Johnny Hodges – Johnny Hodges with Billy Strayhorn and the Orchestra (1961/2011) [AcousticSounds DSF DSD64/2.82MHz + FLAC 24bit/88,2kHz]

Recorded: Tracks 2 to 6, 8, 10 and 11 recorded in December 11, 1961; Tracks 1, 7 and 9 recorded in December 12, 1961 at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.
Mastered at Sterling Sound by George Marino.

Mastered by George Marino at Sterling Sound from the original master tapes to vinyl and PCM. The DSD was sourced from the PCM. George listened to all of the different A/D converters he had before he chose which to use, and he felt the George Massenburg GML 20 bit A/D produced the best and most synergistic sound for the project.

Recorded during the last decade of his long tenure with the Duke Ellington Orchestra, this album finds the great alto saxophonist Johnny Hodges’ musical gifts not only intact but stronger than ever. Featuring the Ellington band – with Jimmy Jones on piano and Billy Strayhorn as bandleader and arranger – it is a fascinating program of Ellington remakes, including tome of the orchestra’s most familiar numbers, all of which have been given subtle new orchestrations by Strayhorn and melodious new interpretations by Hodges.
Alto saxophonist Johnny Hodges recorded frequently for Verve in the 1950s and 1960s, although nearly all of the musicians on this CD are from the Ellington orchestra and the arrangements are by Billy Strayhorn. Hodges is never less than superb throughout this reissue, while Lawrence Brown, Harry Carney and non-Ellingtonians Howard McGhee on trumpet and pianist Jimmy Jones also deserve praise. Strayhorn’s exotic chart of “Azure” and emotional scoring of “Your Love Has Faded” are especially striking. Recommended. -Ken Dryden, AllMusic

Tracklist:
1 Don’t Get Around Much Any More 3:00
2 I’ve Got It Bad ( And That Ain’t Good ) 3:35
3 Gal From Joe’s 2:27
4 Your Love Has Faded 3:00
5 I’m Just A Lucky So-And-So 3:20
6 Jeep’s Blues 3:18
7 Day Dream 3:56
8 Juice-A-Plenty 3:18
9 Azure 2:33
10 Tailor Made 3:35
11 Stardust 4:25

Personnel:
Johnny Hodges, alto saxophone
Billy Strayhorn, arranger, conductor, performer
Cat Anderson, trumpet
Shorty Baker, trumpet
Aaron Bell, bass
Bill Berry, trumpet
Lawrence Brown, trombone
Harry Carney, bass clarinet, baritone saxophone, bass saxophone
Chuck Conors, bass trombone
Paul Gonsalves, tenor saxophone
Jimmy Hamilton, clarinet, tenor saxophone
Quentin Jackson, trombone
Jimmy Jones, piano
Howard McGhee, trumpet
Ed Mullens, trumpet
Russell Procope, clarinet, alto saxophone
Sam Woodyard, drums