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For Fans Only:
As a BIG fan of Johnny Hodges, I was disappointed in these recordings. As is frequently the case with boxed sets, there was too much thrown in. The early work, while of interest to fans, contains too many weak tracks, some of them so poorly mastered that you hear a loud hiss. His soprano sax efforts from the 30s, marred by commercial sounding vocals, are mostly forgettable. This should have been edited down to a 2CD set. Somehow the recording quality of even the later sides fails to capture the uniqueness of JH's sound. The detailed notes on each recording are scholastically thorough and as a fan, I did enjoy reading a lot of new information about my idol. Instead of bargain hunting, spend your money wisely on any of the below instead: "Side by Side" (Verve MGVS-6109) for the excellent remastering and broad range (the power & strength of his sound as well as the sweetness)in a small combo setting. If not his best, at least my favorite. "Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins"(Impulse IMPD-162) for some of the sweetest ensemble playing this side of heaven (don't be put off by Jeep's lack of billing, he's as prominent as the Hawk) "Back to Back" (MGM 823 637-2) for the Rabbit's sweeter side in a set of extended classic blues numbers. "The Great Ellington Units" (Bluebird (RCA)6751-2) mines the same turf as the boxed set under discussion, but the sound is MUCH better. "The Duke: Duke Ellington the Essential Collection 1922-1962" (Columbia C3K 65841) an example of a more carefully selected a lovingly remastered collection featuring the full Duke Ellington orchestra. It has more good Hodges solos than the JH boxed set. Shows how well the sound CAN be remastered from old recordings. This IS an essential collection.
Bargain of the Decade:
Johnny Hodges was one of the 3 or 4 greatest jazz saxophonists of all time. No one ever matched his beautiful tone, fluid technique, or sheer elegance. This amazing bargain set contains 4 CDs with 94 tracks featuring Hodges leading a small band of Duke Ellington's best musicians (Cootie Williams, Billy Strayhorn, Lawrence Brown, and Duke Ellington himself) dating from 1937 to 1952. (The last disc contains some rare recordings of Hodges on hiatus from Ellington's Orchestra, leading his own band.) The tunes are almost all Ellington, Hodges, and Irving Mills classics. The sound is clear and warm, without the muffled sound that mars too many old jazz reissues. The packaging is handsome, with lots of photos and good liner notes in the accompanying booklet. Kudos to Proper for bringing out such excellent, inexpensive sets of America's greatest music!
| Artist: | Johnny Hodges | | Binding: | Audio CD | | EAN: | 0805520020589 | | Format: | Best of | | Format: | Box set | | Number Of Discs: | 4 | | Original Release Date: | 2003-05-13 | | Release Date: | 2008-03-17 | | UPC: | 805520020589 |
Tracks:- Foolin' Myself
- Sailboat in the Moonlight
- You'll Never Go to Heaven
- Peckin'
- My Day
- Slivery Moon and Golden Sands
- Jeep's Blues
- If You Were in My Place (What Would You Do?)
- I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart
- Rendezvous With Rhythm
- You Walked Out of the Picture
- Pyramid
- Empty Ballroom Blues
- Lost in Meditation
- Blues Serenade
- Love in Swingtime
- Swingin' in the Dell
- Jitterbug's Lullaby
- Prelude to a Kiss
- There's Something About an Old Love
- Old Jeep Is Jumpin'
- Krum Elbow Blues
- I'm in Another World
- Hodge Podge
- Dancing on the Stars
- Wanderlust
- Like a Ship in the Night
- Mississippi Dreamboat
- Swingin' on the Campus
- Dooji Wooji
- Savoy Strut
- Rent Party Blues
- Good Gal Blues
- Finesse
- Home Town Blues
- Dream Blues
- Skunk Hollow Blues
- I Know What You Do
- Your Love Has Faded
- Tired Socks
- Good Queen Bess
- That's the Blues, Old Man
- Junior Hop
- Squatty Roo
- Passion Flower
- Things Ain't What They Used to Be
- Goin' Out the Back Way
- You're Driving Me Crazy
- Who Struck John?
- It Shouldn't Happen to a Dream
- June's Jumpin'
- Violet Blue
- Flower Is a Lovesome Thing
- Frisky
- Longhorn Blues
- Far Away Blues
- Searsy's Blues
- Little Taste
- Let the Zoomers Drool
- Charlotte Russe (Lotus Blossom)
- Jump, That's All
- Last Legs Blues, Pt. 1
- Last Legs Blues, Pt. 2
- Nix It, Mix It
- Time on My Hands
- Get That Geet
- That's Grand
- Skip It
- Perdido
- In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree
- Mood Indigo
- Sweet Lorraine
- Bean Bag Boogie
- Hop, Skip and Jump
- Rabbit's Blues (You Blew Out the Flame in My Heart)
- Something to Pat Your Foot To
- Blue Fantasia
- My Reward
- Good Queen Bess
- Jeep's Blues
- Solitude
- Jeep Is Jumpin'
- Castle Rock
- Sophisticated Lady
- Globe Trotter
- Gentle Breeze
- Sideways
- Pound of Blues
- Wham
- Who Excited?
- Sweeping the Blues Away
- Day Dream
- Standing Room Only
- Below the Azores
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