Johnny Hodges

Johnny Hodges
Hodges playing a Conn 6M with Al Sears in background, 1946
Background information
Birth name	John Cornelius Hodges
Born	(1907-07-25)July 25, 1907 Cambridge, Massachusetts
Died	May 11, 1970(1970-05-11) (aged 62) New York City
Genres	Jazz swing
Occupation	Musician
Instruments	Alto saxophone soprano saxophone clarinet
Years active	1924–1970

Cornelius "Johnny" Hodges (July 25, 1907 – May 11, 1970) was an American alto saxophonist, best known for solo work with Duke Ellington's big band. He played lead alto in the saxophone section for many years. Hodges was also featured on soprano saxophone, but refused to play soprano after 1946.^[1] Along with Benny Carter, Hodges is considered to be one of the definitive alto saxophone players of the big band era.^[2]

After beginning his career as a teenager in Boston, Hodges began to travel to New York and played with Lloyd Scott, Sidney Bechet, Luckey Roberts and Chick Webb. When Ellington wanted to expand his band in 1928, Ellington's clarinet player Barney Bigard recommended Hodges. His playing became one of the identifying voices of the Ellington orchestra. From 1951 to 1955, Hodges left the Duke to lead his own band, but returned shortly before Ellington's triumphant return to prominence – the orchestra's performance at the 1956 Newport Jazz Festival.