Blues O' Mighty — Johnny Hodges Transcription

About Johnny Hodges

Ellington's Lead Alto

Johnny Hodges (1907–1970) — ‘Rabbit’ to those who knew him — was Duke Ellington’s lead alto for more than four decades and the most imitated alto voice in jazz before Charlie Parker, instantly known by his warm tone and singing glissando. This page focuses on his solo on Blues O’ Mighty; for the full story of his life, sound and recordings, read the complete Johnny Hodges profile, or study solos like this with feedback in saxophone lessons.

Blue Rabbit

Verve Records

Blue Rabbit is a rare gem in the Johnny Hodges discography. The album features Wild Bill Davis on organ and Kenny Burrell on guitar, along with a rotating cast of rhythm section players including Ray Jackson, Mundell Lowe, Richard Davis, Jack Lesberg, Wendell Marshall, Bobby Donaldson and Osie Johnson. The organ-guitar-saxophone combination gives the album a distinctly warm, R&B-inflected sound that suits Hodges perfectly.

The record showcases Hodges in a relaxed, intimate setting where his natural blues feeling and melodic authority come to the fore. Rather than the grandeur of the Ellington orchestra, here the focus is entirely on his sound, his phrasing and his storytelling — and the result is deeply satisfying. It is exactly the kind of album that rewards patient listening and repeated study.

Blues O' Mighty

The Tune and the Solo

Blues O' Mighty is a composition by Edith 'Cue' Hodges and Johnny Hodges that achieved wider recognition when covered by Oliver Nelson on More Blues and the Abstract Truth. In Hodges' own hands it is deeply personal — a vehicle for everything that made him unique as a blues player.

In just two short choruses, Hodges demonstrates an extraordinary range of expression. He plays repeated figures in the old style, using melodic and rhythmic repetition to build energy and direction with the rhythm section — the repeated concert Dbs on beat 2 create a call-and-response feel that channels the same work songs that influenced his long-time bandleader Duke Ellington. These strong melodic hooks draw the listener in and hold them there.

The solo also contains beautiful major pentatonic language, with characteristic use of the flattened third falling to the ninth — an old blues device set against organ and guitar that gives the solo a deep 1950s R&B feeling. Above all, it is the glissandos, dynamics and the sheer quality of Hodges' tone that make this solo essential study for any saxophonist. It sits alongside the other free saxophone transcriptions on this site as one of the most instructive for developing expression and blues feeling.

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The Transcription — Blues O' Mighty

Full Score — Johnny Hodges Alto Saxophone Solo

The full transcription is shown below. Study the score alongside the recording — focus especially on Hodges' glissandos, dynamics and articulation, not just the pitches. A free PDF download for alto saxophone is available beneath the score.

Johnny Hodges' Playing Style

What to Listen and Look For

The Cry

Hodges plays repeated figures in the old style, using repeated rhythmic and melodic statements to build energy and direction with the rhythm section. These repeated Bbs (concert Dbs) on beat 2 set up a call-and-response feel that channels the same work songs that were such a big influence on Duke Ellington, as well as earlier generations of blues musicians. Pick a beat of the bar and practise playing a long note each time with an answering phrase — this is a powerful and accessible way to begin internalising Hodges' approach.

Vocabulary

There is beautiful major pentatonic language throughout this solo. Hodges also makes use of the flattened third falling to the ninth — an old blues melodic device set against the organ and guitar that gives the solo its deep R&B character. These are phrases worth extracting and practising in all keys.

Glissandos

In just two short choruses, Hodges plays with a remarkable range of glissando techniques. He is the greatest master of the glissando and his mastery is on full display here — bending notes up and down, always smooth and clean. Practise your glissandos by lifting off your fingers slowly. When glissing wider intervals, work through a 'scale of glissandos,' blending the join of each note with your embouchure. It takes considerable practice to get this comfortable across every combination of notes on the instrument, but the expressive payoff is enormous.