[PHC1]

Continuing on with the Alto Sax and Johnny Hodges has not been heard in a while.

Possessor of the most beautiful tone ever heard in jazz, altoist Johnny Hodges formed his style early on and had little reason to change it through the decades. Although he could stomp with the best swing players and was masterful on the blues, Hodges' luscious playing on ballads has never been topped.



In jazz circles and among his immediate peers, Johnny Hodges was referred to as "Mr. Silvertone." And one great jazz story shows the high regard that other players had for his style: A sax player goes to his bandleader and asks for the night off. When the bandleader asks why, the sax player says, "I want to go see Johnny Hodges and try to hear how he gets that sound." The bandleader stuffs a 20 in the sax player's jacket and says, "You're going to hear the right man."

Hodges' lines caressed the notes, and he could play in a totally authoritative fashion without resorting to a lot of upper-register squeakings or faux tenor honkings. He was always 110 percent in the pocket, the epitome of true swing. Even within the mighty Duke Ellington Orchestra, a well-oiled team with superb players, Hodges stood out as something special.