Johnny Hodges
July 25, 1907 – May 11, 2008
Johnny Hodges was an American saxophonist who played lead in Duke Ellington’s Orchestra for 38 years, giving it it’s signature sound. And along the way, he wowed not only jazz fans but his contemporaries as well. Benny Goodman once claimed that Hodges was “the greatest man on alto sax I ever heard.” allmusic.com calls him the “Possessor of the most beautiful tone ever heard in jazz.” Hodges stayed with Ellington until his sudden death in 1970, after which Ellington proclaimed, “Our band will never sound the same.”
Goodman was right: This guy could play circles around Charlie Parker– with or without dope– and the result was actual MUSIC!
Too bad he never lived to record his spot in The New Orleans Suite for Ellington….
Yes he was definitely one of the greats!