam Woodyard (d), New York, June 26, 1957.
* Bonus Tracks 13-16 : Ray Nance (tp), Lawrence Brown (tb), Jimmy Hamilton (cl, as), Harry Carney (bar), Billy Stayhorn (p), Jimmy Woode (b), Sam Woodyard (d), New York, January 11, 1956.

JOHNNY HODGES — Everybody Knows Johnny Hodges (1992) GRP Presents The Legendary Masters Of Jazz | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The solo projects of Johnny Hodges were not so much individualistic divergences away from his duties with the Duke Ellington Orchestra, but served more as extensions of the vintage, classic style of jazz tailored to his personalized sound away from what he had to compete with sitting next to the raft of talent in Duke's big band. Working here in the mid-'60s with groups ranging from an octet to a 12-member (featuring nine extra tracks not included on the original 33 1/3 LP) or 15-piece group, Hodges showcases many of his original compositions. He primarily employs Ellington personnel, with the exception being the quite able Jimmy Jones at the piano on the majority of these selections. His son Johnny Hodges, Jr. plays drums on two tracks when Grady Tate or Gus Johnson sits out, while bass players chosen by the legendary alto saxophonist include the formidable Ernie Shepard and a young Richard Davis. These quite famous numbers are loaded with pungent solos by cream of the crop jazzmen such as trumpeter Cat Anderson, woodwind specialists Russell Procope and Jimmy Hamilton, the deeply soulful tenor saxophonist Paul Gonsalves, and nimble trombonist Lawrence Brown. If you are a devout fan, you'll easily recognize favorites like the harmony-strewn evergreen "Main Stem" with fluttering clarinet and a patented Anderson solo, the Billy Strayhorn ballad "A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing" where Hodges is fully featured, "Mood Indigo" where the group is stripped down to four horns in guarded repast, and the very slow "Jeep's Blue" as the piano of Jones takes center stage. Brown's introduction and theme for "Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me" sweetly showcases the underappreciated trombonist. Hodges wrote or co-wrote several of these tracks, including the lesser-known spiky-accented and vibrato-laden "Papa Knows" as offshoots of its precedent, "Mama Knows," and the two-note bass-heavy title track, delivered quicker than the established 4/4 rhythm. "Good Queen Bess" is a basic Count Basie-type bluesy theme, and there's the distinctly Ellingtonian blues "Little Brother" and the always rousing "Stompy Jones," where Procope and the gang trade lines profusely. It would be difficult to pick a favorite or a clunker, and you'd be hard-pressed to find anything more inspired or another project loaded with this much talent. Everybody knows Johnny Hodges and this stellar collection of all-stars, because they are absolutely the best at what they do. Michael G. Nastos
Tracklist :
1     Everybody Knows 7'25
Johnny Hodges    
2     A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing 3'04
Billy Strayhorn    
3     Papa Knows 6'52
Johnny Hodges    
4     310 Blues 4'34
Billy Strayhorn    
5     The Jeep Is Jumpin' 2'45
Duke Ellington / Johnny Hodges / Billy Strayhorn
6     Main Stem 3'28
Duke Ellington    
7     Medley : I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart / Don't Get Around Much Anymore 4'44
Duke Ellington / Irving Mills / Henry Nemo / John Redmond / Bob Russell
8     Open Mike 3:09
Cat Anderson    
9     Stompy Jones 4'00
Duke Ellington    
10     Mood Indigo 4'25
Barney Bigard / Duke Ellington / Irving Mills
11     Good Queen Bess 3'07
Johnny Hodges    
12     Little Brother 5'11
Cue Hodges / Johnny Hodges    
13     Jeep's Blues 5:43
Duke Ellington / Johnny Hodges
14     Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me 2'34
Duke Ellington / Bob Russell
15     Ruint 3'21
Mercer Ellington / Johnny Hodges
16     Sassy Cue 3'42
Cue Hodges / Johnny Hodges
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Johnny Hodges (pistas: 1 to 4, 9 to 16), Russell Procope (pistas: 5 to 16)
Baritone Saxophone – Harry Carney (pistas: 5 to 8)
Bass – Ernie Shepard (pistas: 1 to 4), Richard Davis (pistas: 9 to 16)
Drums – Grady Tate (pistas: 1 to 4), Gus Johnson (pistas: 9, 11, 13 to 16), Johnny Hodges, Jr. (pistas: 10, 12)
Engineer – Bob Simpson (pistas: 1 to 8), Rudy Van Gelder (pistas: 9 to 16)
Piano – Jimmy Jones (pistas: 1 to 4, 9 to 16)
Tenor Saxophone – Jimmy Hamilton (pistas: 5 to 8), Paul Gonsalves (pistas: 1 to 4, 9 to 16)
Trombone – Britt Woodman (pistas: 5 to 8), Buster Cooper (pistas: 5 to 16), Lawrence Brown (pistas: 1 to 4, 9 to 16)
Trumpet – Cat Anderson (pistas: 1 to 4, 9 to 16), Herb Jones (pistas: 5 to 8), Ray Nance (pistas: 1 to 4, 9 to 16), Rolf Ericson (pistas: 5 to 8)
Notas.
Tracks 1-8 Recorded On February 6, 1964 At Capitol Studios, New York City.
Tracks 9-16 Recorded On March 8, 1965 At The Van Gelder Studio In Englewood Cliffs,New Jersey.
Tracks 1-8 from "Johnny Hodges - Everybody Knows Johnny Hodges"
Tracks 9-16 from "Lawrence Brown's All-Stars With Johnny Hodges ‎– Inspired Abandon"

JOHNNY HODGES - Triple Play (1967-1996) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Altoist Johnny Hodges is heard in three different settings on this reissue CD. Such top swing stars as trumpeters Ray Nance, Cat Anderson and Roy Eldridge, trombonists Buster Cooper, Lawrence Brown and Benny Powell, tenors Paul Gonsalves and Jimmy Hamilton, baritonist Harry Carney, pianists Hank Jones and Jimmy Jones (the latter two sometimes together), guitarists Tiny Grimes, Les Spann and Billy Butler, bassists Milt Hinton, Aaron Bell and Joe Benjamin and drummers Gus Johnson, Rufus Jones and Oliver Jackson are heard in nonets with the great altoist. Despite the many changes in personnel, the music is pretty consistent, with basic swinging originals, blues and ballads all heard in equal proportion. As usual, Johnny Hodges ends up as the main star. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Take 'Em off, Take 'Em off, Pt. 1 3:39
(Johnny Hodges)
Piano – Hank Jones
Piano [2nd] – Jimmy Jones
Guitar – Tiny Grimes    
Cornet – Ray Nance
Bass –  Milt Hinton
Drums – Gus Johnson
Alto Saxophone – Johnny Hodges
Tenor Saxophone – Paul Gonsalves
Trombone – Buster Cooper
2     Take 'Em off, Take 'Em off, Pt. 2 2:56
(Johnny Hodges)
Piano – Hank Jones
Piano [2nd] – Jimmy Jones
Cornet – Ray Nance    
Bass –  Milt Hinton
Drums – Gus Johnson
Guitar – Tiny Grimes
Tenor Saxophone – Paul Gonsalves
Trombone – Buster Cooper
Alto Saxophone – Johnny Hodges    
3     The Nearness of You 3:46
(Hoagy Carmichael / Ned Washington)
Piano – Hank Jones
Piano [2nd] – Jimmy Jones
Cornet – Ray Nance
Bass –  Milt Hinton
Drums – Gus Johnson
Guitar – Tiny Grimes
Tenor Saxophone – Paul Gonsalves
Trombone – Buster Cooper
Alto Saxophone – Johnny Hodges    
4     Monkey on a Limb 3:53
(Johnny Hodges)
Piano – Hank Jones
Piano [2nd] – Jimmy Jones
Cornet – Ray Nance
Bass –  Milt Hinton
Drums – Gus Johnson
Guitar – Tiny Grimes
Tenor Saxophone – Paul Gonsalves
Trombone – Buster Cooper
Alto Saxophone – Johnny Hodges
5     A Tiny Bit of Blues 4:53
(Johnny Hodges)
Piano – Hank Jones
Piano [2nd] – Jimmy Jones
Cornet – Ray Nance
Bass –  Milt Hinton
Drums – Gus Johnson
Guitar – Tiny Grimes
Tenor Saxophone – Paul Gonsalves
Trombone – Buster Cooper
Alto Saxophone – Johnny Hodges
6     For Jammers Only 3:02
(Claude Bolling)
Piano – Jimmy Jones    
Bass – Aaron Bell
Drums – Rufus Jones
Guitar – Les Spann
Tenor Saxophone – Jimmy Hamilton
Trombone – Lawrence Brown
Trumpet – Cat Anderson
Vibraphone – Bill Berry    
7     On the Way Up 2:52
(Johnny Hodges)
Piano – Jimmy Jones
Bass – Aaron Bell
Drums – Rufus Jones
Guitar – Les Spann
Tenor Saxophone – Jimmy Hamilton
Trombone – Lawrence Brown
Trumpet – Cat Anderson
Vibraphone – Bill Berry    
8     Big Boy Blues 3:20
(Johnny Hodges)
Baritone Saxophone – Harry Carney
Bass – Joe Benjamin
Drums – Oliver Jackson
Guitar – Billy Butler
Piano – Nat Pierce
Piano [2nd] – Jimmy Jones
Trombone – Benny Powell
Trumpet – Roy Eldridge
Alto Saxophone – Johnny Hodges    
9     The Very Thought of You 2:49
(Ray Noble)
Piano – Jimmy Jones
Guitar – Les Spann
Bass – Aaron Bell      
Drums – Rufus Jones    
Tenor Saxophone – Jimmy Hamilton
Trombone – Lawrence Brown
Trumpet – Cat Anderson
Vibraphone – Bill Berry
Alto Saxophone – Johnny Hodges
10     Fur Piece 6:22
(Johnny Hodges)
Baritone Saxophone – Harry Carney
Bass – Joe Benjamin
Drums – Oliver Jackson
Guitar – Billy Butler
Piano – Nat Pierce
Piano [2nd] – Jimmy Jones
Trombone – Benny Powell
Trumpet – Roy Eldridge
Alto Saxophone – Johnny Hodges
11     Sir John 3:19
(Johnny Hodges)
Piano – Jimmy Jones
Drums – Rufus Jones
Bass – Aaron Bell
Guitar – Les Spann
Tenor Saxophone – Jimmy Hamilton
Trombone – Lawrence Brown
Trumpet – Cat Anderson
Vibraphone – Bill Berry    
Alto Saxophone – Johnny Hodges
12     Figurine 2:39
(Johnny Hodges)
Piano – Jimmy Jones
Bass – Aaron Bell
Drums – Rufus Jones
Guitar – Les Spann
Tenor Saxophone – Jimmy Hamilton
Trombone – Lawrence Brown
Trumpet – Cat Anderson
Vibraphone – Bill Berry    
Alto Saxophone – Johnny Hodges
13     C Jam Blues 4:21
(Barney Bigard / Duke Ellington)
Baritone Saxophone – Harry Carney
Bass – Joe Benjamin
Drums – Oliver Jackson
Guitar – Billy Butler
Piano – Nat Pierce
Piano [2nd] – Jimmy Jones
Trombone – Benny Powell
Trumpet – Roy Eldridge
Alto Saxophone – Johnny Hodges

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

BILLY STRAYHORN & JOHNNY HODGES - The Stanley Dance Sessions (2005) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Tracklist :
1    Cue's Blue Now 10:03
Written By – Strayhorn, Hodges
2    Gone With The Wind 4:19
Written By – Wrubel, Magidson
3    Cherry 5:54
Written By – Redman, Gilbert
4    Watch Your Cue 3:11
Written By – Strayhorn, Hodges
5    You Brought A New Kind Of Love To Me 7:23
Written By – Kahal, Norman, Fain
6    When I Dream Of You 3:33
Written By – Carpenter, Hines
7    Rose Room 6:08
Written By – Hickman, Williams
8    Don't Get Around Much Anymore 3:00
Written By – Ellington, Hodges
9    I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good) 3:39
Written By – Ellington, Webster
10    Gal From Joe's 2:30
Written By – Ellington
11    Your Love Has Faded 3:02
Written By – Strayhorn, Ellington
12    I'm Just A Lucky So-And-So 3:23
Written By – Ellington, David
13    Jeep's Blues 3:22
Written By – Ellington, Hodges
14    Day Dream 4:00
Written By – Strayhorn, Ellington
15    Juice A-Plenty 3:22
Written By – Hodges
16    Azure 2:35
Written By – Ellington
17    Tailor Made 3:38
Written By – Mullens, Hodges
18    Star Dust 4:30
Written By – Carmichael
Credits 1-7
Trumpet – Harold "Shorty" Baker
Alto Saxophone – Johnny Hodges
Trombone – Quentin Jackson
Bass –  Al Hall
Clarinet – Russell Procope
Drums – Oliver Jackson
Piano – Billy Strayhorn
Credits 8-18
Alto Saxophone – Johnny Hodges
Arranged By, Conductor – Billy Strayhorn
Baritone Saxophone, Bass Clarinet – Harry Carney
Bass – Aaron Bell
Bass Trombone – Chuck Connors
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Russell Procope
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Jimmy Hamilton
Drums – Sam Woodyard
Piano – Jimmy Jones
Tenor Saxophone – Paul Gonsalves
Trombone – Lawrence Brown,
Trumpet – Bill Berry, Cat Anderson, Ed Mullens, Harold "Shorty" Baker, Howard McGhee
Notas.
Reissue of two albums originally released as Cue For Saxophone and Johnny Hodges With Billy Strayhorn And The Orchestra.
Tracks 1 to 7 recorded in New York, April 14, 1959.
Tracks 8 to 18 recorded in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, December 11 & 12, 1961.

BENNY CARTER - 'Live And Well In Japan! (1977-1985) 32bits-96hz | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Benny Carter headed a talent-filled tentet for this frequently exciting concert. With trumpeters Cat Anderson and Joe Newman, trombonist Britt Woodman, Cecil Payne on baritone and Budd Johnson doubling on tenor and soprano, it is not at all surprising that the results would be memorable, but this date actually exceeds one's expectations. In addition to fine jam versions of "Squatty Roo," "Them There Eyes" and "It Don't Mean a Thing," there is a remarkable Louis Armstrong medley on which Carter (on trumpet) plays "When It's Sleepy Time Down South," Cat Anderson follows with a high note solo on "Confessin'" and then Joe Newman (who rarely recorded vocals) does a near-perfect imitation of Louis Armstrong singing on "When You're Smiling." Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Squatty Roo 12:45
Johnny Hodges
2     Tribute to Louis Armstrong: When It's Sleepy Time Down South/Confe ... 6:05
Doc Daugherty / Marvin Fisher / Otis Rene / Ellis Reynolds / Shay
3     Them There Eyes 11:22
Maceo Pinkard / Doris Tauber / William Tracey
4     It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) 10:45
Duke Ellington / Irving Mills
Credits :    
Alto Saxophone, Trumpet, Producer – Benny Carter
Baritone Saxophone – Cecil Payne
Bass – George Duvivier
Drums – Harold Jones
Guitar – Mundell Lowe
Piano – Nat Pierce
Remastered By – Phil De Lancie
Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Budd Johnson
Trombone – Britt Woodman
Trumpet – Cat Anderson, Joe Newman