Song:St. Louis Blues
Album:I Remember Bessie
Art Hodes was a stalwart of traditional jazz piano from the 20s to the 80s. And like Billy Taylor, he was important in presenting jazz on TV in the 60s. He was born Nov. 14, 1904 in Nikoliev, Russia but he grew up in Chicago. He started playing Chicago clubs in the 20s. He moved to New York in 1938 and played with Sidney Bechet and others until he formed his own band in the early 40s. Hodes recorded for several labels. But his best known recordings were for Blue Note Records in the mid-40s. He also started the magazine Jazz Record. He frequently wrote about jazz. Hodes moved back to Chicago in the 50s. And though he recorded occasionally, he was best known for his early 60s TV show Jazz Alley. He also wrote for Down Beat and taught piano in Chicago schools. Like Louis Armstrong, Hodes was a staunch defender of traditional jazz. He wasn't interested in bebop or any new kinds of jazz. In the 70s and 80s, he recorded and toured more frequently. This 1977 album I Remember Bessie is a solo piano tribute to 1920s legends Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey. Euphonic Sound Recordings released it. In 1993, Delmark Records released the album on CD with five bonus tracks. Art Hodes continued to record and tour until the late 80s. He died on Mar. 4, 1993 at age 88. Here's a video of St. Louis Blues by Art Hodes.
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