An outstanding alto saxophonist,
Otto Hardwick was among the earliest players to give that instrument some identity and demonstrate its improvising potential. He had a consistently swinging, enjoyable style, and provided both sentimental, lyrical refrains on ballads and joyous work on stomps. He was extremely versatile, beginning as a bassist, moving to C-melody sax, and finally settling on alto.
Hardwick and
Duke Ellington were virtually lifelong friends (from the early '20s), and during his first stint in the
Ellington band,
Hardwick played clarinet and violin as well as baritone and alto. He didn't remain in the orchestra nearly as long as some others, however, and left the band in 1928 to visit Europe. He played with
Noble Sissle and led his own orchestra before returning to New York in 1929.
Hardwick worked with a band that included
Chu Berry and
Fats Waller; this orchestra even bested
Ellington in a battle of the bands. But
Hardwick returned to the
Ellington orchestra in 1932 following a brief stint with
Elmer Snowden, and remained until 1946. During this stint
Hardwick doubled on bass sax. He and
Ellington co-composed several pieces, most notably "Sophisticated Lady." He was featured on such songs as "Jubilee Stomp" and "Got Everything But You."
Hardwick also played lead alto on several pieces in which
Johnny Hodges wasn't featured as the principal alto player. After cutting an album in 1947,
Hardwick retired from the music business. He can be heard on many
Ellington albums reissued on CD from the '20s, '30s, and '40s. ~ Ron Wynn