About
John Cornelius "Johnny" Hodges (July 25, 1907 – May 11, 1970) was an American jazz alto saxophonist. He is best known for solo work with Duke Ellington's big band, with whom he played lead alto in the saxophone section for many years. Hodges was also featured on soprano saxophone, but refused to play soprano after 1940. Along with Benny Carter, Hodges is considered to be one of the definitive alto saxophonists of the big band era.
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After beginning his career as a teenager in Boston, Hodges traveled to New York City and played with Lloyd Scott, Sidney Bechet, Luckey Roberts, and Chick Webb. When Ellington wanted to expand his band in 1928, Ellington's clarinetist, Barney Bigard, recommended Hodges. Hodges's 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 Newport Jazz Festival in 1956.
Member of
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Johnny Hodges and His Orchestra eponymous
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Duke Ellington Octet alto saxophone
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Eddie Heywood Trio alto saxophone
Discography
Albums
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Creamy
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Dance Bash
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Memories of Ellington
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Johnny Hodges and the Ellington All Stars
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Duke's in Bed Apple Music
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Ellingtonia '56
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Play The Prettiest Gershwin
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Back to Back: Duke Ellington and Johnny Hodges Play the Blues
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Side by Side
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The Big Sound
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The Eleventh Hour Apple Music
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Sandy's Gone Apple Music
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Mess Of Blues
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Blue Rabbit
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Everybody Knows Apple Music
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Con-Soul & Sax
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Joe's Blues
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Wings and Things
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Alto Blue
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Stride Right
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Blue Pyramid
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Don't Sleep in the Subway
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Swing's Our Thing
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Rippin' and Runnin'
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A Tribute to Johnny Hodges
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3 Shades of Blue Apple Music
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Triple Play Apple Music
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Compact Jazz: Johnny Hodges & Wild Bill Davis
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In A Mellotone
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The Complete 1941-1954 Small Group Sessions Vol. 2 1950
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Jeep's Blues
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Johnny Hodges With Billy Strayhorn And The Orchestra Apple Music
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Day Dream Apple Music
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Super Session
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Hop, Skip and Jump
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Collates No. 2 Apple Music
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Buenos Aires Blues / The Eleventh Hour
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The Complete 1960 Jazz Cellar Session
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Half & Half
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All That Jazz, Vol. 111: Sumpin' Jumpin' – Johnny Hodges & The Ellingtonians (Remastered 2019)
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Live in Paris 13 Mars 1961
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Blue Hodge
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Con-Soul & Sax
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Johnny Hodges Featuring Ben Webster
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Joe's Blues
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Johnny Hodges With the Lawrence Welk's Orchestra
Singles
Live
Compilations
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Johnny Hodges (1938–1939) – Duke Ellington’s Greatest Small Groups
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Verve 6 Great Jazz
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Complete Recordings
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Juice A-Plenty
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The Best of Jazz & Sax
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Three Classic Albums Plus (Second Set)
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And The Ellington Men 1956-1957
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Four Classic Albums
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Blue Hodge
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Con-Soul & Jazz: Wild Bill Is The Boss!
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Johnny Hodges
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A Gentle Breeze
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The Complete 1937-1954 Small Group Sessions, Volume 1: 1937-1950
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Jazz Ballads 15: Johnny Hodges & Friends
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The Jeep Is Jumpin'
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Things Ain't What They Used to Be
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The Complete Verve Johnny Hodges Small Group Sessions 1956-61
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Johnny Hodges
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On the Way Up
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Passion Flower 1940-46 Apple Music
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An Introduction to Johnny Hodges: His Best Recordings 1928-1941
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Verve Jazz Masters 35
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Johnny Hodges and Wild Bill Davis, Volume 1–2 (1965–1966)
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Caravan
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The Complete Johnny Hodges Sessions 1951 - 1955
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Master of Jazz
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I Giganti Del Jazz Vol. 12
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The Rabbit In Paris Apple Music
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Previously Unreleased Recordings
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Gerry Mulligan Meets Johnny Hodges
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Hodge Podge (The Best of Duke's Men, Volume 1)
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At A Dance, In A Studio, On Radio
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The Jeep Is Jumpin'
Links
Also known as
Hodges · J. Hodges · Jhonny Hodges · Jhony Hodges · John Cornelius Hodges · John Hodges · Johny Hodges · Jony Hodges · Jony Hoges · Д. Ходжес · ジョニー・ホッジス
Identifiers
- MusicBrainz
- 881d33d8-e86f-42e8-b571-dbde156f6907
- ISNI
- 0000000083930254
- IPI
- 00014210546
Data from MusicBrainz, saved 11 Nov 2026. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, covers from the Cover Art Archive and Apple Music.