Alto saxophonist Darius Jones—who won most critics' nomination for the best jazz newcomer album of 2009 for Man'ish Boy (A Raw And Beautiful Thing) (AUM Fidelity, 2009)—is a great fan of Johnny Hodges. He says that the lyrical Duke Ellington altoist is his hero, and this is pleasantly noticeable at the beginning of Man'ish Boy. It is also a good thing; not only did Hodges possess one of the most beautiful sounds in music, but Jones' focus on Hodges-like bends and slurs serves to give his sound a clear originality—or at least a signature—that many saxophonists these days lack.
All About Jazz contributor Simon Jay Harper spoke with Jones at great length, about his planned Man'ish Boy series, going from mainstream to noise jazz, and the ever-present influence of growing up in the American South on his playing and writing.
Check out Darius Jones: From Johnny Hodges To Noise Jazz, today at All About Jazz!
All About Jazz contributor Simon Jay Harper spoke with Jones at great length, about his planned Man'ish Boy series, going from mainstream to noise jazz, and the ever-present influence of growing up in the American South on his playing and writing.
Check out Darius Jones: From Johnny Hodges To Noise Jazz, today at All About Jazz!
