“A heartfelt tribute without ever aping the object of his affection or straying too far from the path. In short, [Broder] finds a perfect balance.” – Dan Bilawsky, New York City Jazz Record
Saxophonist Owen Broder conceived his Hodges: Front and Center project as a means to shine some light on the legendary yet still undersung sax titan Johnny Hodges, more often celebrated as a key sideman with the Duke Ellington Orchestra than as a distinctive and influential voice in his own right. As it turned out, Broder’s championing of the saxophonist known as “Rabbit” (the origins of that nickname are lost to the mists of time and memory) was met by receptive ears. DownBeat hailed the first volume as “a heartwarming reminder of the beauty of Rabbit and the timeless art of swing,” and Jeff Krow notes in Audiophile Audition, “what stands out is Owen’s ability to channel Johnny’s timbre and tone.”
Two years later, Broder returns with Hodges: Front and Center, Vol. 2, an equally heartfelt and joyous delve into the Johnny Hodges songbook. Due out via LP and digtal on April 19, 2024 from Outside In Records, the album follows in its predecessor’s footsteps, striking a sublime balance between honoring the sound and style of Rabbit’s original recordings while infusing these classic tunes with a modern and vibrant feel. Once again, Broder (on alto and baritone saxophones) is joined by trumpeter Riley Mulherkar (The Westerlies, Dave Douglas), pianist Carmen Staaf (Dee Dee Bridgewater, Allison Miller), bassist Barry Stephenson III (Jon Batiste and Stay Human, Jamison Ross), and drummer Bryan Carter (Wynton Marsalis, McCoy Tyner).
“Hodges looms large in my approach to music,” explains Broder, whose own work as a composer is in a more modernistic vein yet retains strong and recognizable ties to jazz’s tradition. “He was one of my earliest primary influences and has continued to be an important player in the way that I conceptualize playing the alto. I’ve always loved his lyricism and his melodic approach to improvising. Even though some of my other records have been more contemporary in their approach, I try to bring that lyricism and melodic style to whatever context I’m working in.”
Where the second volume differs most from the first is in its greater focus on Hodges as a composer; while only two of the pieces on Vol. 1 included Hodges’ name in the writing credits, fully half of the sequel’s eight tunes were written or co-written by the saxophonist. “There are a couple of common threads in Hodges’ compositions,” Broder says. “Number one, he loves the blues. Number two, he loves medium tempos and ballads. And as both a composer and improviser, he’s very riff based, so motivic development is an important part of his style. If you look at any of the tunes written by Hodges, you’ll find an idea that comes back regularly and makes the tune really accessible and enjoyable for the listener.”
Hodges: Front and Center, Vol. 2 kicks off with the fanfare of “Used To Be Duke,” the title track from Hodges’ 1956 album – recorded during the alto great’s five-year hiatus from the Ellington fold but released after his return, lending the name an ironic tone. Broder and Staaf respond to the tune’s lively energy, leading into an explosive turn from Carter and a buoyant final statement by Mulherkar.
Broder’s concept for the Front and Center project was initially inspired by Back to Back and Side by Side, the two small group albums co-led by Hodges and Ellington in 1959. “Wabash Blues” is the opening track from the first of the pair, Back to Back. Despite the name it’s not a blues form but revels in a syncopated tension before bursting into exuberant swing. W.C. Handy’s timeless “St. Louis Blues” – an honest-to-goodness blues this time – is taken from the same album, given a smoldering tinge that veers between rumba and swing feels.
Ellington’s “Stompy Jones” was the first track on the pair’s second outing, Side by Side, and foregoes Duke’s more complex and elegant compositional side – this tune is unabashedly a vehicle for improvisation, a prompt to which Broder’s band responds eagerly. The leader’s alto solo ascends from moans to clarinet-like filigrees, followed by Mulherkar’s muted gutbucket discourse. Staaf’s musing lends a dissonant edge to a gospel-fueled spirit. Ellington also penned the album’s gorgeous closer, “The Star Crossed Lovers,” famously a showcase for Hodges’ achingly beautiful ballad playing from 1957’s Shakespeare-inspired Such Sweet Thunder. Broder does his mentor proud with his heartrending lament.
The remaining pieces are all Hodges compositions. The loping “Back Beat” and the languorous “Shady Side” were both originally recorded on 1960’s Gerry Mulligan Meets Johnny Hodges, furnishing Broder the opportunity to pay dual homage with his blustery, breathy baritone. On “Big Smack” Hodges shares credit with saxophonist Ben Webster, with whom he collaborated on a series of small group outings for Verve through the late 50s and early 60s.
Broder’s intent with these two captivating volumes may have been to steer much-deserved focus to Johnny Hodges, but it turns out that the iconic saxophonist has to share a bit of that spotlight here. With Hodges: Front and Center Broder also asserts himself as a gifted, imaginative interpreter and an agile and soulful soloist – attributes that surely would make Hodges as proud as this warm and thrilling tribute.
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photo by Adrien H. Tillman
Owen Broder
Owen Broder is a saxophonist who runs in a variety of musical circles. His American Roots Project’s debut album, Heritage, was praised by DownBeat Magazine as a “transcendent work of art,” while his quintet Cowboys & Frenchmen has received critical acclaim for its three full-length recordings. Broder is a member of the GRAMMY® nominated Anat Cohen Tentet and the Manhattan Saxophone Quartet and has performed with internationally respected artists such as Ryan Truesdell’s Gil Evans Project, Trio Globo, and YouTube sensation Postmodern Jukebox. UNCSA’s 2021 Artpreneur of the Year Award and the 2018 Eastman/ArtistShare® New Artist program recognized Broder’s entrepreneurial ventures; most notably, in response to the pandemic, Broder co-founded and performed in Live From Our Living Rooms. Credited as “the first online jazz festival” by Rolling Stone, the initiative raised over $140k in support of US-based musicians whose performance careers were halted due to COVID-19. As an educator, Broder teaches Jazz Theory and Jazz Arranging at Portland State University and saxophone lessons at Pacific University.