Search - Johnny Hodges, Billy Strayhorn :: With Billy Strayhorn & The Orchestra

With Billy Strayhorn & The Orchestra
Johnny Hodges, Billy Strayhorn
With Billy Strayhorn & The Orchestra
Genres: Jazz, Pop
 
  •  Track Listings (11) - Disc #1


     
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CD Details

All Artists: Johnny Hodges, Billy Strayhorn
Title: With Billy Strayhorn & The Orchestra
Members Wishing: 2
Total Copies: 0
Label: Polygram Records
Original Release Date: 1/1/1999
Re-Release Date: 3/23/1999
Album Type: Original recording remastered
Genres: Jazz, Pop
Style: Swing Jazz
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPCs: 731455754322, 0731455754322

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CD Reviews

A rare look at Hodges and Strayhorn without Ellington
04/28/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)

"This disc which is the result of a session in 1961 that features Johhny Hodges on alto sax with Billy Strayhorn as the band leader. Detail of the session is related in Lush Life the biographpy of Billy Strayhorn (pg 217). Briefly, Strayhorn was given free rein in providing new arrangments of songs by Ellington, Hodges and himself. In the 30 plus years they worked together Strayhorn used the Ellington orchestra to feature Hodges. However, this disc really puts Hodges in the forefront of the orchestra and the results are tremendous. Hodges, under Strayhorns direction gives top notch redendtions of 2 of the greatest songs they did together, Day Dream and I Got It Bad. I haven't stopped playing this disc, comparing the arrangements by Strayhorn and playing by Hodges against other Ellington discs. Another one you may want to try is "And His Mother Called Him Bill" which I think is Hodges greatest performance. Oh by the way, Happy 100th Birthday Duke (April 29th) We love you madly!"
A MUST HAVE FOR ALL ELLINGTON STRAYHORN FANS!
08/16/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)

"And that goes for all Johnny Hodges fans too. If you hear a more lovely reading of "Your Love Has Faded" anywhere, I'd like to know where. Hodges was at the pinnacle of his career and Strayhorn finally got some overdue recognition and lee way to do a fantastic album of covers and originals. Its unknown exactly what was Strayhorn's and what was Ellington's when it came to the big band's compositions, but some of the very best are right here. Where "Faded" moans in an achingly beautiful way, "Tailor Made" and "Juice-A-Plenty" really swing! It is important to remember that Johnny Hodges, while being a very articulate man (probably brushed off from Duke himself) could barely read or even sign his name. Thank God he knew how to play sax!!!"
Great introduction...
A. Del Rosario | Carolina, PR Puerto Rico | 03/11/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Listening to this CD has prompted me to start buying more music from this time/style. Sensuous, playful, teasing, mellow, tender... just some of the adjectives that are evoked while listening to Mr. Hodges' saxophone. This one will be on my playlist for a long, long time..."