Hodges, Johnny

orig. John Cornelius Hodges

(born July 25, 1906, Cambridge, Mass., U.S.—died May 11, 1970, New York, N.Y.) U.S. saxophonist, one of the greatest alto-saxophone stylists in jazz. “Rabbit” Hodges was encouraged and influenced by Sidney Bechet in the mid-1920s. He joined Duke Ellington's band in 1928 and quickly became its most prominent soloist. Except for a period when he led his own small group (1951–55), Hodges would remain with Ellington for the rest of his career. His peerless, soulful tone and rhythmic poise made him a master interpreter of both ballads and blues, and Ellington and Billy Strayhorn composed many pieces expressly for him.

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