Johnny Hodges – Johnny Hodges with Billy Strayhorn and the Orchestra (SACD hibrid)

Alto saxophonist Johnny Hodges recorded many albums for the Verve label in the 1950s and 60s. Most of the musicians on ‘Johnny Hodges With Billy Strayhorn’ played in Duke Ellington’s orchestra and the arrangements were by Billy Strayhorn. But Hodges’ playing can only be described as great, his musical talent more evident than ever. Lawrence Brown, Harry Carney and Howard McGhee also give excellent performances. The programme includes some of the Ellington Orchestra’s best known numbers. The exotic-sounding ‘Azure’ and the emotional ‘Your Love Has Faded’ are particularly moving.

This recording is part of a series of 25 Verve reissues on Analogue Productions. The original Analogue tapes are re-edited by senior mastering engineer George Marino at Sterling Sound in New York. Many of the tapes have been sent to other labels as copies for decades, but Sterling Sound works so closely with Universal Music, the owners of the Verve label, that they occasionally make an exception. The hybrid SACDs sound excellent and clearly outshine earlier digitisations.

We recommend the use of „L’Art du Son” CD/DVD conditioner for even more sonic improvement.

Lista pieselor

1. Don’t Get Around Much Any More

2. I’ve Got It Bad and That Ain’t Good

3. Gal From Joe’s

4. Your Love Has Faded

5. I’m Just a Lucky So and So

6. Jeep’s Blues

7. Day Dream

8. Juice A-Plenty

9. Azure

10. Tailor Made

11. Stardust