Top Artists – Johnny Hodges

Duke Ellington/Johnny Hodges – Blues Summit – Better Sound than the Originals?

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This superb jazz double album makes its Hot Stamper debut here with outstanding Double Plus (A++) sound or BETTER from start to finish
What surprised during our shootout was that this later pressing from 1976 actually sounded quite a bit better than virtually all the early pressings we put it up against
The Classic Records pressings from 1995 aren’t bad, but they head to head they can’t begin to compete with a pressing as good as this one
Superb engineering from the man behind so many great sounding Verve records, Val Valentin
4 stars: “… this very enjoyable double LP includes two related sessions… Highly recommended in one form or another.”

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Johnny Hodges – The Big Sound

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Hodges’ superb and quite rare release arrives on the site with STUNNING Shootout Winning Triple Plus (A+++) sound or close to it
Spacious and transparent, this mono copy has the big three-dimensional soundstage that makes an All Tube recording from 1957 such a joy to listen to
Featuring some of the swingingest cats from Duke Ellington’s band, all playing the music they love and performing at the peak of their powers
4 stars: “No surprises, but the session was as good as one might hope. Gathered here was the Ellington band with Billy Strayhorn at the piano…This was an integrated unit, not some detached studio band for Hodges to blow over, under, around, and through. It was wonderful Hodges and fine Ellington.”

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Duke Ellington & Johnny Hodges – Back to Back – A Classic Records Winner

A distinguished member of the Better Records Jazz Hall of Fame.

As I recall this was one of the better sounding Classic titles from their Verve series, and the music is excellent. Finding a clean original is no mean feat as I’m sure you can imagine.

Johnny Hodges & Wild Bill Davis – Blue Rabbit from 1964

More Johnny Hodges

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This KILLER jazz pressing boasts shootout winning Triple Plus (A+++) sound from first note to last
The sound here is Tubey Magical, lively and clear, with three-dimensionality that goes deep and fills the listening room from wall to wall
This copy plays on relatively quiet vinyl, Mint Minus to Mint Minus Minus throughout
“One of altoist Johnny Hodges’ many solo records in the 1960s… Tasty and swinging music.” – Allmusic

For us audiophiles both the sound and the music here are wonderful. If you’re looking to demonstrate just how good 1963-64 All Tube Analog sound can be, this killer copy will do the trick. (more…)