Artist: Johnny Hodges Orch.
Author: Johnny Hodges
Label: Bluebird
Year: 1941
Recorded during a small combo session in Chicago with Cootie Williams (trumpet), Lawrence Brown (trombone), Johnny Hodges (alt sax), Harry Carney (bariton sax), Duke Ellington (piano), Jimmie Blanton (bass) and Sonny Greer (drums).
Covers:
Duke Ellington Orch. [same riff in Happy Go Lucky Local, Part 2, part of his Deep South Suite for Musicraft; it's about a train moving along through the south (there's the train connection)]
Jimmy Forrest [the riff in Night Train, n°1 R&B; Jimmy was part of Duke's orchestra in the late '40s]
Buddy Morrow [idem]
Wynonie Harris [idem]
Little Junior Parker [idem]
Louis Prima [instrumental striptease classic]
John Mayall [in medley with Lucille]
Rod Stewart with Jools Holland [all as Night Train]
Ellington and even Johnny Hodges were too much of a gentleman to sue an ex bandmember, while they had all the reason to do so: the Night Train riff was duplicated note for note without proper credits.
If you noticed blunt omissions, mis-interpretations or even out-and-out errors,
please let me know:
Arnold Rypens
Rozenlaan 65
B-2840 Reet (Rumst)