Jazz Articles about Dexter Gordon

About Dexter Gordon

Radio & Podcasts

The Return of Dexter Gordon (1961 - 1963)

by Russell Perry
October 8, 2019

After spending most of the 1950s in jail for two different drug busts, Dexter Gordon was paroled in 1960 and preceded to record a legendary series of records for Blue Note Records. Several of these records included rhythm sections led by the light-fingered but short-lived pianist, Sonny Clark. Playlist Host Intro 0:00 Dexter Gordon Quintet. “I Was Doing All Right" from Doin' Allright (Blue Note) 3:40 Dexter Gordon Quintet. “You've Changed" from Doin' Allright (Blue Note) 12:57 Host ...

Radio & Podcasts

Jazz on Central Avenue - Bebop in Los Angeles (1945 - 1948)

by Russell Perry
May 21, 2019

Most of the pioneering bebop musicians we have featured in the past several programs were based in New York—Bird, Dizzy, Monk, Bud Powell, Coleman Hawkins, Fats Navarro, J.J. Johnson, Max Roach. While New York may have dominated the modern music scene, it wasn't the only scene. The wartime economy in southern California brought an influx of African-American workers, not dissimilar to Chicago in the 1920s, and with them musicians, nightclubs and dance halls. “Bebop was born in Harlem ...

Album Review

Dexter Gordon: Espace Cardin 1977

Read "Espace Cardin 1977" reviewed by Maurizio Zerbo

by Maurizio Zerbo
April 16, 2019

Pur non aggiungendo nulla rispetto a quanto si è già ampiamente ascoltato di Dexter Gordon, Espace Cardin 1977 è un CD da tenere in considerazione per diverse ragioni. Ritroviamo l'allora cinquantacinquenne sassofonista ad un nuovo punto di svolta della sua già fulgida trentennale carriera, appena rilanciata dal contratto discografico con la Sony. Questo set parigino è uno degli ultimi suoi concerti europei antecedenti il ritorno negli Stati Uniti e ne documenta il felice connubio con Al Haig, altro artista dal ...

Radio & Podcasts

John Escreet, The Expansions and More

by Joe Dimino
February 4, 2019

To open this week's episode of Neon Jazz we feature the British pianist John Escreet and one of his heroes, Keith Jarrett. The show pays tribute to the talented jazz singer Kellye Gray and profiles The Standard Vocal Jazz Ensemble out of Kansas City Kansas Community College. Also spotlighted are jazz icons like Dexter Gordon and John Coltrane, not to mention more British jazz courtesy of The Expansions. Playlist John Escreet “Global Citizenk" Learn to Live (Blue Room ...

Book Review

Dexter Gordon: Portrait of a Sophisticated Giant

by S.G Provizer
December 30, 2018

Sophisticated Giant: The Life and Legacy of Dexter Gordon Maxine Gordon 261 Pages ISBN: #9780520280649 University of California Press 2018 Maxine Gordon was the last of Dexter Gordon's several wives and she has written a biography of Gordon, a task with which he charged her before he died in 1990. The saxophonist had actually done some writing on an autobiography before he died and Maxine Gordon was able to use this material in ...

Album Review

Dexter Gordon Quartet: Espace Cardin 1977

Read "Espace Cardin 1977" reviewed by Karl Ackermann

by Karl Ackermann
November 12, 2018

Dexter Gordon left us almost three decades ago, but his presence in 2018 has virtually brought him back to center stage. The release of his biography Sophisticated Giant: The Life and Legacy of Dexter Gordon (University of California Press) by his wife Maxine Gordon, and the previously unreleased Dexter Gordon Quartet Tokyo 1975 (Elemental Music) have revitalized interest in one of the most influential early leaders of the bebop movement. Elemental follows up the Tokyo concert release with Espace Cardin ...

Book Review

More Than A Jazz Legend: Dexter Gordon and His Search For Personal Integrity

by Victor L. Schermer
November 1, 2018

Sophisticated Giant: The Life and Legacy of Dexter Gordon Maxine Gordon 261 Pages ISBN: #9780520280649 University of California Press 2018 Dexter Gordon became a jazz legend in his own time. He played a key role in the bebop and hard bop movements, created an instantly recognizable style that came from Louis Armstrong and Lester Young but moved quickly into the modern jazz era, and established a new standard for tenor saxophone playing. ...