Customer Reviews

Side By Side

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If Martians ever land here and ask "What is jazz?" play them this one! In the 1950s, when jazz was moving in several new directions, many of the star soloists of the great 'swing' orchestras were left somewhat out in the cold, even though many of them were not only playing better than they ever had, they were also being recorded with vastly improved technology. If proof were needed, here is one of those records. It will go down as a classic when future historians review the century's music -- along with its 'sister' recording "Back To Back," which you should also get. Ellington plays magnificently throughout these sides, and Hodges plays the greatest alto sax of all time -- absolutely inimitable, immediately recognizable, and with phrasing and structure to his solos that could be described as architectural wonders. Note the passionate phrasing in his blues solo on "Big Shoe". As for Ellington, listen to his solo on "Stompy Jones." One of his greatest, his chords seem to change color AS they ring out. Thelonious Monk later built on this technique. In "Stompy" DE's superb solo builds chorus after chorus as the unmistakably supportive drummer Jo Jones (arguably jazz's greatest drummer) pressures him with his left stick on the snare drum (like a rattle-snake) and with his changes from hi-hat to ride cymbals with his right -- absolute genius in drumming dynamics. The piece ends with a dazzling drive out by Harry Edison on trumpet. You gotta hear it. All this leaves me without having described tracks incuded from a different session that include Roy Eldrige and Ben Webster!! The key is that in that era, on this record and others like it, musicians listened to one another and contributed to what each was saying on the theory that 1+1 makes 3. Today's highly trained, technically muscle-bound musicians haven't an iota of the personality that make for the quality of jazz this recording has. Please consider this a recommendation!

This is my favorite of my many Johnny Hodges records. Like fine cognac, Jeep seemed to keep improving over his long career. Particularly noteworthy in this late fifties set is the energy of the uptempo numbers; Johnny's not noted for speed, but here he skips along like a perfectly thrown flat rock into a stream. Duke seems inspired to pound the ivories with equal (and equally rare) vigor.

On the slow numbers, no alto player ever began to match JH for touch-your-heart balladry. On "Squeeze Me" and "Just A Memory" he outdoes even himself. A religous experience.

The sound quality of the 24bit mastering is genuinely unbelievable! Sounds better than most Super Audio CDs. Be sure to also get JH's Verve session "With Billy Stayhorn and the Orchestra"; has the same awesome sound quality and all of Dukes men blowing the roof off in the background.

We're way beyond five stars here music fans, give this one the whole galaxy. And we're way beyond "jazz" here too, this one transcends genre setting the standard for music that can touch us at a deep and personal level. No foolin'.

Abh457 has got it right! As great as "Back to Back" is, this one is unbelievable- the most swinging, emotional jazz record I've ever heard, and I've been listening since 1955; Hodges, Edison, Webster , Brown, Eldridge, pianists, &rhythm are all superb. All tracks great, but Just a Memory my favorite. Sidney Bechet is fabulous on Apex Blues, and Stan Getz on 'Tis Autumn(and many others), but you can't beat Side by Side for small combo jazz!! For somewhat larger band & a true jam session, you can't beat Buck Clayton Jam Sessions, esp. Robbins Nest& Huckle-Buck!

I luckily stumbled onto this CD while searching through a jazz guide in the bookstore. I've grown very partial to the great recordings made by Verve in the 50's of the legendary performers such as Ben Webster and Lester Young. A departure from bebop or hard bop; these records showcased those legends with top quality sound and excellent backing. Here Ellington and company roll through some great standards, the CD mostly featuring Hodges. Webster, Edison, Eldrige, et al are along for the ride. A really fine demonstration of small group swing.

This is hands down one of the best, smoothest, swingingest cds you'll ever buy. EVER! I bought this for my bro who intro'd me to jazz and I was floored when he said he didn't have this one. Dude, this is ESSENTIAL. A must have. Again, this is another cd you can play at anytime: driving kids to little league, baking a pie, jumping out airplanes, negotiating world peace, in time out, studying, eating flapjacks - kid, you can't go wrong here - put your money down and enjoy the life you are about to have with this music in it, 'cause baby the old one without this, just wasn't worth it.

I've been hearing this album since it came out in 1959. My late father, who spent the better part of two decades as an off-and-on professional jazz musician, considered this album, along with its companion album "Back to Back," one of the mainstays of his jazz collection.

There isn't a whole lot I can add to what has been already said. Every artist on this album is stellar, but a few bear additional mention: Ellington showcases one of his best performances as a pianist here. While some might fault his technical skill (though I can't see why), no pianist before or since had the same way of attacking a chord as Duke. He was also great at swinging, and could "comp" other soloists just about as well as anyone.

Johnny Hodges--what you can one say? Probably in the top 5 jazz saxophonists of all time, he shines here. He had a beautiful tone, but could swing with the best. Here he is most delightful doing what he did best--delivering swinging solos on a couple of nice ballads. As an example, "Just a Memory" showcases Hodges, along with his tenor-playing lion of a counterpart, Ben Webster.

Two great trumpeters grace this album--Roy Eldridge, the underrated trumpeter best known for his vocal and trumpet duet with Anita O'Day on "Let Me Off Uptown"; and Harry "Sweets" Edison, whose trademark was never playing two notes when one would do--and still outswinging just about any other trumpeter of his era.

As another said, this album is a "jazz essential." Like they say, if you have to ask what jazz is, you'll never know. If this album doesn't tell you what it is, you'll never figure it out. This album says it all.

I've found this set, along with the "Back to Back", among the most remarkable recordings attributed to either of these men since they split, temporarily, in the early Fifties. The three pieces recorded at the same sessions as "Back to Back" share that album's gravity and lyricism, but in a much more uptempo, jazz mainstream mode. Ensemble and solo quality is consistently extraordinary in all, but I'd single out "Goin' up", in an arrangement greatly improved over the one from Carnegie Hall in the early Forties which featured a momentum-destroying trombone break and a rather weak violin solo. Here the dynamic continues throughout, with both Duke and Hodges turning in solos as good as any they'd ever produced on record.
The sessions including Eldridge, Lawrence Brown and Ben Webster are, on first hearing, somewhat lower-voltage, that stemming, I think, from the presence of Billy Strayhorn rather than Duke Ellington on the piano. Whatever either one of them may have said about it, I really think that Duke was the more memorable pianist of the two, his lack of virtuosity in the usual sense actually being a stylistic advantage. Maybe Elton John could have PLAYED these lines (though without Duke's dynamic control) but would he ever THINK of such music, for a single measure? In any event, all of the horn players, Hodges, Eldridge, Lawrence Brown produce fabulous solos on each piece, with Ben Webster, especially, nearly equaling Hodges in intensity and elegance.
My only negative criticism of this re-issue, and its sibling Back to Back, would be the failure to include any alternate takes. Perhaps they were destroyed by the company? I've heard stories about Artie Shaw rescuing some of his airshot recordings at the last minute, called in by a friend just as Victor was throwing them out.

Classic Duke Ellington and Johnny Hodges working together, side by side to create their unique and full bodied sound.

Thank you to radio stations for playing and promoting jazz. I heard the song "Let's Fall in Love" from this CD on a local listener-sponsored jazz station in the SF Bay Area (KCSM) and had to have it. The whole CD is fine, and for some reason the word "charming" comes to mind when I try to describe it. It just puts me in a good mood.

This is a wonderful small group session. Please take note that Duke is only on a couple of tracks. The other tracks have the4 wonderful Billy Strayhorn on piano. What a steal; grab one quick.