[Will O S.C.]

Anyone know what Mr. Hodges played on for this album? Liner notes say the recordings happened in August ‘58 and February ‘59.

Picked up a vinyl copy over the weekend and his sound is so, so rich. Can’t say for sure but this might be my favorite recording of his. Really knocked me out.

 

[Hornlip]

Probably a Buescher Big B. Not sure what mpc he was using at that time.

 

[GreenBean]

I'm pretty certain that he played a Brilhart Tonalin at the time, but don't quote me on that.

 

[Aquarian]

Make sure to also check out Back to Back! Two of my favorite Hodges albums, along with Stride Right.

A lot of stuff seems to suggest he used a Brilhart Tonalin or Ebolin, Nicholas Trefoil’s site has those listed along with a Master Link and a Berg(!). He doesn’t list anything for that particular time range but before and after is a Tonalin and Ebolin.

Sound wise, the closest mouthpiece I have to the old swing sound is definitely my Philtone Orion, which is based on the Brilhart design but with the Philtone touch. Honorable mention goes to the WCW 56 which is also Brilhart based but has a smaller chamber (apparently Brilharts varied over the years in chamber size).

 

[tuppertn]

The Gerry Mulligan meets Johnny Hodges album was also released in 1959. The album cover does look like he's playing an Aristocrat. Definitely not a 400. Can't tell about the mouthpiece. The sharp step into the shank looks Berg-ish rather than Brilhart.

 

[Mgmarcus]

Anyone know what Mr. Hodges played on for this album? Liner notes say the recordings happened in August ‘58 and February ‘59.

Picked up a vinyl copy over the weekend and his sound is so, so rich. Can’t say for sure but this might be my favorite recording of his. Really knocked me out.

Hodges never sounds less than gorgeous. His album with with Billy Strayhorn and orchestra is also stellar. His sound doesn’t seem to vary much if at all regardless of equipment. I suspect he would have done almost as well playing a straw.

 

[Tryptykon]

Probably on a Buescher 141: an Aristocrat body mated to a wider bow section and
larger bell similar to a Buescher 400 .

 

[SephirothTNH]

Don't know how true it is but I was told by a teacher once that Hodges pretty much always had the latest top of the line buescher until he switched to vito. So yeah could have very well been the 141 at that point.

 

[dexdex]

Back to Back was like a revelation for me.
Having grown up with the stomping over-business of New-Orleans jazz listened by my Dad, that relaxed and laid back version of Weary Blues was a real « this is it » moment for me.
And yes, good question, is there any session where JH didn’t sound great ?

 

[Mike T]

Back to Back was like a revelation for me.
Having grown up with the stomping over-business of New-Orleans jazz listened by my Dad, that relaxed and laid back version of Weary Blues was a real « this is it » moment for me.
And yes, good question, is there any session where JH didn’t sound great ?

Real New Orleans jazz is relaxed and laid back; the music that was listened to by your Dad was probably Californian white dixieland. Hodges' great recording of Weary Blues is right in the real New Orleans bag.

 

[dexdex]

Real New Orleans jazz is relaxed and laid back; the music that was listened to by your Dad was probably Californian white dixieland. Hodges' great recording of Weary Blues is right in the real New Orleans bag.

My Dad was listening to the originals. Hot 5, Hot 7, Duke, Fletcher, Jelly Roll Morton, etc…. The most “stompy” I remember was Bix Beiderbecke.
It is true that I clearly preferred medium tempos, West End Blues, The Mooche, rather than the more shaky songs.
And we were both allergic to the white Dixieland, Dutch or Swiss-German …. although it was what we ended up playing too. 😵‍💫😉
Back to JH, he is the incarnation of “laidbackness” throughout his long career, and with all the changes jazz went through.
No surprise he appears in the heroes list of most alto players, if not all sax players.

 

[Mike T]

My Dad was listening to the originals. Hot 5, Hot 7, Duke, Fletcher, Jelly Roll Morton, etc…. The most “stompy” I remember was Bix Beiderbecke.
It is true that I clearly preferred medium tempos, West End Blues, The Mooche, rather than the more shaky songs.
And we were both allergic to the white Dixieland, Dutch or Swiss-German …. although it was what we ended up playing too. 😵‍💫😉
Back to JH, he is the incarnation of “laidbackness” throughout his long career, and with all the changes jazz went through.
No surprise he appears in the heroes list of most alto players, if not all sax players.

Yes indeed. An interesting fact about Hodges is that as a young man he idolised Sidney Bechet. I can't imagine two more different saxophone styles.

 

[LiAm84]

The Gerry Mulligan meets Johnny Hodges album was also released in 1959. The album cover does look like he's playing an Aristocrat. Definitely not a 400. Can't tell about the mouthpiece. The sharp step into the shank looks Berg-ish rather than Brilhart.

View attachment 146334

Here in this video from 1958 he appears to be playing a Buescher 400 but without the underslung neck:

 

[tuppertn]

Here in this video from 1958 he appears to be playing a Buescher 400 but without the underslung neck:

That would be a 141...with some very nice custom engraving.

From 1:18 to 1:24 the camera pans right down the horn. Nice.