''3 Shades of Blue'' is the final album recorded as leader by American jazz saxophonist

Johnny Hodges Johnny Hodges (July 25, 1907 – May 11, 1970) was an American alto saxophone, alto saxophonist, best known for solo work with Duke Ellington's big band. He played lead alto in the saxophone section for many years. Hodges was also featured on sop ...

featuring performances recorded in 1970 with vocalist Leon Thomas and composer/arranger

Oliver Nelson Oliver Edward Nelson (June 4, 1932 – October 28, 1975) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, arranger, composer, and bandleader. His 1961 Impulse! album '' The Blues and the Abstract Truth'' (1961) is regarded as one of the most signi ...

and first released on the

Flying Dutchman The ''Flying Dutchman'' () is a legendary ghost ship, allegedly never able to make port, but doomed to sail the sea forever. The myths and ghost stories are likely to have originated from the 17th-century Golden Age of the Dutch East India C ...

label.Payne, D.
Oliver Nelson discography
accessed February 11, 2016Flying Dutchman Label Discography
accessed February 11, 2016 The album was rereleased in 1989 under Nelson's leadership as ''Black, Brown and Beautiful'' with additional tracks.

Reception

The

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

site awarded the album 3 stars.Allmusic listing
accessed February 11, 2016 Dan Morgenstern awarded the album 4 stars in a contemporary review for

DownBeat ''DownBeat'' (styled in all caps) is an American music magazine devoted to "jazz, blues and beyond", the last word indicating its expansion beyond the jazz realm that it covered exclusively in previous years. The publication was established in 1 ...

, praising it as a worthy addition to Hodges' body of work which cemented his impressive legacy.

Track listing

# "Empty Ballroom Blues" (

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American Jazz piano, jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous Big band, jazz orchestra from 1924 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D ...

Cootie Williams Charles Melvin "Cootie" Williams (July 10, 1911 – September 15, 1985) was an American jazz, jump blues, and rhythm and blues trumpeter. Biography Born in Mobile, Alabama, Williams began his professional career at the age of 14 with the Yo ...

) – 4:54 # " Duke's Place" (Ellington, Bob Thiele, Bill Katz, Ruth Roberts) – 2:35 # "Echoes of Harlem" (Ellington) – 4:20 # "Disillusion Blues" (Leon Thomas) – 3:56 # "Yearning" (Oliver Nelson) – 5:20 # "Welcome to New York" (Thomas) – 4:10 # "Black, Brown and Beautiful" (Nelson) – 3:50 # " Rockin' in Rhythm (Ellington, Harry Carney,

Irving Mills Irving Harold Mills (born Isadore Minsky; January 18, 1894 Odessa, Ukraine – April 21, 1985) was a music publisher, musician, lyricist, and jazz promoter. He often used the pseudonyms Goody Goodwin and Joe Primrose. Personal life Mills ...

) – 3:09 # " Creole Love Call" (Ellington) – 4:56 # "It´s Glory" (Ellington) – 2:55

Personnel

–

alto saxophone The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments. Saxophones were invented by Belgians, Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s and patented in 1846. The alto saxophone is pitched in the key of E♭ ( ...

* Leon Thomas – vocals (tracks 2, 4 & 6) *

– arranger, conductor *

Randy Brecker Randal Edward Brecker (born November 27, 1945) is an American trumpeter, flugelhornist, and composer. His versatility has made him a popular studio musician who has recorded with acts in jazz, rock music, rock, and R&B. Early life Brecker was ...

, Ernie Royal,

Marvin Stamm Marvin Louis Stamm (born May 23, 1939) is an American jazz trumpeter. Career Stamm was born in Memphis, Tennessee, United States. Stamm began on trumpet at age twelve. He attended North Texas State University, where he was a member of the One ...

Snooky Young Eugene Edward "Snooky" Young (February 3, 1919 – May 11, 2011) was an American jazz trumpeter. He was known for his mastery of the plunger mute, with which he was able to create a wide range of sounds. Biography Young was lead trumpeter of t ...

– trumpet * Al Grey,

Quentin Jackson Quentin "Butter" JacksonFe ...

, Garnett Brown, Thomas Mitchell – trombone *Bob Ashton, Danny Bank, Jerry Dodgion, Joe Farrell,

Jerome Richardson Jerome Richardson (December 25, 1920 – June 23, 2000) was an American jazz musician and woodwind player. He is cited as playing one of the earliest jazz flute recordings with his work on the 1949 Quincy Jones arranged song "Kingfish". Caree ...

Frank Wess Frank Wellington Wess (January 4, 1922 – October 30, 2013) was an American jazz saxophonist and flutist. He was renowned for his extensive solo work; however, he was also remembered for his time playing with Count Basie, Count Basie's band duri ...

– reeds * Earl Hines (tracks 2, 4, 6, 8 & 10),

Hank Jones Henry Jones Jr. (July 31, 1918 – May 16, 2010) was an American jazz pianist, bandleader, arranger, and composer. Critics and musicians have described Jones as eloquent, lyrical, and impeccable. In 1989, The National Endowment for the Arts h ...

(tracks 1, 3, 5, 7 & 9) – piano * David Spinozza – guitar (tracks 2, 4, 6, 8 & 10) *

Ron Carter Ronald Levin Carter (born May 4, 1937) is an American jazz double bassist. His appearances on 2,221 recording sessions make him the most-recorded jazz bassist in history. He has won three Grammy Awards, and is also a Cello, cellist who has reco ...

–

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Wood * Bass or basswood, the wood of the tilia americana tree Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in th ...

* Grady Tate – drums

References

{{Authority control Johnny Hodges albums Oliver Nelson albums Leon Thomas albums 1970 albums Albums arranged by Oliver Nelson Albums conducted by Oliver Nelson Albums produced by Bob Thiele Flying Dutchman Records albums