Dexter Gordon
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Dexter Gordon | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Also known as | Long Tall Dexter |
Born | Los Angeles, California, U.S. | February 27, 1923
Died | April 25, 1990 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. | (aged 67)
Genres | Jazz, swing, bebop, hard bop |
Occupation(s) | Musician, composer, bandleader |
Instrument(s) | Tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone |
Years active | 1940–1986 |
Labels | Blue Note, Savoy, Columbia |
Website | dextergordon |
Dexter Gordon (February 27, 1923 – April 25, 1990) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, composer, and bandleader. He was among the most influential early bebop musicians. Gordon's height was 6 feet 6 inches (198 cm), so he was also known as "Long Tall Dexter" and "Sophisticated Giant". His studio and performance career spanned more than 40 years.
Gordon's sound was commonly characterized as being "large" and spacious and he had a tendency to play behind the beat. He inserted musical quotes into his solos, with sources as diverse as "Happy Birthday" and well known melodies from the operas of Wagner. Quoting from various musical sources is not unusual in jazz improvisation, but Gordon did it frequently enough to make it a hallmark of his style. One of his major influences was Lester Young. Gordon, in turn, was an early influence on John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins. Rollins and Coltrane then influenced Gordon's playing as he explored hard bop and modal playing during the 1960s.
Gordon had a genial and humorous stage presence. He was an advocate of playing to communicate with the audience,[1] which was his musical approach as well. One of his idiosyncratic rituals was to recite lyrics from each ballad before playing it.[citation needed]
A photograph by Herman Leonard of Gordon taking a smoke break at the Royal Roost in 1948 is one of the iconic images in jazz photography.[2] Cigarettes were a recurring theme on covers of Gordon's albums.
Gordon was nominated for an
Life and career
Early life
Dexter Keith Gordon was born on February 27, 1923, in Los Angeles, California.
Gordon began his study of music with the clarinet at age 13, then switched to the alto saxophone at 15, and finally to the tenor saxophone at 17.[5][4] He studied with multi-instrumentalist Lloyd Reese while attending Thomas Jefferson High School, and studied with the school’s band director, Sam Browne.[6] While still at school, he played in bands with such contemporaries as Chico Hamilton and Buddy Collette.[7]
Between December 1940 and 1943, Gordon was a member of
Bebop era recordings
By late 1944, Gordon was resident in New York, a regular at bebop jam sessions, and a featured soloist in the Billy Eckstine big band ("If That's The Way You Feel", "I Want To Talk About You", "Blowin' the Blues Away", "Opus X", "I'll Wait And Pray", "The Real Thing Happened To Me", "Lonesome Lover Blues", "I Love the Rhythm in a Riff"). During early 1945 he was featured on recordings by
The 1950s
During the 1950s, Gordon's recorded output and live appearances declined as heroin addiction and legal troubles took their toll.
The decade saw Gordon's first entry into the world of drama. He appeared as a member (uncredited) of Art Hazzard's band in the film
New York renaissance
Gordon signed to Blue Note in 1961. He initially commuted from Los Angeles to New York to record, but took up residence when he regained the cabaret card that allowed him to perform where alcohol was served. The Jazz Gallery hosted his first New York performance in twelve years. The Blue Note association was to produce a steady flow of albums for several years, some of which gained iconic status. His New York renaissance was marked by Doin' Allright, Dexter Calling..., Go!, and A Swingin' Affair. The first two were recorded over three days in May 1961 with Freddie Hubbard, Horace Parlan, Kenny Drew, Paul Chambers, George Tucker, Al Harewood, and Philly Joe Jones. The last two were recorded in August 1962, with a rhythm section that featured Blue Note regulars Sonny Clark, Butch Warren and Billy Higgins. Of the two Go! was an expressed favorite.[5] The albums showed his assimilation of the hard bop and modal styles that had developed during his years on the west coast, and the influence of John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins, whom he had influenced before. The stay in New York turned out to be short lived, as Gordon got offers for engagements in England, then Europe, that resulted in a fourteen-year stay.[4] Soon after recording A Swingin' Affair, he left the United States.
Years in Europe
Over the next 14 years in Europe, living mainly in Paris and Copenhagen, Gordon played regularly with fellow expatriates or visiting players, such as Bud Powell, Ben Webster, Freddie Hubbard, Bobby Hutcherson, Kenny Drew, Horace Parlan and Billy Higgins. Blue Note's Francis Wolff supervised Gordon's later sessions for the label on his visits to Europe. The pairing of Gordon with Drew turned out to be one of the classic matchups between a horn player and a pianist, much like Miles Davis with Red Garland or John Coltrane with McCoy Tyner.
From this period came Our Man in Paris, One Flight Up, Gettin' Around, and Clubhouse. Our Man in Paris was a Blue Note session recorded in Paris in 1963 with backup consisting of pianist Powell, drummer Kenny Clarke, and French bassist Pierre Michelot. One Flight Up, recorded in Paris in 1964 with trumpeter Donald Byrd, pianist Kenny Drew, drummer Art Taylor, and Danish bassist Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, features an extended solo by Gordon on the track "Tanya".
Gordon also visited the US occasionally for further recording dates. Gettin' Around was recorded for Blue Note during a visit in May 1965, as was the album Clubhouse which remained unreleased until 1979.
Gordon found Europe in the 1960s a much easier place to live, saying that he experienced less racism and greater respect for jazz musicians. He also stated that on his visits to the US in the late 1960s and early 1970s, he found the political and social strife disturbing.[8] While in Copenhagen, Gordon and Drew's trio appeared onscreen[9] in Ole Ege's theatrically released hardcore pornographic film Pornografi – en musical (1971), for which they composed and performed the score.[10]
He switched from Blue Note to
In addition to the recordings Gordon did under his American label contracts, live recordings by European labels and live video from his European period have been released. In 1975 Dexter Gordon signed an exclusive recording contract with Danish label SteepleChase and recorded some of his most inspired sessions like The Apartment (1974), More Than You Know (1975), Stable mates, Swiss Nights vol. 1, 2 and 3, Something Different, Lullaby For A Monster, and not least Biting The Apple, recorded during his homecoming trip to New York, featuring Barry Harris, Sam Jones and Al Foster. The album received the Grand Prix De Jazz in Montreux Switzerland 1977. SteepleChase released live dates from his mid-1960s tenure at the Jazzhus Montmartre in Copenhagen. The video was released under the Jazz Icons series.
Homecoming
Gordon returned to the United States for good in 1976. He recorded "Biting The Apple" for SteepleChase during his homecoming, an album featuring pianist Barry Harris, bassist Sam Jones, and drummer Al Foster. In 1977 the album received the Grand Prix de Disques at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. He appeared with
Musician Emeritus
In 1978 and 1980, Gordon was the
During the 1980s, Gordon, a life-long smoker, was weakened by emphysema. He remained a popular attraction at concerts and festivals, although his live appearances and recording dates would soon become infrequent.[citation needed]
Gordon starred in the 1986 movie
Soundtrack performances from Round Midnight were released as the albums Round Midnight and The Other Side of Round Midnight, featuring original music by Herbie Hancock as well as playing by Gordon. The latter was the last recording released under Gordon's name. He was a sideman on Tony Bennett's 1987 album, Berlin.
Death
Gordon died of kidney failure and smoking-related cancer of the larynx in Philadelphia, on April 25, 1990, at the age of 67.[12]
Family
Gordon's maternal grandfather was Captain
Gordon's father, Dr. Frank Gordon, M.D., was one of the first prominent African-American physicians and a graduate of Howard University.[citation needed]
When he lived in Denmark, Gordon became friends with the family of the future Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich, and subsequently became Lars's godfather.[13]
Gordon was married three times and had five children: daughters Robin and Deirdre and sons Mikael, Benjamin, and Woody Louis Armstrong Shaw.[14]
Instruments and mouthpieces
The earliest photographs of Gordon as a player show him with a
Discography
As a leader
- Dexter Rides Again (1947 78 album; Savoy MG 12130, 1992; SV-120, 2010)
- The Hunt with Wardell Gray (1947 78 album; Savoy SJL 2222, 1977)
- Dexter Gordon – The Chase with Wardell Gray (Dial Records, 1947, re-released as Spotlite (E) SPJ 130)
- Dexter Gordon – Move! (Dial Records, 1947, re-released as Spotlite (E) SPJ 133)
- The Duel with Teddy Edwards(Dial, Spotlite, 1947)
- Dexter Gordon On Dial, The Complete Sessions – The Chase (compilation, Spotlite (E) SPJ 130 CD)
- Dexter Gordon – Long Tall Dexter (Savoy SJL 2211, 1976, compilation of 1940s Savoy tracks, previously released and unreleased)
- Dexter Gordon: Settin' the Pace (Savoy SVY 17027, compilation of 1940s Savoy studio tracks, including alternate takes)
- Dexter's Mood (Cool & Blue [Switzerland] C&B CD-114, 1994, compilation of Dial and Savoy studio tracks)
- The Wardell Gray Memorial, Volume 2 (live jam, Move) (Prestige, PRLP 7009, 1983; CD, OJC 051, 1992)
- The Chase and The Steeplechase, with Wardell Gray, Paul Quinichette (1952, Decca; Universal Distribution CD 9061, 2003)
- Daddy Plays the Horn (Bethlehem 1955)
- Dexter Blows Hot and Cool (Dootone 1955)
- The Resurgence of Dexter Gordon (Jazzland, 1960)
- Doin' Allright (Blue Note, 1961)
- Dexter Calling... (Blue Note, 1961)
- Landslide (Blue Note, 1961–62 [1980])
- Go! (Blue Note 1962)
- A Swingin' Affair (Blue Note, 1962)
- Our Man in Paris (Blue Note, 1963, with Bud Powell, Pierre Michelot, Kenny Clarke)
- One Flight Up (Blue Note, 1964)
- Cheese Cake (SteepleChase, 1979 [1964])
- King Neptune (SteepleChase, 1979 [1964])
- I Want More (SteepleChase, 1980 [1964])
- Love for Sale (SteepleChase, 1982 [1964])
- It's You or No One (SteepleChase, 1983 [1964])
- Billie's Bounce (SteepleChase, 1983 [1964])
- Gettin' Around (Blue Note 1965)
- Clubhouse (Blue Note, 1979 [1965])
- Wee Dot (SteepleChase, 2003 [1965])
- Loose Walk (SteepleChase, 2004 [1965])
- Misty (SteepleChase, 2004 [1965])
- Heartaches (SteepleChase, 2004 [1965])
- Ladybird (SteepleChase, 2005 [1965])
- Stella by Starlight (SteepleChase, 2005 [1966])
- The Squirrel (Blue Note, 2001 [1967])
- Satin Doll (SteepleChase, 2012 [1967])
- Both Sides of Midnight (Black Lion, 1988 [1967])
- Body and Soul (Black Lion, 1988 [1967])
- Take The "A" Train (Black Lion, 1989 [1967])
- After Hours (SteepleChase, 1986, [1969])
- After Midnight (SteepleChase, 1986, [1969])
- Live at the Amsterdam Paradiso (Catfish, 1971 [1969])
- A Day in Copenhagen (MPS, 1969) – with Slide Hampton
- The Tower of Power! (Prestige, 1969) – with James Moody
- More Power! (Prestige, 1969)
- L.T.D. Live At The Left Bank (Prestige, 2001 [1969])
- XXL Live At The Left Bank (Prestige, 2002 [1969])
- Some Other Spring (Sonet, 1970) – with Karin Krog
- Dexter Gordon with Junior Mance at Montreux (Prestige, 1970, with Junior Mance)
- The Panther! (Prestige, 1970, with Tommy Flanagan and Alan Dawson. Prestige Records)
- Live At The Both/And Club, San Francisco (BPM BPE-6101, 1970, with George Duke and Donald Garrett and Oliver Johnson)
- The Chase! (Prestige, 1970, with Gene Ammons)
- The Jumpin' Blues (Prestige, 1970, with Wynton Kelly)
- Those Were The Days (Moon, 1995 [1967–71])
- The Shadow Of Your Smile (Steeplechase SCCD-31206 1971)
- Tangerine (Prestige, 1975 [1972])
- Ca'Purange (Prestige, 1972, with Thad Jones, Hank Jones, Stanley Clarke and Louis Hayes)
- Generation (Prestige, 1972, with Freddie Hubbard, Cedar Walton and others)
- Afterhours/The Great Pescara Jam Sessions Vol 1&2 (Ports Song, 1973, with Eric Ineke)
- Blues à la Suisse (Prestige, 1973)
- The Montmartre Collection Vol.II - Blues Walk (Black Lion Records, 1974)
- Candlelight Lady (SteepleChase, 2014 [1974])
- The Apartment (SteepleChase, 1974)
- The Rainbow People (Steeplechase, 2002 [1974], with Benny Bailey)
- Round Midnight (SteepleChase, 1991 [1974], with Benny Bailey)
- Revelation (SteepleChase, 1995 [1974], with Benny Bailey)
- More Than You Know (SteepleChase, 1975) with Orchestra arranged and conducted by Palle Mikkelborg
- Stable Mable (SteepleChase, 1975)
- Something Different (SteepleChase, 1975)
- Bouncin' with Dex (SteepleChase, 1975)
- Swiss Nights Vol. 1 (SteepleChase, 1976 [1975])
- Swiss Nights Vol. 2 (SteepleChase, 1978 [1975])
- Swiss Nights Vol. 3 (SteepleChase, 1979 [1975])
- Live In Chateauvallon (Elemental, 11/8/78 [2020)
- Lullaby for a Monster (SteepleChase, 1981 [1976])
- )
- Silver Blue (Xanadu, 1976, with Al Cohn)
- Biting the Apple (SteepleChase, 1976)
- Homecoming: Live at the Village Vanguard (Columbia, 1976, with Woody Shaw, Ronnie Mathews, Stafford James, Louis Hayes)
- Candido Camero, Oliver Jackson)
- Sophisticated Giant (Columbia, 1977, with 11-piece big-band including Woody Shaw, Slide Hampton, Bobby Hutcherson, and Benny Bailey)
- Manhattan Symphonie (Columbia, 1978, with Rufus Reid – bass, Eddie Gladden – percussion, and George Cables – keyboard)
- Great Encounters (Columbia, 1979)
- Live at Carnegie Hall (Columbia, 1998 [1978], 2 tracks with Johnny Griffin)
- North Sea Jazz Legendary Concerts (North Sea Jazz, 1979)
- Nights at the Keystone, Volumes 1-3 (1979, Blue Note; CD release 1990)
- The Montmartre Collection Vol.I (Black Lion Records, 1981)
- Gotham City (Columbia, 1981, with Woody Shaw, Cedar Walton, George Benson, Percy Heath, Art Blakey)
- American Classic (Elektra/Musician, 1982, featuring Grover Washington Jr. and Shirley Scott)
- The Other Side of Round Midnight (Blue Note, 1986)
As sideman
With Gene Ammons
- The Chase! (Prestige, 1970)
- Gene Ammons and Friends at Montreux (Prestige, 1973)
With Louis Armstrong
- Dexter Gordon, Vol. 1 Young Dex 1941-1944 (Masters Of Jazz MJCD 112)
- Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra 1944-1945 (Blue Ace BA 3603)
- Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra (AFRS One Night Stand 240) (V-Disc, 1944)
- Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra (AFRS One Night Stand 253) (V-Disc, 1944)
- Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra (AFRS One Night Stand 267) (V-Disc, 1944)
- Louis Armstrong New Orleans Masters, Vol. 2 (Swing House (E) SWH 44)
- Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra (AFRS Spotlight Bands 382) (V-Disc, 1944)
- Louis Armstrong – Chronological Study (MCA Decca 3063 72)
- Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra (AFRS Spotlight Bands 444) (V-Disc, 1944)
- Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra (AFRS Spotlight Bands 465) (V-Disc, 1944)
- Various Artists, Louis, Pops And Tram (IAJRC 21) (off V-Disc, 1944)
- Louis Armstrong Armed Forces Radio Service 1943/44 (Duke (It) D 1021)
With Benny Carter
- The Fabulous Benny Carter (1946, Audio Lab AL 1505)
- Benny Carter And His Orchestra (AFRS Jubilee 246) (V-Disc, 1947)
- Various Artists – Jazz Off The Air, Vol. 3 (Spotlite (E) SPJ 147) (off V-Disc 1947)
With Billy Eckstine
- The Chronological Billy Eckstine and His Orchestra, 1944-1945 (CD, Classic Records [France], 1997)
- Billy Eckstine, The Legendary Big Band (SVY 17125)
With Dizzy Gillespie
- Dexter Gordon, Vol. 2 Young Dex 1944-1946 (Masters Of Jazz MJCD 128)
- Dizzy Gillespie – Groovin' High (Savoy MG 12020, 1992; SV 152, 2010)
With Lionel Hampton
- Dexter Gordon, Vol. 1 Young Dex 1941-1944 (Masters Of Jazz MJCD 112)
- Lionel Hampton, Vol. 1: 1941-1942 (Coral (G) COPS 7185)
- Decca Jazz Heritage Series DL-79244
With Herbie Hancock
- Takin' Off (Blue Note, 1962)
- Round Midnight (1986), Columbia Records
With Fletcher Henderson
- Fletcher Henderson And His Orchestra (AFRS Jubilee 76), (V-Disc, 1944)
- Fletcher Henderson And His Orchestra (AFRS Jubilee 77), (V-Disc, 1944)
With Helen Humes
- Various Artists – Black California (Savoy SJL 2215)
- Helen Humes – Be-Baba-Leba 1942-52 (Whiskey, Women And... Gene Norman "Just Jazz" concert, February 2, 1952, KM 701)
- Helen Humes – New Million Dollar Secret (Whiskey, Women And... Gene Norman "Just Jazz" concert, February 2, 1952, KM 707)
With Jackie McLean
- The Meeting (SteepleChase, 1974)
- The Source (SteepleChase, 1974)
With Gerry Mulligan
- Gerry Mulligan – Capitol Jazz Classics, Vol. 4: Walking Shoes (Capitol M 11029)
- Classic Capitol Jazz Sessions (Mosaic MQ19-170)
With Leo Parker
- The Be Bop Boys (Savoy SJL 2225)
- Leo Parker – Birth Of Bop, Vol. 1 (Savoy XP 8060)
With Pony Poindexter
- Pony's Express (Epic, 1962)
- Stella By Starlight(co leader) (SteepleChase 1966)
With Jimmy Rushing
- Jimmy Rushing/Don Redman/Russell Jacquet/Joe Thomas – Big Little Bands (1946, Onyx ORI 220)
- Black California, Vol. 2: Anthology (1946, Savoy SJL 2242)
With others
- Rob Agerbeek, All Souls (Dexterity, 1972, with Eric Ineke and others)
- Tony Bennett, Berlin (Columbia, 1987)
- Ralph Burns, Various Artists – OKeh Jazz (Epic EG 37315)
- Nat King Cole, Nat King Cole Meets The Master Saxes 1943 (Phoenix Jazz LP 5)
- Tadd Dameron, Tadd Dameron/Babs Gonzales/Dizzy Gillespie – Capitol Jazz Classics, Vol. 13: Strictly Bebop (Capitol M 11059)
- Booker Ervin, Setting the Pace (Prestige, 1965)
- Lowell Fulson, Lowell Fulson (Swing Time 320)
- Wynonie Harris, Wynonie Harris – Love Is Like Rain / Your Money Don't Mean A Thing (Come Live With Me Baby) (King 4217)
- Philly Joe Jones, Philly Mignon (Galaxy, 1977)
- Stan Levey, Stan Levey – This Time The Drum's On Me (Bethlehem BCP 37)
- Charlie Parker, Charlie Parker – Every Bit Of It 1945 (Spotlite (E) SPJ 150D)
- Les Thompson, Les Thompson – Gene Norman Presents Just Jazz (RCA Victor LPM 3102)
- Ben Webster, Ben Webster Nonet (1945, Jazz Archives JA 35)
References
- ^ a b "Dexter Gordon interview with Les Tomkins, 1962". National Jazz Archive. March 11, 2020. Archived from the original on August 14, 2020. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
- ^ "From the Harvard Art Museums' collections Dexter Gordon, Royal Roost, New York City". Harvardartmuseums.org.
- ^ Andrews, Travis M. (March 20, 2019). "Jay-Z, a speech by Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and 'Schoolhouse Rock!' among recordings deemed classics by Library of Congress". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
- ^ ISBN 0-85112-939-0.
- ^ a b c "Biography". DEXTERGORDON.COM. Archived from the original on April 14, 2015. Retrieved August 28, 2015.
- ISBN 0-306-80361-5. pp. 4, 26.
- ^ Joop Visser, essay booklet with Settin' the Pace, Proper box set.
- ^ a b "Dexter Gordon interview with Chuck Berg, Downbeat Magazine, 1977". Jazzprofiles.blogspot.com. Archived from the original on May 28, 2015. Retrieved October 11, 2019.
- ^ "Dexter Gordon & Kenny Drew – Pornography A Musical (1971) OST", YouTube video.
- ^ David Meeker,"Jazz on the Screen – A jazz and blues filmography", Library of Congress, Performing Arts Encyclopedia.
- ISBN 9780520968219.
- ^ Watrous, Peter (April 26, 1990). "Dexter Gordon Dies at 67; A Charismatic Jazz Figure". The New York Times. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
- ^ Joel McIver, Justice for All: The Truth about Metallica, Omnibus Press, 2004.
- ^ Watrous, Peter (April 26, 1990). "Dexter Gordon Dies at 67; A Charismatic Jazz Figure". New York Times. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
Further reading
- Gordon, Maxine (2018) Sophisticated Giant: The Life and Legacy of Dexter Gordon (University of California Press)
External links
- Official website
- Sophisticated Giant: The Dexter Gordon Discography
- Dexter Gordon at AllMusic
- Dexter Gordon at IMDb
- Dexter Gordon Multimedia Directory Archived March 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
- Dexter Gordon: 12 Essential Tracks by Eric Novod (www.jazz.com)
- C. Michael Bailey (August 1, 2001). "Dexter Gordon: LTD: Live At the Left Bank". All about jazz.
- Dexter Gordon Collection at the Library of Congress