Dexter Gordon
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Dexter Gordon (February 27, 1923 – April 25, 1990) was an American
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
tenor saxophonist, composer, bandleader, and actor. He was among the most influential early bebop musicians, which included other greats such as
Charlie Parker Charles Parker Jr. (August 29, 1920 – March 12, 1955), nicknamed "Bird" or "Yardbird", was an American jazz saxophonist, band leader and composer. Parker was a highly influential soloist and leading figure in the development of bebop, a form ...
,
Dizzy Gillespie John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie (; October 21, 1917 – January 6, 1993) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, composer, educator and singer. He was a trumpet virtuoso and improviser, building on the virtuosic style of Roy Eldridge but addi ...
, and
Bud Powell Earl Rudolph "Bud" Powell (September 27, 1924 – July 31, 1966) was an American jazz pianist and composer. Along with Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Kenny Clarke and Dizzy Gillespie, Powell was a leading figure in the development of modern ...
. Gordon's height was , 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 was known for inserting musical quotes into his solos, with sources as diverse as "
Happy Birthday Happy Birthday may refer to: * "Happy Birthday", an expression of good will offered on a person's birthday Film, theatre and television * ''Happy Birthday'' (1998 film), a Russian drama by Larisa Sadilova * ''Happy Birthday'', a 2001 film featu ...
" and well known melodies from the operas of
Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, polemicist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most op ...
. 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 Walter Theodore "Sonny" Rollins (born September 7, 1930) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist who is widely recognized as one of the most important and influential jazz musicians. In a seven-decade career, he has recorded over sixty albums as a ...
. Rollins and Coltrane then influenced Gordon's playing as he explored hard bop and modal playing during the 1960s. Gordon was known for his genial and humorous stage presence. He was an advocate of playing to communicate with the audience, which was his musical approach as well. His improvisation was remarkably engaging and intelligent, but never gratuitously complex or unusual. It was always a conversation simultaneously delightful and intellectual. One of his idiosyncratic rituals was to recite lyrics from each ballad before playing it. A photograph by
Herman Leonard Herman Leonard (March 6, 1923, in Allentown, Pennsylvania – August 14, 2010, in Los Angeles, California) was an American photographer known for his unique images of jazz icons. Early life and education Leonard was born in Allentown, Pe ...
of Gordon taking a smoke break at the Royal Roost in 1948 is one of the iconic images in jazz photography. Cigarettes were a recurring theme on covers of Gordon's albums. Gordon was nominated for an
Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
for
Best Actor in a Leading Role Best or The Best may refer to: People * Best (surname), people with the surname Best * Best (footballer, born 1968), retired Portuguese footballer Companies and organizations * Best & Co., an 1879–1971 clothing chain * Best Lock Corporatio ...
for his performance in the
Bertrand Tavernier Bertrand Tavernier (25 April 1941 – 25 March 2021) was a French director, screenwriter, actor and producer. Life and career Tavernier was born in Lyon, France, the son of Geneviève (née Dumond) and René Tavernier, a publicist and writer, s ...
film '' Round Midnight'' (
Warner Bros Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Di ...
, 1986), and he won a Grammy for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Soloist, for the soundtrack album ''
The Other Side of Round Midnight ''The Other Side of Round Midnight'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist Dexter Gordon recorded in 1985 and released on the Blue Note Records, Blue Note label.
'' (
Blue Note Records Blue Note Records is an American jazz record label owned by Universal Music Group and operated under Capitol Music Group. Established in 1939 by Alfred Lion and Max Margulis, it derived its name from the blue notes of jazz and the blues. Or ...
, 1986). He also had a cameo role in the 1990 film '' Awakenings''. In 2018, Gordon's album ''Go'' (Blue Note, 1962) was selected by the
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for preservation in the
National Recording Registry The National Recording Registry is a list of sound recordings that "are culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant, and/or inform or reflect life in the United States." The registry was established by the National Recording Preservati ...
for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".


Life and career


Early life

Dexter Keith Gordon was born on February 27, 1923, in Los Angeles, California. His father, Frank Gordon, one of the first African American doctors in Los Angeles, arrived in 1918 after graduating from Howard University Medical School in
Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
Among his patients were
Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Ellington was based ...
and
Lionel Hampton Lionel Leo Hampton (April 20, 1908 – August 31, 2002) was an American jazz vibraphonist, pianist, percussionist, and bandleader. Hampton worked with jazz musicians from Teddy Wilson, Benny Goodman, and Buddy Rich, to Charlie Parker, Charles M ...
. Dexter's mother, Gwendolyn Baker, was the daughter of Captain Edward Lee Baker, Jr. one of the five
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...
recipients in the
Spanish–American War , partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence , image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg , image_size = 300px , caption = (clock ...
. Gordon began his study of music with the
clarinet The clarinet is a musical instrument in the woodwind family. The instrument has a nearly cylindrical bore and a flared bell, and uses a single reed to produce sound. Clarinets comprise a family of instruments of differing sizes and pitches ...
at age 13, then switched to the
alto saxophone The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments. Saxophones were invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s and patented in 1846. The alto saxophone is pitched in E, smaller than the B tenor ...
at 15, and finally to the
tenor saxophone The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor and the alto are the two most commonly used saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B (while th ...
at 17. He studied with multi-instrumentalist Lloyd Reese while attending Thomas Jefferson High School, and studied with the school’s band director, Sam Browne. pp. 4, 26. While still at school, he played in bands with such contemporaries as
Chico Hamilton Foreststorn "Chico" Hamilton (September 20, 1921 – November 25, 2013) was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. He came to prominence as sideman for Lester Young, Gerry Mulligan, Count Basie, and Lena Horne. Hamilton became a bandleader, ...
and Buddy Collette. Between December 1940 and 1943, Gordon was a member of
Lionel Hampton Lionel Leo Hampton (April 20, 1908 – August 31, 2002) was an American jazz vibraphonist, pianist, percussionist, and bandleader. Hampton worked with jazz musicians from Teddy Wilson, Benny Goodman, and Buddy Rich, to Charlie Parker, Charles M ...
's band, playing in a saxophone section alongside Illinois Jacquet and
Marshal Royal Marshal Walton Royal Jr. (December 5, 1912 – May 8, 1995) was an American jazz alto saxophonist and clarinetist best known for his work with Count Basie, with whose band he played for nearly twenty years. Early life and education Marshal Royal ...
. During 1944 he was featured in the
Fletcher Henderson James Fletcher Hamilton Henderson (December 18, 1897 – December 29, 1952) was an American pianist, bandleader, arranger and composer, important in the development of big band jazz and swing music. He was one of the most prolific black musi ...
band, followed by the
Louis Armstrong Louis Daniel Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971), nicknamed "Satchmo", "Satch", and "Pops", was an American trumpeter and vocalist. He was among the most influential figures in jazz. His career spanned five decades and several era ...
band, before joining
Billy Eckstine William Clarence Eckstine (July 8, 1914 – March 8, 1993) was an American jazz and pop singer and a bandleader during the swing and bebop eras. He was noted for his rich, almost operatic bass-baritone voice. In 2019, Eckstine was posthumously ...
. The
1942–44 musicians' strike Year 194 ( CXCIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Septimius and Septimius (or, less frequently, year 947 ''Ab urbe co ...
curtailed the recording of the Hampton, Henderson, and Armstrong bands; however, they were recorded on
V-Discs V-Disc ( "V" for Victory) was a record label that was formed in 1943 to provide records for U.S. military personnel. Captain Robert Vincent supervised the label from the Special Services division. Many popular singers, big bands, and orches ...
produced by the Army for broadcast and distribution among overseas troops. In 1943 he was featured, alongside Harry "Sweets" Edison, in recordings under
Nat Cole Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American singer, jazz pianist, and actor. Cole's music career began after he dropped out of school at the age of 15, and continued f ...
for a small label not affected by the strike.


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
Dizzy Gillespie John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie (; October 21, 1917 – January 6, 1993) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, composer, educator and singer. He was a trumpet virtuoso and improviser, building on the virtuosic style of Roy Eldridge but addi ...
(''Blue 'n' Boogie'', Groovin' High) and
Sir Charles Thompson Sir Charles Thompson, 1st Baronet (c.1740 – 17 March 1799) was a British naval officer. After long service in the Seven Years' War, American War of Independence and War of the First Coalition, he was John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent, Admir ...
(''Takin' Off, If I Had You, 20th Century Blues, The Street Beat''). In late 1945 he was recording under his own name for the
Savoy Savoy (; frp, Savouè ; french: Savoie ) is a cultural-historical region in the Western Alps. Situated on the cultural boundary between Occitania and Piedmont, the area extends from Lake Geneva in the north to the Dauphiné in the south. Savo ...
label. His Savoy recordings during 1945-46 included ''Blow Mr. Dexter'', ''Dexter's Deck'', ''Dexter's Minor Mad'', ''Long Tall Dexter'', ''Dexter Rides Again'', ''I Can't Escape From You,''and ''Dexter Digs In''. He returned to Los Angeles in late 1946 and in 1947 was leading sessions for Ross Russell's Dial label (''Mischievous Lady, Lullaby in Rhythm, The Chase, Iridescence, It's the Talk of the Town, Bikini, A Ghost of a Chance, Sweet and Lovely''). After his return to Los Angeles, he became known for his saxophone duels with fellow tenorman Wardell Gray, which were a popular concert attraction documented in recordings made between 1947 and 1952 (''The Hunt, Move, The Chase, The Steeplechase''). ''The Hunt'' gained literary fame from its mention in
Jack Kerouac Jean-Louis Lebris de Kérouac (; March 12, 1922 – October 21, 1969), known as Jack Kerouac, was an American novelist and poet who, alongside William S. Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg, was a pioneer of the Beat Generation. Of French-Canadian a ...
's ''
On The Road ''On the Road'' is a 1957 novel by American writer Jack Kerouac, based on the travels of Kerouac and his friends across the United States. It is considered a defining work of the postwar Beat and Counterculture generations, with its protagonis ...
'', which also contains descriptions of wild tenormen jamming in Los Angeles. ''Cherokee, Byas a Drink, ''and'' Disorder at the Border'' are other live recordings of the Gray/Gordon duo from the same concert (all issued on the album '' The Hunt'' in 1977). In December 1947, Gordon recorded again with the Savoy label (''Settin' the Pace, So Easy, Dexter's Riff, Dextrose, Dexter's Mood, Index, Dextivity, Wee Dot, Lion Roars''). Through the mid-to-late 1940s he continued to work as a sideman on sessions led by
Russell Jacquet Russell Jacquet (December 4, 1917 – February 28, 1990) was an American trumpeter. Jacquet was born on December 4, 1917 in Saint Martinville, Louisiana, United States. He was the elder brother of well-known tenor saxophonist Illinois Jacquet, wh ...
, Benny Carter, Ben Webster,
Ralph Burns Ralph Joseph P. Burns (June 29, 1922 – November 21, 2001) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. Early life Burns was born in Newton, Massachusetts, United States, where he began playing the piano as a child. In 1938, he attend ...
, Jimmy Rushing, Helen Humes,
Gerry Mulligan Gerald Joseph Mulligan (April 6, 1927 – January 20, 1996), also known as Jeru, was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, composer and arranger. Though primarily known as one of the leading jazz baritone saxophonists—playing the instrum ...
,
Wynonie Harris Wynonie Harris (August 24, 1915 – June 14, 1969) was an American blues shouter and rhythm-and-blues singer of upbeat songs, featuring humorous, often ribald lyrics. He had fifteen Top 10 hits between 1946 and 1952. Harris is attributed by ma ...
, Leo Parker, and
Tadd Dameron Tadley Ewing Peake Dameron (February 21, 1917 – March 8, 1965) was an American jazz composer, arranger, and pianist. Biography Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Dameron was the most influential arranger of the bebop era, but also wrote charts for swi ...
.


The 1950s

During the 1950s, Gordon's recorded output and live appearances declined as heroin addiction and legal troubles took their toll. Gordon made a concert appearance with Wardell Gray in February 1952 (''The Chase, The Steeplechase, Take the A Train, Robbins Nest, Stardust'') and appeared as a sideman in a session led by Gray in June 1952 (''The Rubiyat, Jungle Jungle Jump, Citizen's Bop, My Kinda Love''). After an incarceration at
Chino Prison California Institution for Men (CIM) is a male-only state prison located in the city of Chino, San Bernardino County, California. It is often colloquially referenced as "Chino". In turn, locals call the prison "Chino Men's" or just "Men's" to avo ...
from 1953 to 1955, he recorded the albums ''
Daddy Plays the Horn ''Daddy Plays the Horn'' is a 1955 jazz album by Saxophone, saxophonist Dexter Gordon. Reception The ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' review stated that the album was "not too original, but it swings" and mentioned that Gordon played "some ...
'' and ''
Dexter Blows Hot and Cool ''Dexter Blows Hot and Cool'' is a 1955 album by jazz musician Dexter Gordon. Reception The Billboard Reviewer noted that Gordon appeared "somewhat mellowed, making little attempt to impress either as a technician or melodic innovator" but that ...
'' in 1955 and played as a sideman on the
Stan Levey Adolph Stanley Levey known professionally as Stan Levey (April 5, 1926 – April 19, 2005) was an American jazz drummer. He was known for working with Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie in the early development of bebop during the 1940s, and i ...
album, ''This Time the Drum's on Me''. The latter part of the decade saw him in and out of prison until his final release from Folsom Prison in 1959. He was one of the initial sax players for the Onzy Matthews
big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s an ...
in 1959, along with Curtis Amy. Gordon continued to champion Matthews' band after he left Los Angeles for New York, but left for Europe before getting a chance to record with that band. He recorded ''
The Resurgence of Dexter Gordon ''The Resurgence of Dexter Gordon'' is an album by American saxophonist Dexter Gordon recorded in 1960 and released on the Jazzland label.
'' in 1960. His recordings from the mid-1950s onward document a meander into a smooth
West Coast West Coast or west coast may refer to: Geography Australia * Western Australia *Regions of South Australia#Weather forecasting, West Coast of South Australia * West Coast, Tasmania **West Coast Range, mountain range in the region Canada * Britis ...
style that lacked the impact of his bebop era recordings or his subsequent Blue Note recordings. 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 '' Young Man with a Horn'' (1950). He appeared in an uncredited and overdubbed role as a member of a prison band in the movie '' Unchained'', filmed inside Chino. Gordon was a saxophonist performing Freddie Redd's music for the Los Angeles production of
Jack Gelber Jack Gelber (April 12, 1932 – May 9, 2003) was an American playwright best known for his 1959 drama '' The Connection'', depicting the life of drug-addicted jazz musicians. The first great success of the Living Theatre, the play was transl ...
's play '' The Connection'' in 1960, replacing Jackie McLean. He contributed two compositions, ''Ernie's Tune'' and ''I Want More'' to the score and later recorded them for his album ''Dexter Calling...''.


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 ''Doin' Allright'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist Dexter Gordon recorded in 1961 and released on the Blue Note label.
'', '' Dexter Calling...'', ''Go!'', and ''
A Swingin' Affair ''A Swingin' Affair'' is a 1962 album by saxophonist Dexter Gordon, recorded two days after ''Go (Dexter Gordon album), Go!'', and with the same line-up. Recording and music The album was recorded at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jers ...
''. The first two were recorded over three days in May 1961 with
Freddie Hubbard Frederick Dewayne Hubbard (April 7, 1938 – December 29, 2008) was an American jazz trumpeter. He played bebop, hard bop, and post-bop styles from the early 1960s onwards. His unmistakable and influential tone contributed to new perspectives fo ...
,
Horace Parlan Horace Parlan (January 19, 1931 – February 23, 2017) was an American pianist and composer known for working in the hard bop and post-bop styles of jazz. In addition to his work as a bandleader Parlan was known for his contributions to the Char ...
,
Kenny Drew Kenneth Sidney "Kenny" Drew (August 28, 1928 – August 4, 1993) was an American-Danish jazz pianist. Biography Drew was born in New York City, United States, and received piano lessons from the age of five.Feather, Leonard, & Ira Gitler (2 ...
,
Paul Chambers Paul Laurence Dunbar Chambers Jr. (April 22, 1935 – January 4, 1969) was an American jazz double bassist. A fixture of rhythm sections during the 1950s and 1960s, he has become one of the most widely-known jazz bassists of the hard bop era. ...
, George Tucker,
Al Harewood Al Harewood (June 3, 1923 – March 13, 2014) was an American jazz drummer and teacher, born in Brooklyn. As a musician Harewood worked with many jazz musicians including the J.J. Johnson/ Kai Winding group, the Art Farmer/ Gigi Grice band, Davi ...
, 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 Edward Rudolph "Butch" Warren Jr. (August 9, 1939 – October 5, 2013) was an American jazz bassist who was active during the 1950s and 1960s. Biography Warren's mother was a typist at the CIA. His father, Edward Sr., was an electronics tech ...
and
Billy Higgins Billy Higgins (October 11, 1936 – May 3, 2001) was an American jazz drummer. He played mainly free jazz and hard bop. Biography Higgins was born in Los Angeles, California, United States. Higgins played on Ornette Coleman's first records, be ...
. Of the two ''Go!'' was an expressed favorite. 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. 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 Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
and
Copenhagen Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...
, Gordon played regularly with fellow expatriates or visiting players, such as
Bud Powell Earl Rudolph "Bud" Powell (September 27, 1924 – July 31, 1966) was an American jazz pianist and composer. Along with Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Kenny Clarke and Dizzy Gillespie, Powell was a leading figure in the development of modern ...
, Ben Webster,
Freddie Hubbard Frederick Dewayne Hubbard (April 7, 1938 – December 29, 2008) was an American jazz trumpeter. He played bebop, hard bop, and post-bop styles from the early 1960s onwards. His unmistakable and influential tone contributed to new perspectives fo ...
,
Bobby Hutcherson Robert Hutcherson (January 27, 1941 – August 15, 2016) was an American jazz vibraphone and marimba player. "Little B's Poem", from the 1966 Blue Note album '' Components'', is one of his best-known compositions.Huey, Steve. "Components – Bob ...
,
Kenny Drew Kenneth Sidney "Kenny" Drew (August 28, 1928 – August 4, 1993) was an American-Danish jazz pianist. Biography Drew was born in New York City, United States, and received piano lessons from the age of five.Feather, Leonard, & Ira Gitler (2 ...
,
Horace Parlan Horace Parlan (January 19, 1931 – February 23, 2017) was an American pianist and composer known for working in the hard bop and post-bop styles of jazz. In addition to his work as a bandleader Parlan was known for his contributions to the Char ...
and
Billy Higgins Billy Higgins (October 11, 1936 – May 3, 2001) was an American jazz drummer. He played mainly free jazz and hard bop. Biography Higgins was born in Los Angeles, California, United States. Higgins played on Ornette Coleman's first records, be ...
. Blue Note's
Francis Wolff Francis Wolff (April 5, 1907 – March 8, 1971) was a record company executive, photographer and record producer. Wolff's skills, as an executive and a photographer, were important contributions to the success of the Blue Note record label. Care ...
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 Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of music ...
with
Red Garland William McKinley "Red" Garland Jr. (May 13, 1923 – April 23, 1984) was an American modern jazz pianist. Known for his work as a bandleader and during the 1950s with Miles Davis, Garland helped popularize the block chord style of playing in jazz ...
or John Coltrane with McCoy Tyner. From this period come ''
Our Man in Paris ''Our Man in Paris'' is a 1963 jazz album by saxophonist Dexter Gordon. The album's title refers to where the recording was made, Gordon (who had moved to Copenhagen a year earlier) teaming up with fellow expatriates Bud Powell and Kenny Clark ...
'', '' One Flight Up'', ''
Gettin' Around ''Gettin' Around'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist Dexter Gordon recorded over two days in May 1965 and released by Blue Note the following year.
'', 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 Donaldson Toussaint L'Ouverture Byrd II (December 9, 1932 – February 4, 2013) was an American jazz and rhythm & blues trumpeter and vocalist. A sideman for many other jazz musicians of his generation, Byrd was one of the few hard bop m ...
, pianist Kenny Drew, drummer
Art Taylor Arthur S. Taylor Jr. (April 6, 1929 – February 6, 1995) was an American jazz drummer, who "helped define the sound of modern jazz drumming".Watrous, Peter (February 7, 1995)"Art Taylor, 65, Jazz Drummer Who Inspired Young Musicians" ''The Ne ...
, 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. While in Copenhagen, Gordon and Drew's trio appeared onscreen in Ole Ege's theatrically released hardcore pornographic film ''Pornografi – en musical'' (1971), for which they composed and performed the score. He switched from Blue Note to
Prestige Records Prestige Records is a jazz record company and label founded in 1949 by Bob Weinstock in New York City which issued recordings in the mainstream, bop, and cool jazz idioms. The company recorded hundreds of albums by many of the leading jazz music ...
(1965–73). For the label, he recorded bop albums like '' The Tower of Power!'' and ''
More Power! ''More Power!'' is an album by saxophonist Dexter Gordon which was recorded in 1969 and released on the Prestige label.James Moody, Barry Harris,
Buster Williams Charles Anthony "Buster" Williams (born April 17, 1942) is an American jazz bassist. Williams is known for his membership in pianist Herbie Hancock's early 1970s group, working with guitarist Larry Coryell from the 1980s to present, working in th ...
, and
Albert "Tootie" Heath Albert "Tootie" Heath (born May 31, 1935) is an American jazz hard bop drummer, the brother of tenor saxophonist Jimmy Heath and the double-bassist Percy Heath. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, he first recorded in 1957 with J ...
; ''
The Panther! ''The Panther!'' is an album by saxophonist Dexter Gordon that was recorded in 1970 and released on the Prestige label.Tommy Flanagan Thomas Lee Flanagan (March 16, 1930 – November 16, 2001) was an American jazz pianist and composer. He grew up in Detroit, initially influenced by such pianists as Art Tatum, Teddy Wilson, and Nat King Cole, and then by bebop musicians. ...
, Larry Ridley, and Alan Dawson; ''
The Jumpin' Blues ''The Jumpin' Blues'' is an album by saxophonist Dexter Gordon which was recorded in 1970 and released on the Prestige label.
'' (1970) with
Wynton Kelly Wynton Charles Kelly (December 2, 1931 – April 12, 1971) was an American jazz pianist and composer. He is known for his lively, blues-based playing and as one of the finest accompanists in jazz. He began playing professionally at the age of ...
, Sam Jones, and
Roy Brooks Roy Brooks (March 9, 1938 – November 15, 2005) was an American jazz drummer. Biography Early life Brooks was born in Detroit and drummed since childhood, his earliest experiences of music coming through his mother, who sang in church. He was a ...
; ''
The Chase! ''The Chase!'' is a live album by the saxophonists Dexter Gordon and Gene Ammons recorded in Chicago in 1970 and released on the Prestige Records, Prestige label. Reception In a review for AllMusic, Scott Yanow stated: "this CD is highly recommen ...
'' (1970) with
Gene Ammons Eugene "Jug" Ammons (April 14, 1925 – August 6, 1974), also known as "The Boss", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. The son of boogie-woogie pianist Albert Ammons, Gene Ammons is remembered for his accessible music, steeped in soul and ...
, Jodie Christian,
John Young John Young may refer to: Academics * John Young (professor of Greek) (died 1820), Scottish professor of Greek at the University of Glasgow * John C. Young (college president) (1803–1857), American educator, pastor, and president of Centre Coll ...
, Cleveland Eaton,
Rufus Reid Rufus Reid (born February 10, 1944, in Atlanta, Georgia) is an American jazz bassist, educator, and composer. Biography Reid was raised in Sacramento, California, where he played the trumpet through junior high and high school. Upon graduation ...
, Wilbur Campbell,
Steve McCall Stephen Harold McCall (born 15 October 1960) is an English retired footballer who now works as a Scout for Carlisle United. A defensive midfielder during his playing days, McCall built a reputation as a cultured midfield player, with immacula ...
, and
Vi Redd Elvira "Vi" Redd (born September 20, 1928) is an American jazz alto saxophone player, vocalist and educator. She has been active since the early 1950s and is known primarily for playing in the blues style. She is highly regarded as an accomplis ...
; and ''
Tangerine The tangerine is a type of citrus fruit that is orange in color. Its scientific name varies. It has been treated as a separate species under the name ''Citrus tangerina'' or ''Citrus'' × ''tangerina'', or treated as a variety of ''Citrus retic ...
'' (1972) with Thad Jones,
Freddie Hubbard Frederick Dewayne Hubbard (April 7, 1938 – December 29, 2008) was an American jazz trumpeter. He played bebop, hard bop, and post-bop styles from the early 1960s onwards. His unmistakable and influential tone contributed to new perspectives fo ...
, and
Hank Jones Henry Jones Jr. (July 31, 1918 – May 16, 2010) was an American jazz pianist, bandleader, arranger, and composer. Critics and musicians described Jones as eloquent, lyrical, and impeccable. In 1989, The National Endowment for the Arts honored ...
. Some of the Prestige albums were recorded during visits back to North America while he was still living in Europe; others were made in Europe, including live sets from the
Montreux Jazz Festival The Montreux Jazz Festival (formerly Festival de Jazz Montreux and Festival International de Jazz Montreux) is a music festival in Switzerland, held annually in early July in Montreux on the Lake Geneva shoreline. It is the second-largest annual ...
. 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 Steeplechase may refer to: * Steeplechase (horse racing), a type of horse race in which participants are required to jump over obstacles * Steeplechase (athletics), an event in athletics that derives its name from the steeplechase in horse racing ...
released live dates from his mid-1960s tenure at the Jazzhus Montmartre in Copenhagen. The video was released under the ''Jazz Icons'' series. The albums he recorded during the 1970s for SteepleChase include


Homecoming

Gordon finally 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
Woody Shaw Woody Herman Shaw Jr. (December 24, 1944 – May 10, 1989) was an American jazz trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, composer, arranger, band leader, and educator. Shaw is widely known as one of the most important and influential jazz trumpet ...
,
Ronnie Mathews Ronald Mathews (December 2, 1935 in New York City – June 28, 2008 in Brooklyn) was an American jazz pianist who worked with Max Roach from 1963 to 1968 and Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. He acted as lead in recording from 1963 and 1978–79. His ...
,
Stafford James Stafford James (born April 24, 1946) is an American double-bassist and composer.Allmusic/ref> Biography Stafford James was born in Evanston, Illinois. From ages 6 to 11 he was a left handed violinist in the school orchestra. He also possessed d ...
, and Louis Hayes, for a gig at the Village Vanguard in New York that was dubbed his "homecoming." It was recorded and released by
Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...
under that title. He observed: "There was ''so'' much love and elation; sometimes it was a little ''eerie'' at the Vanguard. After the last set they'd turn on the lights and ''nobody'' would move." In addition to the ''Homecoming'' album, a series of live albums was released by Blue Note from his stands at
Keystone Korner Keystone Korner was a jazz club in the North Beach, San Francisco, North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco, which opened in 1972 and continued operation until 1983. Many live recordings were made at the club. Jessica Williams (musician), Jessic ...
in San Francisco during 1978 and 1979. They featured Gordon,
George Cables George Andrew Cables (born November 14, 1944) is an American jazz pianist and composer. Early life Cables was born in New York City, United States. He was initially taught piano by his mother. He then studied at the High School of Performing Ar ...
,
Rufus Reid Rufus Reid (born February 10, 1944, in Atlanta, Georgia) is an American jazz bassist, educator, and composer. Biography Reid was raised in Sacramento, California, where he played the trumpet through junior high and high school. Upon graduation ...
, and Eddie Gladden. He recorded the studio albums ''
Sophisticated Giant ''Sophisticated Giant'' is a jazz album by saxophonist Dexter Gordon recorded in 1977 by an eleven-piece band playing tunes arranged by trombone player Slide Hampton. The album marked Gordon's return to the United States after a long residency in E ...
'' with an eleven piece big band in 1977 and ''Manhattan Symphonie'' with the ''Live at Keystone Corner'' crew in 1978. The sensation of Gordon's return, and the continued efforts of
Art Blakey Arthur Blakey (October 11, 1919 – October 16, 1990) was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. He was also known as Abdullah Ibn Buhaina after he converted to Islam for a short time in the late 1940s. Blakey made a name for himself in the 1 ...
through 1970s and early 1980s, have been credited with reviving interest in swinging, melodic, acoustically-based classic jazz sounds after the
Fusion jazz Jazz fusion (also known as fusion and progressive jazz) is a music genre that developed in the late 1960s when musicians combined jazz harmony and improvisation with rock music, funk, and rhythm and blues. Electric guitars, amplifiers, and keyb ...
era that saw an emphasis on electronic sounds and contemporary pop influences.


Musician Emeritus

In 1978 and 1980, Gordon was the ''
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 which it covered exclusively in previous years. The publication was established in 1934 in Chi ...
'' Musician of the Year and in 1980 he was inducted into the Jazz Hall of Fame. The US Government honored him with a Congressional Commendation, a Dexter Gordon Day in Washington DC, and a
National Endowment for the Arts The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal ...
award for Lifetime Achievement. In 1986, he was named a member and officer of the
French Order of Arts and Letters The ''Ordre des Arts et des Lettres'' (Order of Arts and Letters) is an order of France established on 2 May 1957 by the Minister of Culture. Its supplementary status to the was confirmed by President Charles de Gaulle in 1963. Its purpose is t ...
by the Ministry of Culture in
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
. During the 1980s, Gordon, a life-long smoker, was weakened by
emphysema Emphysema, or pulmonary emphysema, is a lower respiratory tract disease, characterised by air-filled spaces ( pneumatoses) in the lungs, that can vary in size and may be very large. The spaces are caused by the breakdown of the walls of the alve ...
. He remained a popular attraction at concerts and festivals, although his live appearances and recording dates would soon become infrequent. Gordon's most memorable works from the decade were not in music but in film. He starred in the 1986 movie '' Round Midnight'' as "Dale Turner", an expatriate jazz musician in Paris during the late 1950s based loosely on Lester Young and Bud Powell. That portrayal earned him a nomination for an
Academy Award for Best Actor The Academy Award for Best Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given to an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role in a film released that year. The ...
. In addition, he had a non-speaking role as a piano-playing hospital inmate in the 1990 film '' Awakenings'', which was posthumously released. Before that last film was released he made a guest appearance on the
Michael Mann Michael Kenneth Mann (born February 5, 1943) is an American director, screenwriter, and producer of film and television who is best known for his distinctive style of crime drama. His most acclaimed works include the films ''Thief'' (1981), ' ...
series '' Crime Story''. Soundtrack performances from Round Midnight were released as the albums '' Round Midnight'' and ''
The Other Side of Round Midnight ''The Other Side of Round Midnight'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist Dexter Gordon recorded in 1985 and released on the Blue Note Records, Blue Note label.
'', featuring original music by
Herbie Hancock Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American jazz pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, and composer. Hancock started his career with trumpeter Donald Byrd's group. He shortly thereafter joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he help ...
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 Kidney failure, also known as end-stage kidney disease, is a medical condition in which the kidneys can no longer adequately filter waste products from the blood, functioning at less than 15% of normal levels. Kidney failure is classified as eit ...
and smoking related cancer of the
larynx The larynx (), commonly called the voice box, is an organ in the top of the neck involved in breathing, producing sound and protecting the trachea against food aspiration. The opening of larynx into pharynx known as the laryngeal inlet is about ...
in
Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
, on April 25, 1990, at the age of 67.


Family

Gordon's maternal grandfather was Captain
Edward L. Baker Edward Lee Baker Jr. (December 28, 1865 in Laramie County, Wyoming – August 26, 1913 in Los Angeles) was an African-American United States Army Captain who received the Medal of Honor for actions during the Spanish–American War. While under f ...
, who received the
Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...
during the
Spanish–American War , partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence , image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg , image_size = 300px , caption = (clock ...
, while serving with the 10th Cavalry Regiment (also known as the
Buffalo Soldiers Buffalo Soldiers originally were members of the 10th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army, formed on September 21, 1866, at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. This nickname was given to the Black Cavalry by Native American tribes who fought in t ...
). Gordon's father, Dr. Frank Gordon, M.D., was one of the first prominent African-American physicians and a graduate of Howard University. Dexter Gordon had a total of six children, from the oldest to the youngest: Robin Gordon (Los Angeles), California, Deidre (Dee Dee) Gordon (Los Angeles), Mikael Gordon-Solfors (
Stockholm Stockholm () is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, largest city of Sweden as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in Scandinavia. Approximately 980,000 people liv ...
), Morten Gordon (
Copenhagen Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...
) and Benjamin Dexter Gordon (Copenhagen), and seven grandchildren, Raina Moore Trider (
Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
), Jared Johnson (Los Angeles), and Matthew Johnson (Los Angeles), Maya Canales (San Francisco) and Jared Canales (San Francisco), Dexter Gordon Bogs (Copenhagen), Dexter Minou Flipper Gordon-Marberger (Stockholm). When he lived in Denmark, Gordon became friends with the family of the future
Metallica Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...
drummer
Lars Ulrich Lars Ulrich (; ; born 26 December 1963) is a Danish musician best known as the drummer and co-founder of American heavy metal band Metallica. The son and grandson respectively of tennis players Torben and Einer Ulrich, he played tennis in his ...
, and subsequently became Lars's godfather.Joel McIver
''Justice for All: The Truth about Metallica''
Omnibus Press, 2004.
Gordon is also survived by his widow Fenja Gordon and her son Benjamin Gordon.


Instruments and mouthpieces

The earliest photographs of Gordon as a player show him with a Conn 30M "Connqueror" and an Otto Link mouthpiece. In a 1962 interview with the British journalist Les Tomkins, he did not refer to the specific model of mouthpiece but stated that it was made for him personally. He stated that it was stolen around 1952. In the Tomkins interview he referred to his mouthpiece as a small-chambered piece with a 5* (.085" under the Otto Link system) tip opening. He bought a
Selmer Mark VI The Selmer Mark VI is a saxophone produced from 1954 to 1981. Production shifted to the Mark VII for the tenor and alto in the mid-1970s (see discussion of serial numbers below), and to the Super Action 80 for the soprano and baritone saxophone ...
from Ben Webster after he lost his 10M during the trip to Paris. In a ''DownBeat'' magazine interview from 1977, he referred to his current mouthpiece as an Otto Link model with a #8 (.110" under the Otto Link system) tip opening.


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 Theodore Marcus Edwards (April 26, 1924 – April 20, 2003) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Biography Edwards was born in Jackson, Mississippi, United States. He learned to play at a very early age, first on alto saxophone and then ...
(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 witzerlandC&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 ''Daddy Plays the Horn'' is a 1955 jazz album by Saxophone, saxophonist Dexter Gordon. Reception The ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' review stated that the album was "not too original, but it swings" and mentioned that Gordon played "some ...
'' (Bethlehem 1955) *''
Dexter Blows Hot and Cool ''Dexter Blows Hot and Cool'' is a 1955 album by jazz musician Dexter Gordon. Reception The Billboard Reviewer noted that Gordon appeared "somewhat mellowed, making little attempt to impress either as a technician or melodic innovator" but that ...
'' (Dootone 1955) *''
The Resurgence of Dexter Gordon ''The Resurgence of Dexter Gordon'' is an album by American saxophonist Dexter Gordon recorded in 1960 and released on the Jazzland label.
'' ( Jazzland, 1960) *''
Doin' Allright ''Doin' Allright'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist Dexter Gordon recorded in 1961 and released on the Blue Note label.
'' ( Blue Note, 1961) *'' Dexter Calling...'' (Blue Note, 1961) *''
Landslide Landslides, also known as landslips, are several forms of mass wasting that may include a wide range of ground movements, such as rockfalls, deep-seated grade (slope), slope failures, mudflows, and debris flows. Landslides occur in a variety of ...
'' (Blue Note, 1961–62
980 Year 980 ( CMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Peace is concluded between Emperor Otto II (the Red) and King Lothair III (or Lothair IV) a ...
*'' Go!'' (Blue Note 1962) *''
A Swingin' Affair ''A Swingin' Affair'' is a 1962 album by saxophonist Dexter Gordon, recorded two days after ''Go (Dexter Gordon album), Go!'', and with the same line-up. Recording and music The album was recorded at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jers ...
'' (Blue Note, 1962) *''
Our Man in Paris ''Our Man in Paris'' is a 1963 jazz album by saxophonist Dexter Gordon. The album's title refers to where the recording was made, Gordon (who had moved to Copenhagen a year earlier) teaming up with fellow expatriates Bud Powell and Kenny Clark ...
'' (Blue Note, 1963, with
Bud Powell Earl Rudolph "Bud" Powell (September 27, 1924 – July 31, 1966) was an American jazz pianist and composer. Along with Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Kenny Clarke and Dizzy Gillespie, Powell was a leading figure in the development of modern ...
, Pierre Michelot, Kenny Clarke) *'' One Flight Up'' (Blue Note, 1964) *''
Cheese Cake Cheesecake is a sweet dessert consisting of one or more layers. The main, and thickest, layer consists of a mixture of a soft, fresh cheese (typically cottage cheese, cream cheese or ricotta), eggs, and sugar. If there is a bottom layer, it m ...
'' (
SteepleChase Steeplechase may refer to: * Steeplechase (horse racing), a type of horse race in which participants are required to jump over obstacles * Steeplechase (athletics), an event in athletics that derives its name from the steeplechase in horse racing ...
, 1979
964 Year 964 ( CMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events Byzantine Empire * Arab–Byzantine War: Emperor Nikephoros II continues the reconquest of south-eastern Anatoli ...
*'' King Neptune'' (SteepleChase, 1979
964 Year 964 ( CMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events Byzantine Empire * Arab–Byzantine War: Emperor Nikephoros II continues the reconquest of south-eastern Anatoli ...
*'' I Want More'' (SteepleChase, 1980
964 Year 964 ( CMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events Byzantine Empire * Arab–Byzantine War: Emperor Nikephoros II continues the reconquest of south-eastern Anatoli ...
*'' Love for Sale'' (SteepleChase, 1982
964 Year 964 ( CMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events Byzantine Empire * Arab–Byzantine War: Emperor Nikephoros II continues the reconquest of south-eastern Anatoli ...
*''
It's You or No One ''It's You or No One'' is an album by American singer Bobby Darin, released in 1963. Darin had left Atco for Capitol records, but left this album unreleased since 1960. The first side was arranged by Torrie Zito, with the second arranged by ...
'' (SteepleChase, 1983
964 Year 964 ( CMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events Byzantine Empire * Arab–Byzantine War: Emperor Nikephoros II continues the reconquest of south-eastern Anatoli ...
*''
Billie's Bounce "Billie's Bounce" (also known as "Bill's Bounce") is a jazz composition written in 1945 by Charlie Parker in the form of a 12 bar F blues. Some sources claim that the song was dedicated to Dizzy Gillespie's agent, Billy Shaw, although according ...
'' (SteepleChase, 1983
964 Year 964 ( CMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events Byzantine Empire * Arab–Byzantine War: Emperor Nikephoros II continues the reconquest of south-eastern Anatoli ...
*''
Gettin' Around ''Gettin' Around'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist Dexter Gordon recorded over two days in May 1965 and released by Blue Note the following year.
'' (Blue Note 1965) *'' Clubhouse'' (Blue Note, 1979
965 Year 965 ( CMLXV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Arab–Byzantine War: Emperor Nikephoros II conquers the fortress cities of Tar ...
*''
Wee Dot ''Wee Dot'' is a live album by American saxophonist Dexter Gordon recorded at the Jazzhus Montmartre in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1965 by Danmarks Radio and released on the SteepleChase label in 2003.
'' (SteepleChase, 2003
965 Year 965 ( CMLXV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Arab–Byzantine War: Emperor Nikephoros II conquers the fortress cities of Tar ...
*''
Loose Walk ''Loose Walk'' is a 1972 album by Count Basie and Roy Eldridge. Reception Scott Yanow, writing for AllMusic, said that " onically, the earliest recording by Count Basie for Norman Granz's Pablo label was one of the most recent to be released." ...
'' (SteepleChase, 2004
965 Year 965 ( CMLXV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Arab–Byzantine War: Emperor Nikephoros II conquers the fortress cities of Tar ...
*''
Misty Misty may refer to: Music * ''Misty'' (Ray Stevens album), an album by Ray Stevens featuring the above song * ''Misty'' (Richard "Groove" Holmes album), an album by Richard "Groove" Holmes featuring the above song * ''Misty'' (Eddie "Lockjaw" ...
'' (SteepleChase, 2004
965 Year 965 ( CMLXV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Arab–Byzantine War: Emperor Nikephoros II conquers the fortress cities of Tar ...
*'' Heartaches'' (SteepleChase, 2004
965 Year 965 ( CMLXV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Arab–Byzantine War: Emperor Nikephoros II conquers the fortress cities of Tar ...
*''
Ladybird Coccinellidae () is a widespread family of small beetles ranging in size from . They are commonly known as ladybugs in North America and ladybirds in Great Britain. Some entomologists prefer the names ladybird beetles or lady beetles as they ...
'' (SteepleChase, 2005
965 Year 965 ( CMLXV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Arab–Byzantine War: Emperor Nikephoros II conquers the fortress cities of Tar ...
*'' Stella by Starlight'' (SteepleChase, 2005
966 Year 966 (Roman numerals, CMLXVI) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * 23 June - Arab-Byzantine Wars, Byzantine-Arab War: Arab-Byzantine ...
*'' The Squirrel'' (Blue Note, 2001
967 Year 967 ( CMLXVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Spring – Emperor Otto I (the Great) calls for a council at Rome, to present the ne ...
*''Satin Doll'' (SteepleChase, 2012
967 Year 967 ( CMLXVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Spring – Emperor Otto I (the Great) calls for a council at Rome, to present the ne ...
*'' Both Sides of Midnight'' (Black Lion, 1988
967 Year 967 ( CMLXVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Spring – Emperor Otto I (the Great) calls for a council at Rome, to present the ne ...
*'' Body and Soul'' (Black Lion, 1988
967 Year 967 ( CMLXVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Spring – Emperor Otto I (the Great) calls for a council at Rome, to present the ne ...
*''
Take The "A" Train "Take the 'A' Train" is a jazz standard by Billy Strayhorn that was the signature tune of the Duke Ellington orchestra. History The use of the Strayhorn composition as the signature tune was made necessary by a ruling in 1940 by the American ...
'' (Black Lion, 1989
967 Year 967 ( CMLXVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Spring – Emperor Otto I (the Great) calls for a council at Rome, to present the ne ...
*''After Hours'' (SteepleChase, 1986, 969 *''After Midnight'' (SteepleChase, 1986, 969 *''Live at the Amsterdam Paradiso'' (Catfish, 1971 969 *''
A Day in Copenhagen ''A Day in Copenhagen'' is an album by saxophonist Dexter Gordon with trombonist Slide Hampton recorded in Copenhagen in 1969 which was originally released on the MPS label in Europe and re-released on the Prestige label in the US.
'' (MPS, 1969) – with
Slide Hampton Locksley Wellington Hampton (April 21, 1932 – November 18, 2021) was an American jazz trombonist, composer and arranger. As his nickname implies, Hampton's main instrument was slide trombone, but he also occasionally played tuba and flugelho ...
*'' The Tower of Power!'' (Prestige, 1969) – with James Moody *''
More Power! ''More Power!'' is an album by saxophonist Dexter Gordon which was recorded in 1969 and released on the Prestige label.969 *''XXL Live At The Left Bank'' (Prestige, 2002 969 *'' Some Other Spring'' (Sonet, 1970) – with Karin Krog *''
Dexter Gordon with Junior Mance at Montreux ''Dexter Gordon with Junior Mance at Montreux'' is a live album by saxophonist Dexter Gordon and pianist Junior Mance recorded at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1970 and released on the Prestige label.Junior Mance) *''
The Panther! ''The Panther!'' is an album by saxophonist Dexter Gordon that was recorded in 1970 and released on the Prestige label.Tommy Flanagan Thomas Lee Flanagan (March 16, 1930 – November 16, 2001) was an American jazz pianist and composer. He grew up in Detroit, initially influenced by such pianists as Art Tatum, Teddy Wilson, and Nat King Cole, and then by bebop musicians. ...
and Alan Dawson.
Prestige Records Prestige Records is a jazz record company and label founded in 1949 by Bob Weinstock in New York City which issued recordings in the mainstream, bop, and cool jazz idioms. The company recorded hundreds of albums by many of the leading jazz music ...
) *'' Live At The Both/And Club, San Francisco'' (BPM BPE-6101, 1970, with
George Duke George M. Duke (January 12, 1946 – August 5, 2013) was an American keyboardist, composer, singer-songwriter and record producer. He worked with numerous artists as arranger, music director, writer and co-writer, record producer and as a pr ...
and
Donald Garrett Donald Rafael Garrett (February 28, 1932, El Dorado, ArkansasAugust 14, 1989, Champaign, Illinois) was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist who played double-bass, clarinet, and flute. Biography Garrett, who preferred to be called Rafael, was ...
and Oliver Johnson) *''
The Chase! ''The Chase!'' is a live album by the saxophonists Dexter Gordon and Gene Ammons recorded in Chicago in 1970 and released on the Prestige Records, Prestige label. Reception In a review for AllMusic, Scott Yanow stated: "this CD is highly recommen ...
'' (Prestige, 1970, with
Gene Ammons Eugene "Jug" Ammons (April 14, 1925 – August 6, 1974), also known as "The Boss", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. The son of boogie-woogie pianist Albert Ammons, Gene Ammons is remembered for his accessible music, steeped in soul and ...
) *''
The Jumpin' Blues ''The Jumpin' Blues'' is an album by saxophonist Dexter Gordon which was recorded in 1970 and released on the Prestige label.
'' (Prestige, 1970, with
Wynton Kelly Wynton Charles Kelly (December 2, 1931 – April 12, 1971) was an American jazz pianist and composer. He is known for his lively, blues-based playing and as one of the finest accompanists in jazz. He began playing professionally at the age of ...
) *''Those Were The Days'' (Moon, 1995 967–71 *'' The Shadow Of Your Smile'' ( Steeplechase SCCD-31206 1971) *''
Tangerine The tangerine is a type of citrus fruit that is orange in color. Its scientific name varies. It has been treated as a separate species under the name ''Citrus tangerina'' or ''Citrus'' × ''tangerina'', or treated as a variety of ''Citrus retic ...
'' (Prestige, 1975 972 *''
Ca'Purange ''Ca'Purange'' is an album by saxophonist Dexter Gordon which was recorded in 1972 and released by Prestige.Thad Jones,
Hank Jones Henry Jones Jr. (July 31, 1918 – May 16, 2010) was an American jazz pianist, bandleader, arranger, and composer. Critics and musicians described Jones as eloquent, lyrical, and impeccable. In 1989, The National Endowment for the Arts honored ...
, Stanley Clarke and Louis Hayes) *'' Generation'' (Prestige, 1972, with
Freddie Hubbard Frederick Dewayne Hubbard (April 7, 1938 – December 29, 2008) was an American jazz trumpeter. He played bebop, hard bop, and post-bop styles from the early 1960s onwards. His unmistakable and influential tone contributed to new perspectives fo ...
,
Cedar Walton Cedar Anthony Walton Jr. (January 17, 1934 – August 19, 2013) was an American hard bop jazz pianist. He came to prominence as a member of drummer Art Blakey's band, The Jazz Messengers, before establishing a long career as a bandleader and com ...
and others) *''Afterhours/The Great Pescara Jam Sessions Vol 1&2'' (Ports Song, 1973, with
Eric Ineke Eric Ineke (born Haarlem, April 1, 1947) is a Dutch jazz drummer who started his career in the 1960s. After a few years of lessons of John Engels, he gained his first experience as jazzdrummer with singer Henny Vonk and tenorsaxophonist Ferdina ...
) *''
Blues à la Suisse ''Blues à la Suisse'' is a live album by American saxophonist Dexter Gordon recorded at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland in 1973 and released on the Prestige label.
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, 1974) *''
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with Benny Bailey) *''Round Midnight'' (SteepleChase, 1991
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with Benny Bailey) *''Revelation'' (SteepleChase, 1995
974 Year 974 ( CMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Battle of Danevirke: Emperor Otto II defeats the rebel forces of King Harald I, who has ...
with Benny Bailey) *'' More Than You Know'' (SteepleChase, 1975) with Orchestra arranged and conducted by
Palle Mikkelborg Palle Mikkelborg (born 6 March 1941) is a Danish jazz trumpet player, composer, arranger and record producer. He is self-taught on the trumpet, although he studied conducting at the Royal Music Conservatory in Copenhagen. He became a professio ...
*'' Stable Mable'' (SteepleChase, 1975) *'' Something Different'' (SteepleChase, 1975) *''
Bouncin' with Dex ''Bouncin' with Dex'' is an album led by saxophonist Dexter Gordon recorded in 1975 and released on the Danish SteepleChase Records, SteepleChase label.
'' (SteepleChase, 1975) *'' Swiss Nights Vol. 1'' (SteepleChase, 1976 975 *''
Swiss Nights Vol. 2 ''Swiss Nights Vol. 2'' is a live album led by saxophonist Dexter Gordon recorded in Zurich in 1975 and released on the Danish SteepleChase label in 1978.
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Swiss Nights Vol. 3 ''Swiss Nights Vol. 3'' is a live album led by saxophonist Dexter Gordon recorded in Zurich in 1975 and released on the Danish SteepleChase label in 1979.
'' (SteepleChase, 1979 975 *''
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, 1976, with Al Cohn) *''Silver Blue (album), Silver Blue'' (Xanadu Records, Xanadu, 1976, with Al Cohn) *''Biting the Apple'' (SteepleChase, 1976) *''Homecoming: Live at the Village Vanguard'' (Columbia, 1976, with
Woody Shaw Woody Herman Shaw Jr. (December 24, 1944 – May 10, 1989) was an American jazz trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, composer, arranger, band leader, and educator. Shaw is widely known as one of the most important and influential jazz trumpet ...
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Ronnie Mathews Ronald Mathews (December 2, 1935 in New York City – June 28, 2008 in Brooklyn) was an American jazz pianist who worked with Max Roach from 1963 to 1968 and Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. He acted as lead in recording from 1963 and 1978–79. His ...
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, Louis Hayes) *'' Jazz Classics'' (Aurophon, 1977, with
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, Bucky Pizzarelli,
Hank Jones Henry Jones Jr. (July 31, 1918 – May 16, 2010) was an American jazz pianist, bandleader, arranger, and composer. Critics and musicians described Jones as eloquent, lyrical, and impeccable. In 1989, The National Endowment for the Arts honored ...
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George Duvivier George Duvivier (August 17, 1920 – July 11, 1985) was an American jazz double-bassist. Biography Duvivier was born in New York City, the son of Leon V. Duvivier and Ismay Blakely Duvivier. He attended the Conservatory of Music and Art, where ...
,
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Sophisticated Giant ''Sophisticated Giant'' is a jazz album by saxophonist Dexter Gordon recorded in 1977 by an eleven-piece band playing tunes arranged by trombone player Slide Hampton. The album marked Gordon's return to the United States after a long residency in E ...
'' ( Columbia, 1977, with 11-piece big-band including
Woody Shaw Woody Herman Shaw Jr. (December 24, 1944 – May 10, 1989) was an American jazz trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, composer, arranger, band leader, and educator. Shaw is widely known as one of the most important and influential jazz trumpet ...
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Slide Hampton Locksley Wellington Hampton (April 21, 1932 – November 18, 2021) was an American jazz trombonist, composer and arranger. As his nickname implies, Hampton's main instrument was slide trombone, but he also occasionally played tuba and flugelho ...
,
Bobby Hutcherson Robert Hutcherson (January 27, 1941 – August 15, 2016) was an American jazz vibraphone and marimba player. "Little B's Poem", from the 1966 Blue Note album '' Components'', is one of his best-known compositions.Huey, Steve. "Components – Bob ...
, and Benny Bailey) *''Manhattan Symphonie'' (Columbia, 1978, with
Rufus Reid Rufus Reid (born February 10, 1944, in Atlanta, Georgia) is an American jazz bassist, educator, and composer. Biography Reid was raised in Sacramento, California, where he played the trumpet through junior high and high school. Upon graduation ...
– bass, Eddie Gladden – percussion, and
George Cables George Andrew Cables (born November 14, 1944) is an American jazz pianist and composer. Early life Cables was born in New York City, United States. He was initially taught piano by his mother. He then studied at the High School of Performing Ar ...
– keyboard) *''Live at Carnegie Hall'' (Columbia, 1998
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2 tracks with
Johnny Griffin John Arnold Griffin III (April 24, 1928 – July 25, 2008) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Nicknamed "the Little Giant" for his short stature and forceful playing, Griffin's career began in the mid-1940s and continued until the month of ...
) *''North Sea Jazz Legendary Concerts'' (North Sea Jazz, 1979) *''Nights at the Keystone, Volumes 1-3'' (1979, Blue Note; CD release 1990) *''
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'' (Black Lion Records, 1981) *'' Gotham City'' (Columbia, 1981, with
Woody Shaw Woody Herman Shaw Jr. (December 24, 1944 – May 10, 1989) was an American jazz trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, composer, arranger, band leader, and educator. Shaw is widely known as one of the most important and influential jazz trumpet ...
,
Cedar Walton Cedar Anthony Walton Jr. (January 17, 1934 – August 19, 2013) was an American hard bop jazz pianist. He came to prominence as a member of drummer Art Blakey's band, The Jazz Messengers, before establishing a long career as a bandleader and com ...
, George Benson,
Percy Heath Percy Heath (April 30, 1923 – April 28, 2005) was an American jazz bassist, brother of saxophonist Jimmy Heath and drummer Albert Heath, with whom he formed the Heath Brothers in 1975. Heath played with the Modern Jazz Quartet throughout ...
,
Art Blakey Arthur Blakey (October 11, 1919 – October 16, 1990) was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. He was also known as Abdullah Ibn Buhaina after he converted to Islam for a short time in the late 1940s. Blakey made a name for himself in the 1 ...
) *''American Classic'' (
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, 1982, featuring
Grover Washington Jr. Grover Washington Jr. (December 12, 1943 – December 17, 1999) was an American jazz-funk and soul-jazz saxophonist. Along with Wes Montgomery and George Benson, he is considered by many to be one of the founders of the smooth jazz genre. He wr ...
and
Shirley Scott Shirley Scott (March 14, 1934 – March 10, 2002) was an American jazz organist. Her music was noted for its mixture of bebop, blues and gospel elements. She was known by the nickname "Queen of the Organ". Life and career Scott was born in Phi ...
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The Other Side of Round Midnight ''The Other Side of Round Midnight'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist Dexter Gordon recorded in 1985 and released on the Blue Note Records, Blue Note label.
'' ( Blue Note, 1986)


As sideman

With
Gene Ammons Eugene "Jug" Ammons (April 14, 1925 – August 6, 1974), also known as "The Boss", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. The son of boogie-woogie pianist Albert Ammons, Gene Ammons is remembered for his accessible music, steeped in soul and ...
* ''
The Chase! ''The Chase!'' is a live album by the saxophonists Dexter Gordon and Gene Ammons recorded in Chicago in 1970 and released on the Prestige Records, Prestige label. Reception In a review for AllMusic, Scott Yanow stated: "this CD is highly recommen ...
'' (Prestige, 1970) * ''
Gene Ammons and Friends at Montreux ''Gene Ammons and Friends at Montreux'' is a live album by saxophonist Gene Ammons recorded at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1973 and released on the Prestige label.
'' (Prestige, 1973) With
Louis Armstrong Louis Daniel Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971), nicknamed "Satchmo", "Satch", and "Pops", was an American trumpeter and vocalist. He was among the most influential figures in jazz. His career spanned five decades and several era ...
*''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 William Clarence Eckstine (July 8, 1914 – March 8, 1993) was an American jazz and pop singer and a bandleader during the swing and bebop eras. He was noted for his rich, almost operatic bass-baritone voice. In 2019, Eckstine was posthumously ...
* ''The Chronological Billy Eckstine and His Orchestra, 1944-1945'' (CD, Classic Records
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1997) * ''Billy Eckstine, The Legendary Big Band'' (SVY 17125) With
Dizzy Gillespie John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie (; October 21, 1917 – January 6, 1993) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, composer, educator and singer. He was a trumpet virtuoso and improviser, building on the virtuosic style of Roy Eldridge but addi ...
* ''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 Lionel Leo Hampton (April 20, 1908 – August 31, 2002) was an American jazz vibraphonist, pianist, percussionist, and bandleader. Hampton worked with jazz musicians from Teddy Wilson, Benny Goodman, and Buddy Rich, to Charlie Parker, Charles M ...
* ''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 Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American jazz pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, and composer. Hancock started his career with trumpeter Donald Byrd's group. He shortly thereafter joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he help ...
* ''
Takin' Off ''Takin' Off'' is the debut album by jazz pianist Herbie Hancock released in 1962 by Blue Note Records. Featuring veteran tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon, trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, bassist Butch Warren and drummer Billy Higgins. The album is a ...
'' (Blue Note, 1962) * '' Round Midnight'' (1986), Columbia Records With
Fletcher Henderson James Fletcher Hamilton Henderson (December 18, 1897 – December 29, 1952) was an American pianist, bandleader, arranger and composer, important in the development of big band jazz and swing music. He was one of the most prolific black musi ...
* ''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 Gerald Joseph Mulligan (April 6, 1927 – January 20, 1996), also known as Jeru, was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, composer and arranger. Though primarily known as one of the leading jazz baritone saxophonists—playing the instrum ...
* ''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 ''Pony's Express'' is the debut album by saxophonist Pony Poindexter which was released on the Epic label in 1962.Fitzgerald, M.Pony Poindexter Leader Entryaccessed July 2, 2015 Reception Ken Dryden of Allmusic stated: "It's a shame that Pony Po ...
'' (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 Robbert Arris Jules "Rob" Agerbeek (born 28 September 1937 in Batavia ( Jakarta)) is an Indo Dutch boogie-woogie and jazz pianist and winner of several jazz concourses in the Netherlands in the late 1950s. He is regarded as one of Europe's fines ...
, ''All Souls'' (Dexterity, 1972, with
Eric Ineke Eric Ineke (born Haarlem, April 1, 1947) is a Dutch jazz drummer who started his career in the 1960s. After a few years of lessons of John Engels, he gained his first experience as jazzdrummer with singer Henny Vonk and tenorsaxophonist Ferdina ...
and others) * Tony Bennett, ''Berlin'' (Columbia, 1987) *
Ralph Burns Ralph Joseph P. Burns (June 29, 1922 – November 21, 2001) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. Early life Burns was born in Newton, Massachusetts, United States, where he began playing the piano as a child. In 1938, he attend ...
, ''Various Artists – OKeh Jazz'' (Epic EG 37315) * Nat King Cole, ''Nat King Cole Meets The Master Saxes'' 1943 (Phoenix Jazz LP 5) *
Tadd Dameron Tadley Ewing Peake Dameron (February 21, 1917 – March 8, 1965) was an American jazz composer, arranger, and pianist. Biography Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Dameron was the most influential arranger of the bebop era, but also wrote charts for swi ...
, ''Tadd Dameron/Babs Gonzales/Dizzy Gillespie – Capitol Jazz Classics, Vol. 13: Strictly Bebop'' (Capitol M 11059) *
Booker Ervin Booker Telleferro Ervin II (October 31, 1930 – August 31, 1970) was an American tenor saxophone player. His tenor playing was characterised by a strong, tough sound and blues/gospel phrasing. He is remembered for his association with bassi ...
, ''
Setting the Pace ''Setting the Pace'' is an album by saxophonists Dexter Gordon and Booker Ervin recorded in Munich in 1965 and released on the Prestige label.
'' (Prestige, 1965) * Lowell Fulson, ''Lowell Fulson'' (Swing Time 320) *
Wynonie Harris Wynonie Harris (August 24, 1915 – June 14, 1969) was an American blues shouter and rhythm-and-blues singer of upbeat songs, featuring humorous, often ribald lyrics. He had fifteen Top 10 hits between 1946 and 1952. Harris is attributed by ma ...
, ''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 ''Philly Mignon'' is an album by drummer Philly Joe Jones that was recorded in 1977 and released on the Galaxy label.Stan Levey Adolph Stanley Levey known professionally as Stan Levey (April 5, 1926 – April 19, 2005) was an American jazz drummer. He was known for working with Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie in the early development of bebop during the 1940s, and i ...
, ''Stan Levey – This Time The Drum's On Me'' (Bethlehem BCP 37) *
Charlie Parker Charles Parker Jr. (August 29, 1920 – March 12, 1955), nicknamed "Bird" or "Yardbird", was an American jazz saxophonist, band leader and composer. Parker was a highly influential soloist and leading figure in the development of bebop, a form ...
, ''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


Further reading

*Gordon, Maxine (2018) ''Sophisticated Giant: The Life and Legacy of Dexter Gordon'' (University of California Press)


External links

*
Sophisticated Giant: The Dexter Gordon Discography
* *


Dexter Gordon: 12 Essential Tracks
by Eric Novod (www.jazz.com) *
Dexter Gordon Collection
at th
Library of Congress
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gordon, Dexter 1923 births 1990 deaths 20th-century American composers 20th-century American saxophonists African-American jazz musicians American jazz composers American male jazz composers American jazz tenor saxophonists American male saxophonists Bebop saxophonists Blue Note Records artists Columbia Records artists David di Donatello winners Deaths from kidney failure Grammy Award winners Hard bop saxophonists Jazz musicians from Los Angeles Savoy Records artists SteepleChase Records artists Swing saxophonists Xanadu Records artists American expatriates in Denmark American expatriates in France Deaths from cancer in Pennsylvania Deaths from laryngeal cancer 20th-century American male musicians Black Lion Records artists 20th-century jazz composers Sonet Records artists 20th-century African-American musicians