VA - Membran Music's Jazz Ballads Series Vol. 11-15 (10 CD, 2004) [FLAC + 320]

 

A CD sets with the most beautiful ballads in the history of jazz.

Lyrical, imaginative, sensuous and melodic jewels from the art of music.

Precisely for those people who have maintained their taste for lasting musical values.

Jazz in its most gentle form.

Irrestible...

Jazz Ballads 11: Lionel Hampton

Jazz Ballads 12: Billie Holiday

Jazz Ballads 13: Roy Eldridge & Dizzy Gillespie

Jazz Ballads 14: Benny Carter

Jazz Ballads 15: Johnny Hodges & Friends

Johnny Hodges - The Complete Verve Johnny Hodges Small Group Sessions 1956-1961 [6 CD, 2000/FLAC]

  

Johnny Hodges was Duke Ellington's most important soloist, so when the alto saxophonist returned to his former employer in the fall of 1955 after leading his own band for just over four and a half years, he had Ellington's approval to record under his own name for Verve on a steady basis. This limited-edition box set collects all of Hodges' small-group sessions recorded for Verve between 1956 and 1961 (excepting some selections whose masters were lost), often with a number of sidemen on loan from Ellington. The leader's chops are best exhibited in the ballads and blues features, though his originals merit attention, too. Hodges hardly hogs the spotlight; he obviously takes his share of solos but generously features his guests and associates from the Ellington band. A nonet with Clark Terry, Ray Nance, Quentin Jackson, Jimmy Hamilton, Harry Carney, Billy Strayhorn, Jimmy Woode, and Sam Woodyard is easily the best all-around session within this compilation, with many fine tracks. The humorous "Just Squeeze Me," with Nance's hip vocals complemented by Terry's talkative horn in the background, as well as a surprising extended workout of "Take the 'A' Train," with Terry taking over the famous solo spotlight that Nance first recorded in 1941 (heard on flügelhorn) and followed by Nance on his swinging violin, are among its highlights. Some of the other veterans appearing in this collection include Roy Eldridge, Vic Dickenson, Ben Webster, and Herb Ellis. The atmosphere of each session is friendly and swinging, with the feeling that each take came together quickly, whether or not that was actually the case. While Johnny Hodges' recordings as a leader from this period never rivaled Duke Ellington's in either sales or critical acclaim, they proved to be consistently enjoyable and able to stand the test of time. The set includes 30 previously unissued tracks. The detailed liner notes and discography, along with the numerous photos, also help to make The Complete Verve Johnny Hodges Small Group Sessions 1956-1961 an essential purchase for swing fans, though it is a limited edition of just 7,500, so it is guaranteed to soar in value.

Verve Jazz Masters series Vol. 31-40

 Jazz Masters is a series of mainly single artist compilations released by Polygram/Verve between 1994 and 1996. The compilations collect material that was originally released on Verve or on one of the labels that became part of the Polygram group. The 20th and 60th releases in the series were various artist collections.

VJM 31 - Cannonball Adderley

VJM 32 - Chet Baker

VJM 33 - Benny Goodman

VJM 34 - Coleman Hawkins

VJM 35 - Johnny Hodges

VJM 36 - Gerry Mulligan

VJM 37 - Oscar Peterson Plays Broadway

VJM 38 - Django Reinhardt

VJM 39 - Cal Tjader

VJM 40 - Dinah Washington Sings Standards

Ben Webster & Johnny Hodges - The Complete 1960 Sextet Jazz Cellar Session (2011,FLAC)

 

This 1960 set is said to be the only recording session on which Ben Webster and Johnny Hodges were the only two horn players. At least, that applies to the first dozen tracks. The last five come from an octet session recorded a year later. The first twelve were recorded at the Jazz Cellar in San Francisco; the last five were recorded somewhere in Los Angeles.

The line-up gives Webster and Hodges the chance to show their paces without much interference. In fact they had played together in the Duke Ellington Orchestra for various periods from 1935 onwards, so they knew one another closely, and their empathy comes through on these sides. You might say that Hodges is to the alto sax what Ben Webster is to the tenor. Their distinctive saxophones blend well together, even though they have slightly different styles. They both actually have a sweet legato style of playing, although Webster can get gruff and growly when he wants to. Their main similarity is that they both aim for (and achieve) mellowness of tone - and they can both swing with the greatest of ease. The staccato single notes of guitarist Herb Ellis contrast nicely with the saxists' predominantly smooth mode.