Dexter Gordon

Dexter Gordon & Slide Hampton – A Day In Copenhagen (1969/2017) [Official Digital Download 24bit/88,2kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · December 13, 2022 · Comments off

With his big, warm, round-toned sound, sophisticated phrasing, and hip quotes, Dexter Gordon was one of the major forces on the tenor saxophone from the mid-1940’s until his death in1990. Gordon was cited by both Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane as a major influence on their playing. Dexter moved to Europe in the early 1960’s, settling in Copenhagen, Denmark. During this period, he usually played and recorded backed by a piano trio, so, with two horns joining him, this album is special. One of the great modern jazz trombonists, Slide Hampton is also a composer/arranger of note. Three of the compositions and all of the arrangements on the album are his. The classy Jamaican trumpeter Dizzy Reese completes the front line. The rhythm section includes two jazz giants with whom Gordon played at Copenhagen’s famous Club Montmartre, fellow American expatriate pianist Kenny Drew and Danish bassist N-H rsted Peterson. Drummer Art Taylor was brought in from Paris to complete the all-star rhythm section. Slide’s minor My Blues starts off the set with a bright, upbeat Dex showing he had been listening to Trane and Rollins as much as they had been to him. Everyone gets a chance to blow on this one. Normally a ballad, You Don’t Know What Love Is glides along at a medium clip; Slide states his intention was to keep the feeling that Billy Holliday and Miles Davis had in their versions. Hampton’s New Thing is actually straight-ahead hard-bop, with Dexter once again shinning out front. On What’s New, Slide changes what is normally a ballad into something special; this time a medium-tempo 12/8 with some beautiful solos by all three horns. Dexter reserves The Shadow of Your Smile for himself and the trio, giving the ballad a breathtakingly lush rendition. The set ends with A Day In Vienna, Slide’s richly voiced tribute to the Austrian Radio’s Jazz Workshop. All Music calls the album an “…excellent sextet session. The other soloists are fine but Gordon easily dominates the set.” An outstanding album by one of jazz’s great tenor saxophonists.

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Dexter Gordon – The Squirrel (feat. Art Taylor, Kenny Drew & Bo Stief) [Live at Montmartre, Copenhagen 1967] (Remastered) (2001/2020) [Official Digital Download 24bit/44,1kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · December 13, 2022 · Comments off

Dexter Gordon – The Squirrel (feat. Art Taylor, Kenny Drew & Bo Stief) [Live at Montmartre, Copenhagen 1967] (Remastered) (2001/2020)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/44,1 kHz | Time – 01:06:13 minutes | 679 MB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Parlophone Denmark

“The Squirrel (subtitled Live in Montmatre, Copenhagen 1967) is a live album by American saxophonist Dexter Gordon recorded at the famous Jazz house Montmartre in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1967 by Danmarks Radio and released on in 1997.

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Dexter Gordon – Our Man In Paris (1963/2013) [Official Digital Download 24bit/192kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · December 13, 2022 · Comments off

This 1963 date is titled for Dexter Gordon’s living in self-imposed Parisian exile and recording there with two other expatriates and a French native. Along with Gordon, pianist Bud Powell and Kenny “Klook” Clarke were living in the City of Lights and were joined by the brilliant French bassist Pierre Michelot.

This is a free-wheeling bop date with the band working out on such categoric standards as “Scrapple from the Apple,” and “A Night in Tunisia.” In addition, American vernacular tunes such as “Willow Weep for Me” and “Stairway to the Stars” are included. Gordon is at the very top of his game here. His playing is crisp, tight, and full of playful fury. Powell, who at this stage of his life was almost continually plagued by personal problems, never sounded better than he does in this session. His playing is a tad more laid-back here, but is nonetheless full of the brilliant harmonic asides and incendiary single-note runs he is legendary for. The rhythm section is close-knit and stop-on-a-dime accurate.

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Dexter Gordon – One Flight Up (1964/2015) [Official Digital Download 24bit/192kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · December 13, 2022 · Comments off

When he expatriated to Scandinavia just before this session in Paris was recorded, Dexter Gordon said he was liberated in many ways, as a jazz musician and as a human being. This is reflected in the lengthy track on this album, a testament to that newly found freedom, addressing the restrictions the American music scene placed on artists to do the two- to three-minute hit. With the nearly 18-minute “Tanya” and the 11-minute “Coppin’ the Haven,” Gordon and his quintet, featuring trumpeter Donald Byrd, were able to jam at length with no thought of being edited, and they fully prolong their instrumental remarks in a way few other musicians — jazz or otherwise — would allow themselves. Yes, it would be difficult to hear these tracks on the radio, but the tradeoff was a listening experience for their fans that would also showcase a rare commodity in the lexicon of their style of post-bop mainstream jazz — consistency. The simple, sweet, and lightly swinging “Tanya” has become a classic song, and it is a staple in most saxophonists’ diets, even though the supportive chord structures from pianist Kenny Drew and Byrd’s up-front brass are more attractive or noticeable than Gordon’s bluesy tenor. Memorable for many reasons, Drew’s brilliant composition “Coppin’ the Haven” is textbook modern jazz, a modal minor-key delight as Byrd again dominates with a shining, gliding melody tacked on to an easy swing that exemplifies the song form for jazz in its best sense. Gordon steps up apart from the trumpeter on the great ballad “Darn That Dream,” and is at his best, wringing every regretful emotion out of his horn as only he can. At around 37 substantive minutes of music, One Flight Up stands as a testament to Dexter Gordon’s viability as a bandleader and teammate, while his individualism is somewhat sublimated. It’s a good listen to digest all the way through, especially if you are as patient as the performers, who have a lot to say. – Michael G. Nastos

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Dexter Gordon – Go (1962/2013) [Official Digital Download 24bit/192kHz]

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Go is the sensational masterpiece by Dexter Gordon. Gordon was one of music’s leading tenor saxophonists, joined here by virtuosos: Sonny Clark, Butch Warren and Billy Higgins. This record has been deemed one of Gordon’s finest Blue Note releases. The master of bebop tenor saxophone performs hits including “Cheese Cake,” a Latin-tinged version of Porter’s “Love for Sale,” a breathtaking reading of “Where Are You?” and “I Guess I’ll Hang My Tears Out to Dry”.

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Dexter Gordon – Gettin’ Around (1965/2015) [Official Digital Download 24bit/192kHz]

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Dexter Gordon’s mid-’60s period living in Europe also meant coming back to the U.S. for the occasional recording session. His teaming with Bobby Hutcherson was intriguing in that the vibraphonist was marking his territory as a maverick and challenging improviser. Here the two principals prove compatible in that they have a shared sense of how to create sheer beauty in a post-bop world. Add the brilliant Barry Harris to this mix, and that world is fortunate enough to hear these grand masters at their creative peak, stoked by equally extraordinary sidemen like bassist Bob Cranshaw and drummer Billy Higgins, all on loan from Lee Morgan’s hitmaking combo. The subtle manner in which Gordon plays melodies or caresses the most recognizable standard has always superseded his ability to ramble through rough-and-tumble bebop. It’s hard to resist how Gordon massages the light and sweet bossa nova “Manha de Carnaval” hand in hand with Hutcherson, the heartfelt way “Who Can I Turn To?” or “Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool” is turned into a personalized statement, or how the co-leaders take Frank Foster’s Count Basie staple, “Shiny Stockings,” beyond a classic and into immortal territory. Where Gordon and Hutcherson’s true strength lies is in their ability to listen and balance their sound into a unified whole beyond any other tenor sax-vibraphone combination you might care to name, unless it’s Hutch’s partnership in the ensuing years with Harold Land. Picking up on a Sonny Rollins idea, “Heartaches” is a loping cowboy-type swinger with some lustrous comping from Hutcherson and Harris, while the light, cat-prancing “Le Coiffeur” is the highlight among highlights, a stealth calypso with Gordon’s deftly rendered staccato notation. One has to listen closer to the pianist on this date, as he buoys the others without demanding equal space, but he is just as reverberant. While this is not Gordon’s ultimate hard bop date, it is reflective of his cooling out in Europe, adopting a tonal emphasis more under the surface than in your face. It’s not essential, but quite enjoyable, and does mark a turning point in his illustrious career. –Michael G. Nastos, AllMusic

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Dexter Gordon – Doin’ Allright (1961/2015) [Official Digital Download 24bit/192kHz]

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The title of this Blue Note set, Doin’ Allright, fit perfectly at the time, for tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon was making the first of three successful comebacks. Largely neglected during the 1950s, Gordon’s Blue Note recordings (of which this was the first) led to his rediscovery. The tenor is teamed with the young trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, pianist Horace Parlan, bassist George Tucker, and drummer Al Harewood for a strong set of music that is highlighted by “You’ve Changed” (which would become a permanent part of Gordon’s repertoire), “Society Red” (a blues later used in the film Round Midnight), and “It’s You or No One.” –Scott Yanow, AllMusic

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Dexter Gordon – Dexter Gordon Plays 1955 (2021) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

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Dexter Gordon (February 27, 1923 – April 25, 1990) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. He was among the most influential early bebop musicians, which included other greats such as Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Bud Powell. 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 over 40 years.

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Dexter Gordon – Dexter Calling (1961/2015) [Official Digital Download 24bit/192kHz]

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Recorded over the same four day period in 1961 as Dexter Gordon’s Blue Note debut Doin’ Allright, this session features a different lineup of musicians with Gordon the only horn player. The band, lavishly praised by critics, features pianist Kenny Drew, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Philly Joe Jones. Like all his early ’60s Blue Note recordings, this is Gordon at his absolute best.

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Dexter Gordon – Daddy Plays The Horn (1955/2013) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

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During a period of Dexter Gordon’s (tenor sax) life — when he was deep in the throws of chronic drug addiction — the artist was miraculously able to reignite his career during the latter part of 1955. After several years of being out of the spotlight, Gordon resurfaced on the Big Apple-based indie Bethlehem imprint with the half-dozen sides that comprise Daddy Plays the Horn (1956). Joining him as key constituents of the credited Dexter Gordon Quartet are Kenny Drew (piano), Leroy Vinnegar (bass), and Larry Marable (drums). While the support team provides Gordon top-notch contributions throughout, it is unquestionably Drew who offers the most in terms of active interaction and his prominence can not be overstated. Nowhere is that as noticeable as the good-natured interaction heard on the disc’s opener, the Gordon-penned title composition “Daddy Plays the Horn.” In fact it could be argued that Drew enhances the tenor to the point of practically being a co-leader. The update of Charlie “Bird” Parker’s bop standard “Confirmation” is taken at a steady mid-tempo pace, allowing plenty of room for the participants to have their say and not get in the way of the melody. Gordon seems considerably more relaxed and comfortable as he spreads line upon line of inspired improvisation. Drew is once again a real treat to hear briefly taking charge of the rhythm section. The pair of ballads on Daddy Plays the Horn are nothing short of stellar and stand as simple, emotive expressions unto themselves. “Darn That Dream” embraces the warmth of Gordon’s tenor as his sensual phrasing leaves just enough space for Drew to sonically bridge the gap with his own unhurried and stylish chords. The generically monikered “Number Four” is anything but ordinary. The Gordon original jumps right from the opening and the ensemble lets loose with equally solid licks beneath his cool tone. Drew gets in the driver’s seat missing nary a measure to reveal what could easily be his most tasteful contributions to date. The same can be said of bassist Vinnegar, who is briefly spotlighted on an efficient (if not somewhat sparse) solo. “Autumn in New York” — the album’s other essential ballad — is proof that despite Gordon’s addiction, he had retained his singular and precious sense of lyricism. Indeed, the Great American Songbook entry has rarely been permeated in such a meaningful way. The seamless transitions between Gordon and Drew are further evidence of their undeniable bond. Saving what may be the best example of the gathered instrumentalists flexing their respective be-bop muscle, “You Can Depend on Me” rounds out the platter with a bang. Each bandmember gets a final opportunity to shine — which they individually take full advantage of. In 2005, the Shout! Factory label reissued Daddy Plays the Horn, placing the six selections in the correct running order, and the digital remastering by Randy Perry has the classic sounding better than ever. –AllMusic Review by Lindsay Planer

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Dexter Gordon – Clubhouse (1979/2015) [Official Digital Download 24bit/192kHz]

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In a three day period 25th – 27th May in 1965 Dexter Gordon returned from “exile” in Europe to make two jazz albums with Barry Harris (piano), Bob Cranshaw (bass) and Billy Higgins (drums), the powerhouse rhythm trio behind Lee Morgan’s 1963 album “The Sidewinder”, who appear together with surprising infrequency considering the success of the Lee Morgan album.

On the first of those days, joined by Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, the material for “Clubhouse” was recorded. In the second two days, with Bobby Hutcherson replacing Freddie Hubbard in the same quintet, material for the album “Gettin’ Around” was recorded in that same long run of sessions. “Clubhouse” remained unreleased until 1979. “Gettin’ Around” was released back in 1965.

The opener “Hanky Panky”, a Dexter Gordon original, starts poorly with a theme of near remedial simplicity and is a reminder of Alfred Lion’s insistence on an attempt at one new “Sidewinder” on just about every Blue Note album in the period. However, it rapidly becomes clear that the interplay of Dexter Gordon and Freddie Hubbard is going to be no subdued and tentative affair like “Gettin’ Around”. Freddie Hubbard is at a peak of his abilities and musical imagination at this time and there is a real rapport with Dexter Gordon that lifts the sax player into creative territory. (Listen to “Generation”, an Original Jazz Classics from 1972, where Freddie Hubbard and Dexter Gordon play off each other to even better effect on top of Billy Higgins’ ever so solid drumming to hear an even better example of the rapport between these two great jazz musicians). “Hanky Panky” develops as a genuine jazz piece as soon as Dexter Gordon’s solo first breaks the ice and Freddie Hubbard’s solo is clearly breaking out of the groove and determined to challenge any easy orthodoxy.
“I’m A Fool To Want You”, a Sinatra ballad, conforms to the Blue Note formula of a “tender ballad to shift the mood from the bracing opener” but again goes well beyond any mere formula. Dexter Gordon is melodically inventive in a way that keeps open the thought that all along he may have been an influence on John Coltrane. Freddie Hubbard is once again superb and insightful. “Devilette” is a modal piece reminiscent of “Tanya” or “Coppin’ The Haven” from Dexter Gordon’s 100 Greatest Jazz album “One Flight Up”. Written by Ben Tucker who sits in on bass in place of Bob Cranshaw on this track, “Devilette” explores more of the openness that is available in modal jazz.

The title track “Clubhouse”, Dexter Gordon’s second composition on the album, is a good vehicle for sustained blowing by sax and trumpet and provides space for a typically spiny piano solo by Barry Harris. “Lady Iris B” is a second ballad, not as convincing as “I’m A Fool To Want You” but still strong in the interplay between Dexter Gordon and Freddie Hubbard. The final track “Jodi”, the third Dexter Gordon composition is a good gospel tinged blues piece with plenty of drive and emotion.

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Dexter Gordon – A Swingin’ Affair (1962/2015) [Official Digital Download 24bit/192kHz]

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Dexter Gordon was on a roll in 1962 when he recorded A Swingin’ Affair. Two days earlier he and this same quartet recorded his classic album Go!; the band included pianist Sonny Clark, bassist Butch Warren, and drummer Billy Higgins. Gordon wrote two of the set’s six tunes, the first of which, the Afro-Cuban-flavored “Soy Califa,” is a burner. Higgins’ drumming double-times the band as Gordon lays out the melody — even his solo doesn’t stray far from it and he returns to it repetitively. Clark vamps with beautiful minor-key chords that he then adds to his own solo, moving all around the lyric with his right hand. And Higgins and Warren are truly wonderful on this one. There are also three standards here. Gordon was always a master of them because his own approach to improvisation was essentially one of melodic invention. “Don’t Explain” is ushered in by Clark stating the changes; Gordon’s low and slow playing is romantic and sensual. On “You Stepped Out of a Dream,” Gordon and Clark take the melody and invert it in the bridge; they turn it into a kind of groove as Higgins plays Latin-tinged rhythms throughout. Warren’s “The Backbone” is a hard bop groover with a bossa nova flavor, as he and Gordon twin on the tune’s head before Dex moves off into his solo. It’s easily the best thing here. This is a hot hard bop band, playing a program that’s relaxed and mostly upbeat; they even manage to stretch a bit. –Thom Jurek

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Dexter Gordon – Go (1962) [Analogue Productions 2010] SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

SACD / DSD By admin · December 13, 2022 · Comments off

From the first moments when Dexter Gordon sails into the opening song full of brightness and confidence, it is obvious that Go! is going to be one of those albums where everything just seems to come together magically. A stellar quartet including the stylish pianist Sonny Clark, the agile drummer Billy Higgins, and the solid yet flexible bassist Butch Warren are absolutely crucial in making this album work, but it is still Gordon who shines. Whether he is dropping quotes into “Three O’Clock in the Morning” or running around with spritely bop phrases in “Cheese Cake,” the album pops and crackles with energy and exuberance. Beautiful ballads like “I Guess I’ll Hang My Tears Out to Dry” metamorphosize that energy into emotion and passion, but you can still see it there nonetheless. Gordon had many high points in his five decade-long career, but this is certainly the peak of it all.

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Dexter Gordon – Dexter Calling (1961) [Analogue Productions 2008] SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

SACD / DSD By admin · December 13, 2022 · Comments off

Dexter Gordon’s second recording for Blue Note is a solidly swinging affair, yet constantly full of surprises. It’s not unexpected that Gordon’s tenor at this time (1961) was one of the most enjoyable in mainstream jazz, but his transition from the cool California scene to the hotter music environs of New York City had energized his sound and attitude. A first-time pairing with bassist Paul Chambers has something to do with this, but it also inspires pianist Kenny Drew to a great extent, while drummer Philly Joe Jones is his reliable, energetic self, and always works well with Gordon. Where Gordon’s fluent melodic sense is perfectly demonstrated during the simple-as-pie groove waltz “Soul Sister,” the steady, steamy bopper “I Want More,” and the familiar Charlie Chaplin evergreen “Smile,” his sense of expanding the specific line upon soloing is truly remarkable. He constantly keeps the song form in mind, riffing on and on without violating the basic note structures, constantly reharmonizing, shuffling the chords like a card dealer and updating the song form. “The End of a Love Affair” takes this concept into an area where his deep, subtle voice is translated directly into the low-slung voicings of his horn. The remarkable “Modal Mood” combines hard bop with Drew’s three-chord piano repetitions and Gordon’s soulful, simplified sax, while the equally impressive “Clear the Dex” steamrolls the competition as the band — cued by Jones — skillfully pushes or pull tension and release elements, then busts loose into joyous swinging in a true signature tune that is immediately recognizable as only the long, tall tenor man. The sad ballad “Ernie’s Tune” is based on a yin/yang theme via Freddie Redd’s stage play The Connection and the crazy character that ran wild or tame. The excellent band, solid musicianship, and memorable music on every track make this one of the more essential recordings of Gordon’s career.

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Dexter Gordon – Fried Bananas (2016) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · November 28, 2022 · Comments off

Dexter Gordon - Fried Bananas (2016) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz] Download

“Fried Bananas” is a previously unreleased, professionally-recorded live recording of Dexter Gordon from 1972, a period not previously covered by any live albums. Which makes it even sadder that this is so disappointing. While Dex, pianist Rein De Graaf, double bassist Hank Haverhoek, and drummer Eric Ineke play well together on this show — which took place on November 3, 1972 at the Societiet Progress in Heemskerk, Holland — the show itself is incomplete. Not only does this disc clock in at around 36 minutes, clearly not enough for a full concert, but “The Panther” fades in mid-song while “Body And Soul” fades out before it’s over. Only the title track is intact, though it is rather stellar.
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