Duke Ellington - Isfahan

[KevTheYoungMusicGeru]

"Johnny Hodges!" I love the way Duke announces him

[hamedpour]

Isfahan, the name of the city which was the capital of Persian Empire. A city full of unique historical monuments in Iran.

[iplayblackopsalot]

Every sax player's dream is to sound like Mr. Hodges.

[SymaPilot]

I am so pleased that this video was uploaded and is still available to view. I have listened to it off and on many times over the last few years. To me it is more atmospheric than any of the formal audio recordings of Isfahan by Hodges on various CDs that I own.

[thelkharris]

I saw some users wrote about Duke holding the music. They have music stands. I bet the producer asked Duke to hold the sheet music, because he wanted him on camera--despite not having a piano part.

[TheTunerida]

I am from isfahan!!

[AmyOhhhhh]

Such a beautiful song.

[raychapa01]

This is great Music, raychapa01

[Wamz1978]

classic album, Ellington/Strayhorn = greatness

[BillWeekly]

Billy Strayhorn wrote this.

[YamaKazoo]

Amazing !

"Isfahan" Thats iran right ?

[jSeyedzadeh]

@YamaKazoo Yes, a city with a great historical background.

[stjohnofb]

Rabbit probably had the piece down cold. He was a notoriously poor reader. Duke is surely the most elegant music stand ever.

[kurtarmbruster]

Fascinating glimpse into Duke's work habits! He'd probably just finished the music in time for the performance, and has to resort to holding it up for his old friend Rabbit. Lovely piece--lovely musicians. God love the Duke and his men!

[sleeplessblake]

this is just - incredible - cut me in half. Im stunned.

[airnsmke]

theres one thing missing, i feel like, hmm idk, oh yea, PIANO!

[dukellingtontheking]

One of my favourite piece in my favourite album! Great!

[eflatguy]

no way johnny needed the music



[awunderground]

@eflatguy I heard that they were sight reading this on television.

[16mmDJ]

NO APPLAUSE AFTER A BALLAD >:[

[wondermachinedc]

Gotta second the correction. This was written by Billy Strayhorn and not Duke Ellington. Please honor the composer and Duke's great friend and collaborator and correct the title.

[mmaybrown]

@wondermachinedc This was composed by both of them!

[sambear1964]

Doesn't get much prettier than that!

[mileskiley2]

Couldn't Duke spring for a music stand? haha.

[16mmDJ]

@mileskiley2 most famous fucking music stand on the planet

[mileskiley2]

@16mmDJ TRUE!!!

[giles422]

@16mmDJ and the chillest, too

[sinashsh]

heh Isfahan is my hometown, and I miss it so much.

Such beautiful Jazz song; I'm loving it.

I hope everyone could visit such a beautiful historic city one day.

[Xiaborok]

0:28 - 0:32 a bit of James Bond

[snappy2332]

@Xiaborok what?

[waltzplace]

Overwhelmed in emotion right about now.... :¬)>

Thanks For posting!!!!!!!!!

[mooandjet]

TANK!!!!!!

[Mackermilk]

My God! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

[guyleclairemusic]

Awesome! Great!

[jazZaremba]

Just so everyone knows, Duke didn't write this - Billy Strayhorn did! Beautiful melody.

[DYNODRUM]

I,think the Duke and Jonny made a Parody of this and both are trying not to crack up ,

[dangervich]

@DYNODRUM more likely a sort of incredulity that the network didn't have a music stand, bud... there's nothing parodic about this... the elastic nature of ellington's melodies is at the bedrock of all his music, taken to their conclusion by mingus...

[guitarslim56]

@dangervich , More likely the music stand would have gotten in the way of the camera.

[librarybob1958]

One of the most beautiful pieces Duke ever composed. Johnny Hodges' solo is, as ever, poetry without words.

[suneeday2]

In an interview with Mercer Ellington he said that this song was so new to the orchestra Ellington held the music for Hodges. So when you consider how utterly beautiful Hodges plays this Strayhorn tune it goes to show how great all these guys are!

[robertocasijazz]

Bellissimo!!!

Roberto.

[smoothbv]

Man i love the point where at 3:00 all beauty and color of the band is blended then all of sudden harney carney at 3:17 brings out this harsh colorful arabian scale but then blends it back to the band, so ellington-like.

[dangervich]

@smoothbv persian, not arabian

[musicgia]

hermosa melodia ...

que bizarro lo del atril.

[Cableguy008]

This was actually really good. Just kidding closed it within 30 seconds kekeke

[freighter014]

@Cableguy008 Gtfo.

[zorkntatertotter2]

that guys having soo much fun jus standing there holding the noes

[britcomic]

@zorkntatertotter2 That's Duke Ellington. he wrote the notes

[zorkntatertotter2]

just look at his wandering eyes, . . he looks to the left, to the right, and to the cieling .  . . . . i think hede like to be elsewhere as he listens to this

[dangervich]

@zorkntatertotter2 um... he's used to conducting his orchestra, not being a stiff music stand.

[tarzan73875]

what a tone

[white61009]

i heard that this was the first time they've ever played this and johnny hodges was sight reading this. i just want to know if this is true or not! O.o i admire his playing.... its ridiculous... the tone is so beautiful and soothing. truly a saxophone legend.. remarkable!!

[RBW1122]

I've read that Hodges couldn't read sheet music and this was just a way for Duke to make it look cool, to create the illusion he was going off the page. I personally think it was a way for Duke to get himself in the camera shot since there was no piano in the piece. Hodges is what got me into Jazz. Great, isn't he?

[notbendable]

Johnny long notes.

[thethomasmontgomery]

This song makes me want to slap somebody.

[pasoccerplayer]

i hate to sound like a jerk but my jazz band sounds better

[ZendeghiBahal]

@pasoccerplayer :

you must not hate it that much.

[thepeople1325]

@pasoccerplayer you must have an amazing jazz band

[elliottcrib]

@pasoccerplayer

LOL ... you're saying your band sounds better than Duke Ellington's legendary band with the great Johnny Hodges? Who are you? ... Count Basie?

You do sound like a jerk, ...

[ABrandsma]

My favourite alto sax player, I really prefer Johnny Hodges' sound above Charlie Parker or any classical saxplayer I've ever heard. He's my idol. This is one of the best works he ever recorded, and I do have a lot of Ellington........... at least 80 CDs.

[Wamz1978]

Duke and Billy Strayhorn were just so incredible. There;s nothing else to say, they were astonishing composers and arrangers with Duke's unique players as their instrument

[nurvrax]

Ellington is King

[DaughterOfWhite]

@nurvrax Ellington is Duke : )

[mightywag]

He plays out of the side of his mouth, pretty extreme. I do but not as extreme as him. That's kinda cool I think. Hey! whatever works for him, why change it?

[TheIndi123]

Who needs drugs when you've got Johnny?

[theghettohouse]

hahahaha what a nice music stand.

[elliottcrib]

@theghettohouse

LOL ... no kidding, the greatest music stand of all time!

And Johnny's "Haunting" lush tone ... yea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jazzyuyu80]

This piece of music is wonderful. So dreamy. Thanks for introducing it to me. Music should have soul, induce reverie and an ability to bring you to dancing. I'm a lucky person to hear such good music and feel connected.

[m4gill4]

nobody can play the slow ones like Johnny Hodges on the Tenor, what a sound. thanks

[jojurgens]

alto, not tenor

[m4gill4]

Ahh, I see you're correct. Well, he makes it sound like a tenor, all mellow and smooth like Stan Getz, not all screechy like Coltrane or Dolphy. Thanks for the correction I am now slightly less ignorant!

[m4gill4]

Ahh, I see you're correct. Well, he makes it sound like a tenor, all mellow and smooth like Stan Getz, not all screechy like Coltrane or Dolphy. Thanks for the correction I am now slightly less ignorant!

[MrBosnian78]

alto*

[1979Perry]

alto.

[cronosopium]

Esto es vida¡¡¡

[edcerc]

i guess he was short one music stand.

[annabelle133]

times were hard. lol.

[Barit0nist]

lol

[Barit0nist]

lol

[masja20]

Isfahan is my town. I'm so proud about Isfahan.

And i miss there so mutch

<33333

[LaurieEarly]

This is a Billy Strayhorn composition. (Based on a lot of the comments below I felt this fact needed to be repeated.)

[sly74]

i love his music so much. it's transcendent...

[himynameississy]

I think this is one of duke's best

[JeraldRJ1]

I know Duke is writing music in Heaven.

[maartenmoesen]

He wrote heaven on earth.

[4u2b1ib12]

Fellow Tubelers,

Could a feather feel any softer, on the skin?

What I imagine impressive; Duke is holding the sheet music, much like he just wrote it, in his room. Johnny Hodges, right there, cold read smooth on the impromptu changes.

The piece, Isfahan, had been developing to this point, and the orchestra was ready.

Right or wrong, on my fantasy, the piece is beautiful.

Best wishes.

[Streamline09]

Love it!

[mbriandev]

STRAYHORN.

[mgitano]

so great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[HMALACHI]

Oh man! Hodges is great here... and this elegant stance between he and Ellington is so comical. My 11 year old mentee kid (girl) is 4 years into her alto-sax and often hums this tune and ... is struggling to play it in on the sax, but playing those bends and falls and drops like hodges is a real challenge. I told her she will never play "like" hodges... maybe one day she will play "as good as".. ha.ha... maybe.

[FightingTheWitness]

youre dumb. thats a discouraging way to talk to your kid. idiot.

[wodaz]

Duke Ellington was a genius

[davisc1926]

Eventhough you're absolutely right, it almost seems like an understatement when you look at his body of work during his lifetime.

[BrunoJazzmanLeicht]

One of Duke's from the exotic department. Beautiful!

Brewnotic

[IndependentGeorge76]

this was a billy strayhorn piece wasnt it ?

[floydatapotata]

it was and certainly sounds like it too. the whole far east suite was written by strayhorn and he is credited first, except for 'ad lib on Nippon'.

why is 'edward' holding the sheet music for johnny hodges? there certainly is a story there.

[IndependentGeorge76]

the strayhorn-ellington collaboration meant that on a lot of tracks strayhorn may have written the original piece, but being credited to Ellington was like being creditted to 'The Ellington Organisation', of which he was an integral part.

he could never have written so freely, and for such top class musicians without his assocation with Duke, which gave him that opportunity. So although some say his pieces were wrongly creditted to Duke, really that was part of the deal.

[floydatapotata]

i agree. hearing what you wrote in the morning played in the afternoon by this orchestra would have spoiled any writer-arranger, especially one with limited options because of his lifestyle.

[minitasi]

in two month I will be in isfahan and i will listen to this song while I am there to chill

[4u2b1ib12]

Johnny Hodges does not attack the notes. He

caresses them like a gentle breeze.

[Planecrazy558]

Magic

[spoombung]

Hodges is the God of the sax

[oldarash]

It is nice ,but why is it called Isfahan ?

[beinfest4prez]

Named after the city in Persia.

[oldarash]

Hey dude i know Esfahan is a city in persia ,but i don't know what is the connection between this song and Esfahan or why have they named it after the city Esfahan?

[beinfest4prez]

It's part of Duke's "Far East Suite."

And he named it Isfahan because that's what he felt like.

[douglasgorney]

"Inspired by a 1963 State Department tour of the Middle East and a subsequent visit to Japan, this Ellington-Billy Strayhorn collaboration ['Far East Suite,' the album 'Isfahan' is on] deftly blends not only the music of the East but the minset of the East with established jazz concepts."

[propianist2009]

Isfahan was the old Persian capital around susa and Persepolis. The greatest ancient empire to this day. Lots of these guys used to vacation there in Iran pre-Muslim revolt.

[jazzernauts]

I love that Duke is holding the music for him, and love the light cue EpicFU !

[overheadthealbatross]

I know a large number of woodwind players that would cringe at the sight of Hodges' embouchure.

That is, of course, until he plays that first golden arpeggio. no conservatory in the world can teach style like his.

[propianist2009]

Jazz is a life style. It is freedom in modern music.

[catodiko]

Oh Santa Madonna!!!

[tocavientos]

The noble art of how to present a beautiful

theme is once again shown by master Hodges. Speaking gently through his horn, so delicate, and so fullhearted.

Thank You!

[behjoh]

S. U .P.E.R.B.

[mokojono]

Btw... this was posted while on a whisky high, but still... perfect*

[mokojono]

Duke Ellington is incredible, anyone who plays with him, is so.... incredible* I love it and I will love until the rest of my life*

Thank God this exists, love it, love it, love it****

[anvilsring]

Duke holds the chart for Johnny to sightread and pure honey flows! What a player!

[vancitymafia]

lol isfahan?

my home townnn

[akhabbazian]

eival esfahan

[mopanahi]

Esfahan, Iran!

my hometown :D

[RogerSquawk]

duke makes a wonderful music stand.

[OneoftheImmortals]

Sublime.

[DYNODRUM]

above Lemons

[54spiritedwill54]

Fantastically done.

[dhiren09]

Does anyone know where I can get this recording on cd from? I have the original but I prefer this live one its stunning!

[nickphilips]

If by pitchy, you mean extremely aware of the pitch, and using it to express emotion and blues, then YES. Hodges always bent his tones in solos and reaches the "centre" pitch at his elegant if often boozed discretion. Elllington forgave his problem as he was a musical genius. Check Hayden Chisholm for another micro-tonally aware alto player.

[nickphilips]

just you, Hodges always bends the notes as an elegant expression of the blues, and the balance points where he gets to pitch are impeccable. He is a micro-tone master like Hayden Chisholm.

[miphka66]

Jesus Christ, "pitchy" isn't even a fucking word!

[fez1452]

american idol judges use it all the time to show they have some "knowledge" about music even though they don't. if your trying to say that hodges was a bit out of tune then that would be correct but then again you have to realize that bending notes was his style and he usually centered the pitch after he expressed what the feeling in that note was.

[danmcb]

he's pitchy ... like bang on pitch, every second of the way. It's you ...

[nedmanxxx]

BUT THEN AGAIN...actually.......i believe duke is holding..... up that centerfold of MARLYN MONROE from the debut issue of PLAYBOY......with her all stretched out on that red satin....see what i'm sayin' ?

[nedmanxxx]

the RABBIT....a good HABIT...teaches one to shape his sound and not OVERPLAY.....

[tjc197]

I agree with hremdldw. Ecspecially because Johnny Hodges is my favorite alto player.

[BlockChordsRed]

Coltrane absolutely idolized Hodges during the period when he (Trane) was an anonymous

member of Dizzy's band. but when he heard

Parker, it turned his head around.

[Saxyman14]

This just goes to show how great Johnny Hodges was. Duke Ellington himself, standing there, holding sheet music for him. Fantastic.

[bluesborn]

These cats are as hip as it gets.Ellington is for the ages and Hodges is one of the greatest soloists(on any instrument)that has ever lived.

Truly sublime artistry.

[deepkeel65]

One of my favorite alto players. Awesome tone, glissandos, vibrato. Instead of "The Rabbit" they could have called him "The Great Stone Face", except that was already taken (Buster Keaton). Did Hodges EVER smile?

[ghdtjdqhd]

NOW THIS IS MUSIC!!!

[Kuzalias]

Very beautiful

[hremdldw]

Bird Called Johnny Hodges Lily Pons,The man's tone is simply the best on alto sax ever!An I'm a be-bobber at heart so you are talking about a whole lot of alto sax player.If you'd like to hear Johnny on soprano sax listen too his solo on Old Man Blues also on You Tube.

[apollodesign]

We're actually performing this song in the senior jazz band at my highschool - though I don't play because there's no guitar part - but from what I've gathered from numerous profs and teachers is that yeah, this is a performance that was recorded right after their visit to Isfahan during a tour that was cut short because of the assassination of Kennedy. Interesting song, and I never get tired of sitting back and enjoying the smooth richness of this tune!

[lonelyhollow]

im from isfahan ... co0ol

[OttoLink10]

Where did you get the idea that Johnny Hodges could not read music?!? Ridiculous! BTW, the original recording of this was in the album called The Far East Suite - a wonderful album. Of course, ALL of Duke's albums are wonderful, and Johnny Hodges was always wonderful.  Yes, Sam Woodyard on drums.

[mochawitch]

PURE heaven my dears...musical silk...yeah!

[RBW1122]

When you die, you will be able to sit and listen to Hodges play whenever you want. Heaven is cool.

[jazziesax]

Definately!

[rubberbiscuitgirl]

Rabbit put a spell on me. Wow.

[JimNuccio]

Dux in memoriis nostris semper vivet.

[goldeneye00756]

I had no idea there was footage of the band doing this--thank you!

Though on another note, Duke knew DAMN well Johnny Hodges couldn't a read a single note of music. I wonder what this was all about.

[MomSaysImCool]

I think he's altering the sound, maybe projecting or mellowing it. Probably the latter.

[eamedia]

hes probably not using the paper for individual notes, just the chords and the arrangement of the verses, chorus and bridge

[cappalacappa]

Johnny Hodges couldn't read a single note of music ? Who told you this ??? Hodges was mostly self-taught, but he could easily read the music and spent 3 years taking lessons on soprano and alto sax from Her Majesty Sidney Bechet , from 1924 to 1927 ...

[danmcb]

are you kidding? I bet Hodges could read fly **** on the wall. He was lead alto in one of the greatest big bands ever for most of his career ...

[CoHO4321]

The Lily Pod of the Alto Saxophone players....sheer brilliance

[TomBollig]

who's the drummer with double bass?

[EliotKrupa]

sam woodyard is the drummer

[WellowKido]

For all you doubting tubers - I am actually old enough to remember the BBC 625 Jazz (I think) broadcast of this performance and I can remember Ellington saying that he had written this on the plane coming over. I saw Ellington with Hodges twice at the Coulston Hall in Bristol at about this period in my life and both times were so important to me.

[JJ77TTUU4]

such a classic video

[STILLAVRIL1]

You know I've just seen this again, and if that old showman Ellington had to hold up the dots for Hodges, how come all the others are reading their charts?

Duke's just taking the piss here.

Don't get me wrong, he's probably contributed more to twentieth century music than most. But, he was a great kidder/self-publicist/fantasis­t/egotist/charlatan/schmoozer too.

Love his music, but like most of my heroes, feet of clay.

[howlowcanyoublow]

egotist, charlatan, schmoozer?? I don't understand people like you, can't the music just speak for itself, nobody gives a damn about your opinions of Duke. But I guess you must be perfect to offer these character assasinations.

[SSJBartSimpson]

because he held up hodge's music?

[itonlyhappens]

Ridiculous. So why is Hodges lookng at the music from time to time? Is he putting on a show as well? it appears that Hodges (what a beautiful musician!!) needed to read the music, and the music stands are not adjustible, so Duke had to hold the music for him while he stood, simple as that.

[zinwah]

sublime in every way!Masterful

[hasbeenshaken]

OMG, how Holy is This! Thanks for uploading.

[ilistenalot]

Johnny Hodges had the sweetist tone of any sax and this peice expresses what a great talent he was. I go limp when I hear this rendition.

[Bigss360]

beautiful

[STILLAVRIL1]

Knowing something of their relationship and sometime antipathy, I think Duke is making some laboured point.

Hodges would only need to hear the first few notes to hear where the tune is going.

Lovely interjections by Harry Carney too.

[itonlyhappens]

i understand what you're saying but i don't agree... It doesn't matter how great of an ear you have,  if it's a new composition, either you know the melody or you don't...this tune was probably so new that he needed to read the melody.

[safaharatian]

Hey guys!

Isfahan is incorect.

Lets say Esfahan.

[persiarising]

I wonder what his connection to Isfahan is; well we all have a connection to Persia!!!

[miphka66]

Not only is Duke the only person in the known universe who could get away with holding the music like that (on TV no less), but he's the only one who look so hip doing it. And you just know that he and Strayhorn probably finished copying the parts about 30 seconds before they went on the air. Duke is the King, long live the King!

[poshspice007]

Fantastically done.