Search - Johnny Hodges :: On the Way Up

A Must For Hodges Fans

Johnny Hodges | Clark Fork, ID United States | 11/21/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"What a nice collection of Johnny Hodges' latter day, small group session work! Most importantly, the Jeep is sounding in top form on all these tracks. The other musicians play well and lovingly for their leader. There is a big variety of lineups here, and they do not sound much like the earlier small band sessions on Verve. Guitar, organ and vibes have been rare in earlier recordings.



Neal Hefti's "Lil Darling" (from Atomic Basie), "On Green Dolphin Street" (famous versions by Miles Davis and Ben Webster), and Duke's "Drop Me Off in Harlem" are standouts, rendered in delightful and original fashion. There are seven Ellington compositions, but they are quite different from any prior versions I've heard from either Johnny or the Duke. And, of course, a smattering of ballads rendered in that silken tone unmatched by any alto player past, present, or future.



Because of the late sixties recording, the masters were first rate and RCA did a fine job on the mix. Real HiFi stereo here, my beleagured fellow jazz fans.



The variety of musicians and group tones on this CD make it a great introduction to Mr. Alto, and the rarity of the tracks also makes it a great addition to anyone's existing collection. I count at least five different band lineups, featuring many musicians not normally associated with Johnny Hodges or Duke Ellington.



The only flaw with the CD is the lack of liner notes. Just a brief Bio of Johnny with NO listing of musicians. Nine of these tracks were realeased previously on the now hard to find Triple Play, which I have, so I can fill you in on half the track's lineups:



"Take 'Em Off", "Monkey on a Limb", "Tiny Bit of Blues": Ray Nance, cornet; Buster Cooper, trombone; Paul Gonsalves, tenor sax; Hank and/or Jimmy Jones, piano; Tiny Grimes, guitar; Milt Hinton, bass; Gus Johnson, drums.



"On the Way Up", "For Jammers Only", "The Very Thought Of You": Cat Anderson, trumpet; Lawrence Brown, trombone; Jimmy Hamilton, tenor sax; Jimmy Jones, piano; Bill Berry, vibes; Les Spahn, guitar; Aaron Bell, bass; Rufus Jones, drums.



"Big Boy Blues", "Sir John", "C-Jam Blues": Roy Eldridge, trumpet; Bennuy Powell, trombone; Harry Carney, baritone sax; Nat Pierce and Jimmy Jones, pianos; Billy Butler, guitar; Joe Benjamin, bass; Oliver Jackson, drums.



Then there's the Wild Bill Davis (organ) sides, with Who Knows? on bass and drums: "On Green Dolphin Street", "Con Soul and Sax", "No One", "Drop Me Off in Harlem", "Johnny Come Lately", "Lil Darlin'", "I'm Beginning to See the Light", "Sophisticated Lady".



Take it as a tribute to how good this collection is that when I discovered I already owned half this CD on Triple Play that I was not disappointed at all. The sound on this import is better, and the sequencing makes for a better listen of the whole CD. Plunk down your sheckles before this one disappears too."

Remaining tracks

Gordon B. Neavill | 04/19/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The remaining tracks are from a Wild Bill Davis/Johnny Hodges date from Jan. 1965 that was originally issued under Davis's leadership as "I'm Beginning to See the Light" and was most recently available as a 2 CD set in the French RCA Jazz Tribune series (not Jazz Tribute as listed in Amazon). The personnel on these tracks is Johnny Hodges, alto sax, Wild Bill Davis, org, Dickie Thompson, gtr, Mundell Lowe, gtr, Milt Hinton, bass, and Osie Johnson, dms. Nine of the ten tracks on this album are included here: "The Jeep is Jumpin'," "On Green Dolphin Street," "Con Soul and Sax," "No One," "Drop Me Off in Harlem," "Johnny Come Lately," "Lil' Darling," "I'm Beginning to See the Light," and "Sophisticated Lady."



A beautiful compilation, highly recommended if you don't already have the content on the Hodges "Triple Play" and the Davis/Hodges dates noted above."