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Johnny Hodges Discography

By SaxTeacher UK 7 min read
SaxTeacher UK — author photo

Across nearly two decades, Johnny Hodges built one of the richest recorded legacies in jazz. Away from the Duke Ellington Orchestra, he led dozens of his own sessions — lush ballad collections, hard-swinging blues dates and soulful organ-combo albums — alongside celebrated co-led records with Ellington himself, organist Wild Bill Davis and pianist Earl Hines. This is a complete, sortable guide to those albums: filter by collaborator, search by title, and sort by year to trace his career from the early-1950s Norgran sides to his final sessions in 1970.

It’s part of our full Johnny Hodges guide, which covers his life and sound, the story of his wife and songwriter Edith “Cue” Hodges, and free transcriptions of his solos to download and play. Several of the albums listed here feature Cue’s own compositions.

The Catalogue

More than 40 albums as a leader and co-leader between 1951 and 1970, recorded for Norgran, Verve, Impulse! and RCA — from string-backed ballads to gutbucket blues.

How to Explore

Browse by collaborator with the filters, search for any album by title or label, and sort the full list by year, title or label to find exactly what you’re after.

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Johnny Hodges, jazz alto saxophonist — complete discography
41Albums as leader & co-leader
1951–70Recording span
8LPs with Wild Bill Davis
2Albums with Duke Ellington

The Complete Discography

Filter, search and sort his albums as leader & co-leader

1951Castle RockEarly-50s small-group sides; the swaggering title track was a jukebox hit, built on Al Sears’ tenor — free transcription.Norgran
1952In a Tender MoodCue tuneBallad-leaning small-group date that includes “What’s I’m Gotchere”, written by his wife Cue Hodges.Norgran
1951–54Memories of EllingtonHodges revisiting the Ellington songbook with a relaxed small group.Norgran
1951–54More of Johnny HodgesFurther small-group sides drawn from his early-50s Norgran dates.Norgran
1952–54The BluesCue tuneA blues-focused small-group collection from his early Norgran sessions.Norgran
1954Used to Be DukeRecorded during his break from Ellington while leading his own working band.Norgran
1955CreamyCue tuneA lush, ballad-rich set that puts the beauty of his tone front and centre.Norgran
1952–55Dance BashUpbeat, swinging small-group sides built for dancing.Norgran
1956Duke's in BedCue tuneA small-group date of Ellington-flavoured material for Norgran/Verve.Verve
1956Ellingtonia '56Cue tuneHodges and associates working through the Ellington repertoire.Norgran
1957The Big SoundCue tuneA relaxed, swinging small-group session in classic Hodges style.Verve
1958Blues A-PlentyQuintessential late-50s Hodges blues, cut for Verve with an all-star small group.Verve
1958Johnny Hodges and His Strings Play the Prettiest GershwinHis alto set against a full string orchestra on a programme of Gershwin.Verve
1958Not So DukishA small-group date stepping beyond the usual Ellington repertoire.Verve
1959Back to BackSubtitled “Duke Ellington and Johnny Hodges Play the Blues” — an intimate small-group blues summit.Verve
1959Gerry Mulligan Meets Johnny HodgesA cross-generational summit with baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan.Verve
1958–59Side by SideCo-credited to Ellington, though most tracks are Hodges-led dates — Ellington plays on only a few, with Billy Strayhorn at the piano elsewhere.Verve
1960A Smooth OneEasy, relaxed small-group swing from the turn of the decade.Verve
1961Blue HodgeThe first of his soulful organ-combo albums with organist Wild Bill Davis.Verve
1961Johnny Hodges at Sportpalast BerlinA live concert from Berlin, later issued on Pablo.Pablo
1961Johnny Hodges with Billy Strayhorn and the OrchestraHodges featured on the compositions and arrangements of Billy Strayhorn.Verve
1963Mess of BluesDown-home organ-combo blues with Wild Bill Davis.Verve
1963Sandy's GoneAn early-60s small-group session for Verve.Verve
1963–64Blue RabbitCue tuneAn organ-combo date with Wild Bill Davis that features Cue Hodges’ blues “Blues O’ Mighty”.Verve
1964–65Everybody Knows Johnny HodgesCue tuneAn easy, swinging small-group date for Impulse!, close in spirit to the “Papa Knows” transcription on this site.Impulse!
1965Inspired Abandon (with Lawrence Brown)Cue tuneCo-led with trombonist Lawrence Brown, his Ellington-orchestra colleague.Impulse!
1965Joe's BluesMore greasy organ-combo blues alongside Wild Bill Davis.Verve
1965Wings & ThingsOne of the most admired of the Hodges–Davis organ-combo sets.Verve
1966Blue NotesBlues-centred small-group sides from the mid-60s.Verve
1965–66Blue PyramidA further Hodges–Davis organ-combo session.Verve
1965–66Con-Soul & SaxOrgan-and-alto soul-jazz with Wild Bill Davis for RCA Victor.RCA Victor
1966Stride RightA swinging meeting with pianist Earl “Fatha” Hines.Verve
1966Wild Bill Davis & Johnny Hodges in Atlantic CityA live Hodges–Davis date recorded in Atlantic City.RCA Victor
1967Don't Sleep in the SubwayHodges turning his sound to contemporary, pop-flavoured material.Verve
1967Swing's Our ThingA second album pairing Hodges with Earl Hines.Verve
1967Triple PlayA late-period small-group date for RCA Victor.RCA Victor
1960sRippin' & Runnin'Cue tuneUp-tempo small-group swing from his later Verve years.Verve
19703 Shades of Blue (with Leon Thomas & Oliver Nelson)A late, soulful date with vocalist Leon Thomas and arranger Oliver Nelson — among his final recordings.Flying Dutchman
Comp.Passion FlowerCue tuneA compilation gathering Hodges recordings made for RCA.RCA
Comp.CaravanA reissue collection of earlier Hodges material.Prestige
Comp.Buenos Aires BluesA later reissue compilation of his small-group work.Lone Hill Jazz

Years reflect the principal recording dates; some titles are compilations or reissues.

Where to Start — Essential Albums

Six great entry points into his discography

With Duke Ellington

Back to Back

1959 · Verve

Subtitled “Duke Ellington and Johnny Hodges Play the Blues”, this February 1959 date strips the Ellington sound to a small group: Hodges’ alto, Ellington at the piano, Harry “Sweets” Edison on muted trumpet, Les Spann on guitar, Jo Jones on drums and Sam Jones (or Al Hall) on bass. There are no written arrangements — just a relaxed run of blues standards (Wabash Blues, Basin Street Blues, Beale Street Blues and more), produced by Norman Granz. One of the warmest, most accessible records in the whole catalogue.

With Wild Bill Davis

Blue Hodge

1961 · Verve

The album that launched Hodges’ long partnership with organist Wild Bill Davis. Set against Davis’s churchy Hammond organ and a small rhythm section, Hodges digs into a soulful blues-and-ballads groove — looser and earthier than his Ellington work, and the template for a string of organ-combo LPs that ran right through the 1960s.

As Leader

Everybody Knows Johnny Hodges

1965 · Impulse!

A mid-60s session for Impulse! that catches Hodges in easy, swinging form with a small group of Ellington colleagues. Less a ballad showcase than a relaxed blowing date, it shows the buoyant, good-humoured side of his playing — close in spirit to the free “Papa Knows” transcription on this site.

As Leader

Creamy

1955 · Norgran

Cut for Norman Granz’s Norgran label during the years Hodges led his own band, Creamy is exactly what the title promises: a lush, ballad-rich set built around the velvet beauty of his tone. The album to reach for when you want the singing, romantic side of Hodges.

As Leader

Blues-A-Plenty

1958 · Verve

An all-star Verve session from April 1958 and a peak of his small-group work. Hodges is surrounded by an Ellingtonian-and-friends septet — Ben Webster (tenor), Roy Eldridge (trumpet), Vic Dickenson (trombone), Billy Strayhorn (piano), Jimmy Woode (bass) and Sam Woodyard (drums). The title track is a Hodges original, and the date balances blues swagger with the tenderness of his ballad playing.

With Wild Bill Davis

Blue Rabbit

1964 · Verve

Another soulful organ-combo outing with Wild Bill Davis, and a quiet landmark in this story: it features “Blues O’ Mighty”, written by his wife Edith “Cue” Hodges — the most direct way to hear and play her music.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many albums did Johnny Hodges record as a leader? +

As a leader and co-leader, Johnny Hodges recorded more than 40 albums between 1951 and 1970, on labels including Norgran, Verve, Impulse! and RCA — in addition to his decades of work as the featured soloist of the Duke Ellington Orchestra.

What are the best Johnny Hodges albums to start with? +

Great entry points include Back to Back (1959) and Side by Side (1959) with Duke Ellington, the blues date Blues A-Plenty (1958), the ballad collection Creamy (1955), Everybody Knows Johnny Hodges (1965), and Blue Hodge (1961), the first of his organ-combo albums with Wild Bill Davis.

Did Johnny Hodges record with Wild Bill Davis? +

Yes. Between 1961 and 1966 Hodges made a series of small-group albums with organist Wild Bill Davis, including Blue Hodge, Blue Rabbit, Wings & Things and Con-Soul & Sax.

Did Johnny Hodges and Duke Ellington release albums together? +

Yes — the two co-led Back to Back: Duke Ellington and Johnny Hodges Play the Blues and Side by Side, both from 1959. You can read more on the Duke Ellington page.

Which Johnny Hodges recordings feature songs by his wife? +

Edith “Cue” Hodges composed several tunes Johnny recorded. “What's I'm Gotchere” appears on In a Tender Mood, and her blues “Blues O' Mighty” appears on Blue Rabbit. Read more about Cue Hodges.

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SaxTeacher UK — Founder SaxTeacher UK Founder

SaxTeacher UK is a woodwind and piano teacher based in South East London. With 17 years of individual and group tuition experience. Get in touch for in-person or online lessons.

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