I had a Vito with this key system. The Hodges horn is a Leblanc Rationale with the Vito name on it. The Vito model had all adjustments by cork; the Leblanc had the fancy set screws and small nuts throughout for registration. I met a repairman in Peoria who had worked in Chicago and did work on Hodges' horn several times. The Rationale system was described as Boehm system for sax. The design was by Hovenhaghel in the 1930's but never caught on. It allows many alternate fingerings.
What a horn, where art, technology and sensuous crafting get together, and Hodges made such music, before as well as with this one. What a stunning piece of vision, with the great sound of a unique artist and singer of sublime songs, Johnny Hodges.
Thank you for this insight, lovely workmanship on that Sax. 'The Great' Johnny Hodges sounded fantastic on all his (numerous) instruments over the years. From the Conn 6M in the early days, through to Buescher (True tone, Big B Aristocrat, Top Hat & Cane, 400/Super 400), then onto Vito (Leblanc). Which goes to show that it's the skill of the Player that matters the most, then the Mouthpiece/Saxophone.
@ Gregory Feeley I am a true fan of Johnny Hodges. Seems that he played equally well on all manner of instruments (as a true pro would). Early days on Conn 6M, long time on Buescher, then Vito. He seemed to have played a variety of Buescher - Aristocrat, Top Hat & Cane and I understand, the Super 400. I have a Super 400 which I understand is a watered down version of the Top Hat & Cane. I tested it against the earlier Buescher Truetone (no Aristocrat available). The old Truetone had a lovely sweet tone, but lacked the bite of the Super 400.
This video inspires me to get a complete overhaul on my vintage Vito tenor (not nearly as old or as fancy as this, serial #16xxx). It’s a nice sounding horn, and will fit in nicely with my matching silver alto and bari bueschers, from 1927.
Johnny Hodges only used this instrument from 1966 until his death in 1970. The instrument he used for years and years was a Beuscher (spelling?). He expressed some reservations about his new instrument. It had more of an edge to it, but was just a little less round-toned. Thank you so much for posting this!
These were very difficult to play for anyone who was brought up learning to play on a Selmer, Buescher, or Conn with their standard fingerings. It's why they never caught on. But they say it had a terrific sound. I don't know anyone who has one so I've never heard one live. Obviously anything played by Johnny Hodges sounded great
Had you given Johnny Hodges a garden hose, he still would have sounded like Johnny Hodhes, in other words great beyond words. That said, he was very particular about his equipment and demanded that it be in perfect repair. Few repair people were up to his high standards.
This is the most interesting saxophone I've ever seen. I would like greater understanding of the workings of the G# key on this instrument. It is in the back (like the original Adolphe Sax had). When the key is back there, it usually leaves a blank space in the middle of the body between the upper and lower stack. But there appears to be a regular G# key in the front too. I thought maybe that front G# was a separate G# right hand trill key, but apparently not. THANKS FOR POSTING THIS!!!
It's fascinating reading the comments by you guys that know your instruments - so much more to them than punters like myself realise. As for Hodges himself - just magic. I will admit to not being keen on the very lush ballads that Ellington used to feature him on, but then I don't usually like thon kind of tunes. However, give him other material and then it's ...Wow for me. Back to Back is a particularly favourite album of mine where his tone, although extremely sensuous, has a certain muscularity to it that just hits me right in the spot. A great album with very fine trumpet playing by Sweets Edison, and the others. All Blues numbers on it, all played superbly. The opening track on this video is Wabash Blues from the Back to Back album, is a good representative sample of the album.
Wow, I never knew Hodges played a Vito or that Vito made horns of this caliber! Did they ever sell this basic model to the public? I own two excellent Vitos, a soprano and a bari, from the the early ‘80s, but they were both actually produced by Yanigisawa. Thank you for the gorgeous photography and soundtrack! I would love to see this video extended over Hodge’s rendition of ‘Isfahan’.
Fascinating. I also had a Vito with this fingering system, but it wasn't in the same class as the Hodges horn. Mine was a step instrument but not an artist line horn. I do have a couple of the LeBlanc 100's which also used this system. They are artist line instruments. Waited 1.5 years for the first one back in middle school. The Selmer Mk6 was the king at the time, but I tried 4 or 5 of those before I got the LeBlanc. Just couldn't put any air through them. Thank you for the video.
Wabash Blues from the Verve-album Back To Back is the first piece.One of my absolute favourite albums with Hodges together with Harry Edison tp, Duke Ellington pi, Les Spann g, Al Hall b, Jo Jones dr. Enjoy and relax!
Regardless of the Bruno brand on the mouthpiece, it appears to be the Runyon Model 22. Runyon made mouthpieces for others. The shank on this mouthpiece is like the one on Charlie Parker's 22, though the shank die was changed in later years. The mechanism on this sax had to have had a solid, precise feel, and the ability to keep everything perfectly regulated had to be wonderful for the player. Wow!
From the name scratched into the mouthpiece I'm guessing that's one Claude Humber worked on. I'm REALLY curious what the facing and tip opening of that piece actually is, and what the dimensions of the table are. I was talking with someone who owned another piece faced by Humber to Hodges' specs, and its table was widened to fit a tenor reed. It's a long-running story about Hodges that he used a tenor reed, and that certainly suggests that was the case. It seems the window on the piece (especially evident at 0:42) may even be a little longer than standard, too (that might help getting the upper notes to play with a fuller sound).
Wow, don't think of myself as a horn geek but that was like a saxophonists' version of watching Sophia Loren take her clothes off. Of course Johnny Hodges was as sensuous a player as ever walked the earth so its a fitting testament. Thanks for posting!
Very interesting. Vito models were marketed by Leblanc, I’m not sure if they were always the same company. I doubt if this was his first choice horn but at that period Leblanc really went to town on marketing and Pete Fountain and Woody Herman also endorsed their instruments. At the time I had this model Leblanc alto, a Houvenagle design, with some useful alternative fingerings. With all the adjustment screws obvious in this photo, it was very difficult to keep in good adjustment and I eventually sold it to Don Makrill.
The accompanying music is striking. I can't place the first piece (0 - 6.15). The trumpet player is excellent, but I can't place him either, other than to say it's not Ray Nance. The pianist? It might be Duke, but it could be someone else who has really gone to school on the Ellington keyboard style. No answers, lots of questions. Second piece, of course, is Day Dream. Anyone, help???
Hello John, Jean-Marie here. This is "Wabash Blues" from "Back to Back", Sweets Edison on trumpet. Duke on piano, Les Spann, g, Al Hall, b and Jo Jones, dms.
It's a variation on the Vito Leblanc system saxophone. The G# is in the normal place. The key just above it is F#. Vito made a Johnny Hodges model with similar engraving on a lacquer horn inlaid with silver.
Ah, that's where the top F# key is! It is normally next to the regular right-hand F# key , for the longest right hand finger. I ran back and forth over this video looking for it. Thanks to your post, I saw it. In any case, no top F# mechanism is needed, because you can easily get the note by fingering the arpeggio top F and hitting the side Bb key. That note speaks very readily, which is more than can be said for the G above it.
You did a good job there! I observed the rhythm was slightly different from what is written if you were reading from the charts. But you still did a good job. Keep up the good works my brother
He didn't play this horn until very late in his career. The majority of his horns were Bueschers, primarily Aristocrats, (both early and Big B) but also a 400 Top Hat and Cane.
I tried to buy it from Frank Wess's sisters, who inherited it on his death. They have apparently sold it and it is being offered on eBay. Whoever bought it set a minimum of $80,000 and got no bidders. Wess's widow confirmed that this was not Hodges principal alto, as Ruben Greenberg notes in the comments. A fellow who knew Hodges closely said he used a Buescher 400 alto with a Brilhardt model 5 mouthpiece and straight Buescher soprano.
I wonder why Johnny didn't play a Selmer. The Selmer, beginning with the 1937 balanced action model, is by far the better instrument. Its keywork is much easier to play. I have played a vintage Buescher (probably made in the 1920s) and although it had a nice sound, the keywork was awkward and clumsy. Its present owner said that his grandfather had played it in Jimmy Durante's band. Even on the fancy horn in the video, the keys for the left hand little finger are in the archaic style of the vintage horns. Strictly for a museum display.
I played on a Mark VI in college, and am now playing a Buescher 400 (TH&C). I'd take my Buescher over the Selmer any day. I actually like the LH table better, and find the movement much more natural than the Selmer table (especially once I discovered the B spring is stiff enough you can slide right across it from C# to Bb. With the Selmer table getting from C# to Bb is just not pleasant). And well, there's simply no replacement for the sound of the great American horns.
I assume he was experimenting near the end and decided to try this out since supposedly the unique keywork helped give this a really good sound. Johnny Hodges obviously would have been up to handling the more difficult keywork if anyone ever was. He was known for playing a Conn and then a Buescher for most of his career so he only played this for a short while at the end. I'm sure he tried out Selmers and must of liked what he played for a reason. Clearly whatever he played worked since we can all hear the result and marvel at it.
Many American jazz players switched to Balanced Action because it was a revolutionary horn. Selmer knew well what they were doing, and that moment when the Balanced Action came on stage, was the renaissance of the tenor saxophone playing that has changed the music forever. Alto saxophone, in general, was never so popular. Saxophonist Jimmy Heath said, he switched from an alto to a tenor because as a tenor player, he could get more gigs and be busy every night. If Johnny Hodges had more challenging competition in the field of alto playing, he would have certainly switched.
Never seen a sax with mechanism like that or so many regulation screw adjusts. On a Vito no less. I thought they just made student horns. I have a Vito Yamaha model 23 knockoff. Plays OK but definately a low dollar horn.
I sure don't like the snake octave mechanism, bearing in mind that the devil appeared to Eve as a snake. I have the natural human fear of snakes. Which leads me to say that I am repulsed by this instrument. It is far too gaudy - bearing in mind also that its keywork is not the easiest to play. The Selmer Mark VI, and its successors, look great and the appearance is tasteful. They are as good as you need.
![ประสบการณ์ จ้าง Developer ที่ผมจะไม่มีวันลืม [ภาค1]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/bzivN4KDg-k/mqdefault.jpg)
I had a Vito with this key system. The Hodges horn is a Leblanc Rationale with the Vito name on it. The Vito model had all adjustments by cork; the Leblanc had the fancy set screws and small nuts throughout for registration. I met a repairman in Peoria who had worked in Chicago and did work on Hodges' horn several times. The Rationale system was described as Boehm system for sax. The design was by Hovenhaghel in the 1930's but never caught on. It allows many alternate fingerings.
What a horn, where art, technology and sensuous crafting get together, and Hodges made such music, before as well as with this one. What a stunning piece of vision, with the great sound of a unique artist and singer of sublime songs, Johnny Hodges.
That's a very special alto sax , interesting to watch thinking of Passion Flower .
One of the main voices of the Duke Eĺlington orchestra.
Johnny Hodges captured my heart in "Don't Get around much anymore", that whining start to a song that expresses the loss of my beloved husband Larry.
Thank you for this insight, lovely workmanship on that Sax. 'The Great' Johnny Hodges sounded fantastic on all his (numerous) instruments over the years. From the Conn 6M in the early days, through to Buescher (True tone, Big B Aristocrat, Top Hat & Cane, 400/Super 400), then onto Vito (Leblanc).
Which goes to show that it's the skill of the Player that matters the most, then the Mouthpiece/Saxophone.
The best Alto Sax player ever.
So smooth....
Johnny was THE BEST.
Johnny and The Duke up in heaven
My fav sax he played on was his Buescher 400 top hat and cane...
@ Gregory Feeley I am a true fan of Johnny Hodges. Seems that he played equally well on all manner of instruments (as a true pro would). Early days on Conn 6M, long time on Buescher, then Vito. He seemed to have played a variety of Buescher - Aristocrat, Top Hat & Cane and I understand, the Super 400. I have a Super 400 which I understand is a watered down version of the Top Hat & Cane. I tested it against the earlier Buescher Truetone (no Aristocrat available). The old Truetone had a lovely sweet tone, but lacked the bite of the Super 400.
This video inspires me to get a complete overhaul on my vintage Vito tenor (not nearly as old or as fancy as this, serial #16xxx). It’s a nice sounding horn, and will fit in nicely with my matching silver alto and bari bueschers, from 1927.
Beautiful horn, beautiful playing. Nice tribute.
Johnny Hodges only used this instrument from 1966 until his death in 1970. The instrument he used for years and years was a Beuscher (spelling?). He expressed some reservations about his new instrument. It had more of an edge to it, but was just a little less round-toned. Thank you so much for posting this!
Buescher.
More info about the different alto sax played by Hodges, here: www.nicolastrefeil.com/alto-sax-player-s-setup
;)
These were very difficult to play for anyone who was brought up learning to play on a Selmer, Buescher, or Conn with their standard fingerings. It's why they never caught on. But they say it had a terrific sound. I don't know anyone who has one so I've never heard one live. Obviously anything played by Johnny Hodges sounded great
Had you given Johnny Hodges a garden hose, he still would have sounded like Johnny Hodhes, in other words great beyond words. That said, he was very particular about his equipment and demanded that it be in perfect repair. Few repair people were up to his high standards.
Wow this video is amazing, thanks for sharing this instrument is a piece of art and history.
That's a beautiful horn thank you for sharing
For years I've wanted to know what instrument he played. Now I know. Thanks for sharing!
Beautiful in every way possible. Thank you in every way.
Wherever Johnny is now, you know he's missing that horn.
What a work of art is horn was would love to have it
Thanks, Jim! Wonderful video and wonderful sax. Thanks again.
AWESOME !!! he carved his name in HIS MOUTHPIECE !!! ORIGINAL !!!! wow,,,,,,,,,,,,
WOW!! great video and great sounds... thanks for posting
This is the most interesting saxophone I've ever seen. I would like greater understanding of the workings of the G# key on this instrument. It is in the back (like the original Adolphe Sax had). When the key is back there, it usually leaves a blank space in the middle of the body between the upper and lower stack. But there appears to be a regular G# key in the front too. I thought maybe that front G# was a separate G# right hand trill key, but apparently not. THANKS FOR POSTING THIS!!!
Yeah, like nedroom said, "Sophia Loren..." Thank you for producing this video.
Were there ever any Johnny Hodges solos that weren't the most elegant seductions ever uttered on earth?
It's fascinating reading the comments by you guys that know your instruments - so much more to them than punters like myself realise. As for Hodges himself - just magic. I will admit to not being keen on the very lush ballads that Ellington used to feature him on, but then I don't usually like thon kind of tunes. However, give him other material and then it's ...Wow for me. Back to Back is a particularly favourite album of mine where his tone, although extremely sensuous, has a certain muscularity to it that just hits me right in the spot. A great album with very fine trumpet playing by Sweets Edison, and the others. All Blues numbers on it, all played superbly. The opening track on this video is Wabash Blues from the Back to Back album, is a good representative sample of the album.
Lemme help you here :
Johnny Hodges - Fantastic, that's You
You're welcome, and be blessed.
Great video!
beautiful!!!
Wow, I never knew Hodges played a Vito or that Vito made horns of this caliber! Did they ever sell this basic model to the public?
I own two excellent Vitos, a soprano and a bari, from the the early ‘80s, but they were both actually produced by Yanigisawa.
Thank you for the gorgeous photography and soundtrack! I would love to see this video extended over Hodge’s rendition of ‘Isfahan’.
Tomoji-San this was a beautiful and informative video. Arigato gozaimasu for sharing this with all of us!
Ah such playing!! So nice.
Fascinating. I also had a Vito with this fingering system, but it wasn't in the same class as the Hodges horn. Mine was a step instrument but not an artist line horn. I do have a couple of the LeBlanc 100's which also used this system. They are artist line instruments. Waited 1.5 years for the first one back in middle school. The Selmer Mk6 was the king at the time, but I tried 4 or 5 of those before I got the LeBlanc. Just couldn't put any air through them. Thank you for the video.
RIP Johnny (1907-1970)...and Frank (1922-2013)
Wabash Blues from the Verve-album Back To Back is the first piece.One of my absolute favourite albums with Hodges together with Harry Edison tp, Duke Ellington pi, Les Spann g, Al Hall b, Jo Jones dr. Enjoy and relax!
Regardless of the Bruno brand on the mouthpiece, it appears to be the Runyon Model 22. Runyon made mouthpieces for others. The shank on this mouthpiece is like the one on Charlie Parker's 22, though the shank die was changed in later years.
The mechanism on this sax had to have had a solid, precise feel, and the ability to keep everything perfectly regulated had to be wonderful for the player. Wow!
Amazing horn!
This is a wildly involved mechanism.
珍しく素晴らしい。それもなんとjohnnyhodges のホーンそれも現在のオーナーがfrank wess名器は流転するんですね。ただただ感動しています。
From the name scratched into the mouthpiece I'm guessing that's one Claude Humber worked on. I'm REALLY curious what the facing and tip opening of that piece actually is, and what the dimensions of the table are. I was talking with someone who owned another piece faced by Humber to Hodges' specs, and its table was widened to fit a tenor reed. It's a long-running story about Hodges that he used a tenor reed, and that certainly suggests that was the case.
It seems the window on the piece (especially evident at 0:42) may even be a little longer than standard, too (that might help getting the upper notes to play with a fuller sound).
I was told of a tenor player who used a bari Reed and it made him sound like Stan Getz.
Wow, don't think of myself as a horn geek but that was like a saxophonists' version of watching Sophia Loren take her clothes off. Of course Johnny Hodges was as sensuous a player as ever walked the earth so its a fitting testament. Thanks for posting!
i just discovered this video. Your comment had me busting out loud! So true!
Got a link to Sophia? I believe you, but would like to confirm your findings.
Dude, Sophia is in late 70’s.
@@georgeluna5845 she wasn’t always in her 70s ya know
Very interesting. Vito models were marketed by Leblanc, I’m not sure if they were always the same company. I doubt if this was his first choice horn but at that period Leblanc really went to town on marketing and Pete Fountain and Woody Herman also endorsed their instruments. At the time I had this model Leblanc alto, a Houvenagle design, with some useful alternative fingerings. With all the adjustment screws obvious in this photo, it was very difficult to keep in good adjustment and I eventually sold it to Don Makrill.
I wonder what Hodges personal favourite horn was out of all the different horns he played..
still cool..beat the crap on the radio today..
I think it is an alternate Eb/D# - the text in the video mentions it.
SUPER SAXOPHONISTE, QUEL RÉGAL.
C'EST PLEIN D'ÉMOTIONS. 🤩😍💫🤍💥💜🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊💌😇
< ! wOw This is Love man !¡!
I couldn't reed the facing number on the mouthpiece. Is it a 3 or 8?
Cool
The accompanying music is striking. I can't place the first piece (0 - 6.15). The trumpet player is excellent, but I can't place him either, other than to say it's not Ray Nance. The pianist? It might be Duke, but it could be someone else who has really gone to school on the Ellington keyboard style. No answers, lots of questions. Second piece, of course, is Day Dream. Anyone, help???
Hello John, Jean-Marie here. This is "Wabash Blues" from "Back to Back", Sweets Edison on trumpet. Duke on piano, Les Spann, g, Al Hall, b and Jo Jones, dms.
jeanmariejuf1 And hello back to you, Jean-Marie. I'm gratified that you posted this answer.
It's a variation on the Vito Leblanc system saxophone. The G# is in the normal place. The key just above it is F#. Vito made a Johnny Hodges model with similar engraving on a lacquer horn inlaid with silver.
Ah, that's where the top F# key is! It is normally next to the regular right-hand F# key , for the longest right hand finger. I ran back and forth over this video looking for it. Thanks to your post, I saw it.
In any case, no top F# mechanism is needed, because you can easily get the note by fingering the arpeggio top F and hitting the side Bb key. That note speaks very readily, which is more than can be said for the G above it.
You did a good job there! I observed the rhythm was slightly different from what is written if you were reading from the charts. But you still did a good job. Keep up the good works my brother
And I thought that my tenor had engraving.... wow EVERY Key????????????
Nice! I feel privileged!
Q - was this Hodges primary alto? And when was he using it?
Thanks!
He didn't play this horn until very late in his career. The majority of his horns were Bueschers, primarily Aristocrats, (both early and Big B) but also a 400 Top Hat and Cane.
🌱🌼💚🙄
I tried to buy it from Frank Wess's sisters, who inherited it on his death. They have apparently sold it and it is being offered on eBay. Whoever bought it set a minimum of $80,000 and got no bidders. Wess's widow confirmed that this was not Hodges principal alto, as Ruben Greenberg notes in the comments. A fellow who knew Hodges closely said he used a Buescher 400 alto with a Brilhardt model 5 mouthpiece and straight Buescher soprano.
A lot of good info here - thanks!
I wonder why Johnny didn't play a Selmer. The Selmer, beginning with the 1937 balanced action model, is by far the better instrument. Its keywork is much easier to play.
I have played a vintage Buescher (probably made in the 1920s) and although it had a nice sound, the keywork was awkward and clumsy. Its present owner said that his grandfather had played it in Jimmy Durante's band.
Even on the fancy horn in the video, the keys for the left hand little finger are in the archaic style of the vintage horns. Strictly for a museum display.
I played on a Mark VI in college, and am now playing a Buescher 400 (TH&C). I'd take my Buescher over the Selmer any day. I actually like the LH table better, and find the movement much more natural than the Selmer table (especially once I discovered the B spring is stiff enough you can slide right across it from C# to Bb. With the Selmer table getting from C# to Bb is just not pleasant). And well, there's simply no replacement for the sound of the great American horns.
I assume he was experimenting near the end and decided to try this out since supposedly the unique keywork helped give this a really good sound. Johnny Hodges obviously would have been up to handling the more difficult keywork if anyone ever was. He was known for playing a Conn and then a Buescher for most of his career so he only played this for a short while at the end. I'm sure he tried out Selmers and must of liked what he played for a reason. Clearly whatever he played worked since we can all hear the result and marvel at it.
Many American jazz players switched to Balanced Action because it was a revolutionary horn. Selmer knew well what they were doing, and that moment when the Balanced Action came on stage, was the renaissance of the tenor saxophone playing that has changed the music forever. Alto saxophone, in general, was never so popular. Saxophonist Jimmy Heath said, he switched from an alto to a tenor because as a tenor player, he could get more gigs and be busy every night. If Johnny Hodges had more challenging competition in the field of alto playing, he would have certainly switched.
i think he would die again if he would see this video
Jonny Hodges, en av de absolut största!
Never seen a sax with mechanism like that or so many regulation screw adjusts. On a Vito no less. I thought they just made student horns. I have a Vito Yamaha model 23 knockoff. Plays OK but definately a low dollar horn.
Why would anybody deface the mouthpiece like that?
uhhh how is this bout saxes when trumpets r playing? and u betta kno what ur doing to that pice of art
I sure don't like the snake octave mechanism, bearing in mind that the devil appeared to Eve as a snake. I have the natural human fear of snakes. Which leads me to say that I am repulsed by this instrument. It is far too gaudy - bearing in mind also that its keywork is not the easiest to play. The Selmer Mark VI, and its successors, look great and the appearance is tasteful. They are as good as you need.
Gourgeous horn