Audio CD review:
Duke Ellington & Johnny Hodges - Play the Blues Back to Back

Duke Ellington & Johnny Hodges - Play the Blues Back to Back

Band: Duke Ellington & Johnny Hodges Title: Play the Blues Back to Back Rating: Release Date: 29 July, 1997 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: Wabash Blues 2: Basin Street Blues 3: Beale Street Blues 4: Weary Blues 5: The St. Louis Blues 6: Loveless Love 7: Royal Garden Blues

Editoral Review The repertoire consists of seven classic blues, including three from the pen of W. Here we have an oddity in the Duke Ellington collection, a small-band record that includes not a single Ellington composition and only one Ellington musician, co-leader and alto sax king Johnny Hodges. C. Handy, and the results of this informal 1959 session are nothing short of remarkable. The other major solo voice is Harry "Sweets" Edison, a Count Basie-band veteran who seems particularly inspired on this day. His embrace of the melody on "Basin Street Blues" shows great tenderness laced with simply perfect blues-based accents. Hodges offers a virtual lesson throughout in how to build solos from the ground up, nuzzling the nostalgic melodies at first before adding colorful embellishments. Meanwhile, Ellington's spare improvisations and clever comping offer bold chord choices and typically idiosyncratic timing without overwhelming the basic structure and feeling of the blues. No question, a record of old standards and easygoing statements can be just as powerful as any. --Marc Greilsamer .. You can see a complete list of all Duke Ellington & Johnny Hodges discography, or go back to the Duke Ellington & Johnny Hodges tabs