biography
| sex:
| male
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| lived:
| (1906–70)
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| biography:
| Jazz alto and soprano saxophonist, born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. He joined Duke Ellington's orchestra in 1928, and became an indispensable colour in Ellington's sound palette, staying with him until 1951 and, after leading his own band with moderate success, rejoining in 1955 until his death. Ellington wrote numerous showpieces for Hodges, one of the most distinctive instrumental voices in jazz, such as ‘Sophisticated Lady’ (1933), ‘The Star-Crossed Lovers’ (1957), and ‘Blues for New Orleans’ (1970). Despite their musical intimacy that lasted for 38 years, Hodges and Ellington were not close. At performances when Hodges had been drinking heavily, Ellington often called for three or four of his featured numbers in a row; and Hodges stopped playing soprano saxophone forever, a sound Ellington loved, because Ellington refused him a raise in 1940. |
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