# CD review: Johnny Hodges Septet – In Concert Falkoner Centret, Copenhagen 1961 – 2023: Video, CD cover

- Link: https://jazzblues.eu/2023/06/02/cd-review-johnny-hodges-septet-in-concert-falkoner-centret-copenhagen-1961-2023-video-cd-cover/
- Published: 2023-06-02T00:04:31+01:00
- Author: https://JazzBlues.EU

**Recorded at Falkoner Centret, Copenhagen March 17, 1961. The existence of the 
Copenhagen concert has been rumored among the fans but never materialized until 
now. Well-honed musicians schooled in Ellington texts. There are twenty pieces in
the seventy minutes of playing time by this group. Duke Ellington was in Paris, 
writing the score for the film ‘Paris Blues’. **

There was free time for the band, so impresario Norman Granz pulled some of them
together, under the leadership of Johnny Hodges, and set up a tour. One of the concerts
was held at the Sportpalast in Berlin and eventually a 2CD recording was issued 
by the Pablo label. Another concert took place in Paris and was issued on the Fremaux
label. This, the Copenhagen concert, is a new issue.

Ellington devotees shuddered at Ellington concerts when the dreaded medley was signalled.
Ellington explained that many in his audience expected to hear some his popular 
pieces, so he assembled the hits together to get them out of the way before presenting
some new work.

This album is like an extended medley: most of the pieces are around three or four
minutes, only ‘Perdido’ is longer. The individual musicians go through what they
longer. normally played on Ellington concerts. Johnny Hodges graces ‘Things Ain’t
What They Used To Be’. Lawrence Brown slides through ’Rose Of The Rio Grande’. Harry
Carney brings out ‘Sophisticated Lady’ and finishes with the long note and the circular
breathing that he performed on every Ellington concert. Ray Nance, an excellent 
trumpet player also sings ‘Don’t Get Around Much Anymore’ and ‘Just Squeeze Me’.

Al Williams has the unenviable task of playing the Ellington role. He has the long
introduction to ‘Perdido’ and that is his main contribution to the evening.

It is always good to hear these musicians. They all had their own individual sound,
the sound as important as the content they played. Hodges was the most important
alto player in the pre-Parker era. Strayhorn’s writing brought out his romanticism.
Harry Carney’s sound was as mature and satisfying as black tobacco, always worth
listening to even when he is on auto pilot. Many in the audience would leave the
concert hall with a warm feeling knowing that they had seen legends: Hodges, Nance,
Carney, Lawrence Brown, Sam Woodyard.

There are no surprises here and little improvisation. The absence of Ellington means
that there is no one to challenge them. The main players are the spine of an Ellington
band that was about to embark in the sixties on a journey that would produce the‘
New Orleans Suite’, the ‘Far East Suite’, The Afro Eurasian Eclipse’, ‘The Latin
American Suite’, ‘Suite Thursday, the ‘Goutelas Suite,’,’ The Uwis Suite’, ‘The 
River Suite’, , ‘TheTogo Brava Suite’. Here they are relaxing on a well-paid European
holiday playing pieces that they could negotiate in their sleep. You really do have
to treasure them. We didn’t realise how lucky we were.

01. C Jam Blues
 02. The Jeep Is Jumpin’ 03. Good Queen Bess 04. Things Ain’t What
They Used To Be 05. Sophisticated Lady 06. I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart 07. Don’t
Get Around Anymore 08. Just Squeeze Me 09. Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me 10. 
Rose Of Rio Grande 11. All Of Me 12. On The Sunny Side Of The Street 13. Perdido
14. Take The A Train 15. Mood Indigo 16. Solitude 17. Satin Doll 18. I Got It Bad
And That Ain’t Good 19. Rocking In Rhythm 20. Autumn Leaves **Johnny Hodges: alto
saxophone** **Ray Nance: trumpet, violin, vocal** **Lawrence Brown: trombone** **
Harry Carney: baritone saxophone** **Al Williams: piano** **Aaron Bell: bass** **
Sam Woodyard: drums**

![Johnny Hodges Septet – In Concert](https://i0.wp.com/jazzviews.net/wp-content/
uploads/2023/05/Johnny-Hodges-Septet.jpg?resize=640%2C380&ssl=1)

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