| Mess of Blues | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1964 | |||
| Recorded | September 3 & 4, 1963 NYC | |||
| Genre | Jazz | |||
| Label | Verve V/V6 8570 | |||
| Producer | Creed Taylor | |||
| Johnny Hodges chronology | ||||
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| Wild Bill Davis chronology | ||||
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Mess of Blues is an album recorded by American jazz saxophonist Johnny Hodges and organist Wild Bill Davis featuring performances recorded in 1963 and released on the Verve label. [1] [2]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [3] |
The Allmusic site awarded the album 3 stars stating "Hodges plays typically beautifully on such numbers as "I Cried for You," "Lost in Meditation" and "Stolen Sweets" and, although no real surprises occur (and the playing time at around a half-hour is quite brief), the performances are up to par". [3] Of the seven studio albums recorded by Hodges and Wild Bill Davis from 1961 to 1966, Mess of Blues is the only album that does not utilize a bass player (though the live session Wild Bill Davis & Johnny Hodges in Atlantic City similarly forgoes a bass player).
John Cornelius "Johnny" Hodges was an American alto saxophonist, best known for solo work with Duke Ellington's big band. He played lead alto in the saxophone section for many years. Hodges was also featured on soprano saxophone, but refused to play soprano after 1946. Along with Benny Carter, Hodges is considered to be one of the definitive alto saxophone players of the big band era.
Wild Bill Davis was the stage name of American jazz pianist, organist, and arranger William Strethen Davis. He is best known for his pioneering jazz electric organ recordings and for his tenure with the Tympany Five, the backing group for Louis Jordan. Prior to the emergence of Jimmy Smith in 1956, Davis was the pacesetter among organists.
Although it is billed as a Duke Ellington and Johnny Hodges album, Side by Side is a 1959 album mostly under the leadership of Johnny Hodges, Duke Ellington's alto saxophonist for many years. Ellington only appears on three of this album's tracks. The album places Hodges at the fore, backing him with piano by Ellington or Billy Strayhorn and providing other accompaniment by jazz figures like Ben Webster, Roy Eldridge, Harry "Sweets" Edison and Jo Jones. The album, a follow-up to Back to Back: Duke Ellington and Johnny Hodges Play the Blues, has remained perpetually in print.
Leslie Spann Jr. was an American jazz guitarist and flautist. As a sideman he recorded with Nat Adderley, Benny Bailey, Bill Coleman, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Curtis Fuller, Red Garland, Benny Goodman, Sam Jones, Abbey Lincoln, Charles Mingus, Duke Pearson, Jerome Richardson, Charlie Shavers, Sonny Stitt, Billy Taylor, Randy Weston, and Ben Webster. As a leader he recorded only once, the album Gemini in 1961.
Back to Back is a 1959 studio album by Johnny Hodges and Duke Ellington. It was followed by Side by Side (1959), recorded at the same sessions.
Blue Rabbit is an album by American jazz saxophonist Johnny Hodges and organist Wild Bill Davis featuring performances recorded in 1963 and 1964 and released on the Verve label.
Blue Hodge is an album recorded by American jazz saxophonist Johnny Hodges featuring performances recorded in 1961 and released on the Verve label.
Blues A-Plenty is an album recorded by American jazz saxophonist Johnny Hodges featuring performances recorded in 1958 and released on the Verve label.
The Big Sound is an album recorded by American jazz saxophonist Johnny Hodges featuring performances with members of the Duke Ellington Orchestra recorded in 1957 and released on the Verve label.
Duke's in Bed is an album recorded by American jazz saxophonist Johnny Hodges with members of the Duke Ellington Orchestra featuring performances recorded in 1956 and released on the Verve label. All arrangements were done by Billy Strayhorn.
Ellingtonia '56 is an album recorded by American jazz saxophonist Johnny Hodges featuring performances with members of the Duke Ellington Orchestra recorded in 1956 and released on the Norgran label.
Creamy is an album recorded by American jazz saxophonist Johnny Hodges featuring performances with members of the Duke Ellington Orchestra recorded in 1955 and released on the Norgran label.
Castle Rock is an album recorded by American jazz saxophonist Johnny Hodges featuring performances recorded in 1951 and 1952 and released on the Norgran label.
Joe's Blues is an album recorded by American jazz saxophonist Johnny Hodges and organist Wild Bill Davis featuring performances recorded in 1965 and released on the Verve label.
Wings & Things is an album by American jazz saxophonist Johnny Hodges and organist Wild Bill Davis featuring performances recorded in 1965 and released on the Verve label.
Con-Soul & Sax is an album by American jazz saxophonist Johnny Hodges and organist Wild Bill Davis featuring performances recorded in 1965 and released on the RCA Victor label. The title is a play on words based on the term "console organ", which is a term for an organ having at least two 61-note manuals and a 25-note radiating pedal clavier. Both the Hammond B-3 and C-3, which Davis played most frequently, are console organs.
Stride Right is an album by American jazz saxophonist Johnny Hodges and pianist/organist Earl "Fatha" Hines featuring performances recorded in 1966 and released on the Verve label.
Don't Sleep in the Subway is an album by American jazz saxophonist Johnny Hodges featuring performances with a big band recorded in 1967 and released on the Verve label.
Blue Pyramid is an album by American jazz saxophonist Johnny Hodges and organist Wild Bill Davis featuring performances recorded in late 1965 and early 1966 and released on the Verve label.
Wild Bill Davis & Johnny Hodges in Atlantic City is a live album by American jazz saxophonist Johnny Hodges and organist Wild Bill Davis. The album features performances recorded in Atlantic City in 1966 and was released on the RCA Victor label.