My Man Dexter

[ran]

Back in the day when these type of boards were used primarily to talk about jazz. We use to have some lively conversations about the - " who was the baddest " or " he was the greatest " . not wanting to go down that road again but more because it's time to start talking about jazz again.

I've just settled into a new pad and have finally got everything pipped into the new digs. As I write this my man Dexter is coppin the haven.

Now I know my boy DuPre is all over Dexter but for the sake of a few posts would it be possible to hear some other opinions about my man Dexter. Has anyone ever been part of both worlds as much as Dex. ?

Meaning has any musician be it sax or any-other axe crossed so many lines and generations and still be vital ? And I'm not talking about him acting.

"I'm a fool to want you", with Freddie Hubbard all but leaves me to tears.

[Tom Storer]

I love Dexter, but I'm not sure what you mean about "both worlds" and "crossing lines". He had a long career but he always played in much the same style, no?

[John L]

Dexter's sax sounded to me like an extended singing voice. Dexter could always sing you a beautiful song. And you always knew exactly who was singing to you.

When I first became a big jazz fan in the 70s, I missed out on seeing a lot of great artists because I was not "hip" enough. I passed up opportunities to see Art Pepper, Bill Evans, and many others. But I was hip to Dexter. I heard him at the Keystone Korner so many times that his music became an inseparable part of me. It still is.

[ran]

Tom , maybe I was a bit over the top on my feelings about it. But what I was trying to say is that I find it incredible for an artist to play for so long and with such vigor and beauty that it crossed the schools of his instrument and to have remained vital during most of that time.

He was a front man for what , 40 - 50 years and his beauty crossed over that time span . I know all about the Vangaurd recordings and such but it still amazes me how he blew that horn.

I always heard him as being the perfect combination of the Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young schools. A perfect understanding of the brute force of the tenor and a majestic romantic force of its lyrics. A great combination that few have been able to achieve. I'm not sure if that makes sense but that's what I was thinking.

[Chris D]

Dickran! Is that you, brother?

I just had "Sophisticated Giant" on the player. Magisterial tone.

[Tom Storer]

Originally Posted by ran

A perfect understanding of the brute force of the tenor and a majestic romantic force of its lyrics

That's a great description of Dexter's playing.

[ran]

>Dickran! Is that you, brother?

I just had "Sophisticated Giant" on the player. Magisterial tone<

Chris , I knew the moment Dexter's name popped up you'd jump on it.

How are you man ? Hope all is well.

Dickran

[Darryl G. Thomas]

I remember when Dexter came back to the States in the mid '70's and it was treated like a major event. I was just getting into acoustic jazz so I bought that double live album Columbia put out that Woody Shaw and Eddie Gladden on it.

At first I'm like "what's the big deal?" I'm a novice at the time so I'm expecting to hear something revolutionary. But Dexter grew on me and I wound up buying everything that I could find of his. I've got that two CD compilation of his from the Blue Note years here at work and I play it constantly. I love that behind the beat, laconic style of his.

And the ballads! Delicious. My major regret is that I was actually stationed in Alexandra, VA, when he played in DC in the late '70's and I didn't go see him. I didn't know DC well so I punked out.

But in the '70's he was right up there with Coltrane for me.

[Jeffrey Wozniak]

Gordon is my favorite tenor, with Rollins a close second and Webster third.

His Blue Note box set is a prized posession of mine.

[A. Kingstone]

A bandleader I know was at a clinic with Dexter and someone asked "Dexter how to you play so far behind the beat?"

Gordon replied, "I have no idea what you're talking about".

[stonemonkts]

Originally Posted by ran

Meaning has any musician be it sax or any-other axe crossed so many lines and generations and still be vital ?

Stan Getz comes to mind, and Steve Lacy.

Paul Bley too, although I guess piano doesn't qualify as an "axe".

[Tom Storer]

Originally Posted by Darryl G. Thomas

I remember when Dexter came back to the States in the mid '70's and it was treated like a major event. I was just getting into acoustic jazz so I bought that double live album Columbia put out that Woody Shaw and Eddie Gladden on it.

Louis Hayes, actually (not Eddie Gladden). But yes, me too--Gordon's US "comeback" (actually he had often returned to the US to play even while living abroad) and Johnny Griffin's around the same time were part of that return of "the tradition" that was such a big part of the latter half of the 70's. Not only were beboppers getting headlines again in the jazz press (I also remember that great piano record, "I Remember Bebop," featuring Al Haig, Tommy Flanagan, John Lewis et al), but the avant-garde crowd was emphasizing "the tradition" as well (cf. Arthur Blythe's 1979 "In the Tradition" album). Then Wynton was chosen as the surfer likely to best surf that building wave, and the rest is history.

[Gary Sisco]

Hi, Ran!

[ran]

Mr. Stonemonkets.

I won't dispute the greatness of the players that you've mentioned. I admire and listen to them as well. My point about Dexter is that I've yet to hear on record or in a live performance something that jumps out of the box like when Dexter blows on Broadway and then as a follow up he comes at you with Stairways to the stars. Maybe Clifford Brown is the only other guy who's done that for me, on recordings. Hubbard does it as well. Ah shit there's a whole bunch of cats who do that but at that moment I wrote this I was digging on Dexter.

The thing about the Vangaurd sessions is how great Woody Shaw is. For me it was like Dexter coming home and showing off his boys and Shaw was in some ways the front man. It was brilliant.

Gary, remember that used record shop we went to in NYC. I bought that Sinatra box set along with Dexter's blue note comp. I got the Sinatra just to have it , I always cared for his work after that period. But when I started this thread I was listening to the blue note sessions that I got that great and wild day , from way back when.

So allow me to hoist a few cocktails in solidarity from that not so long ago period. Cheers brother.

Dickran

[Kevin Bresnahan]

Originally Posted by ran

Gary, remember that used record shop we went to in NYC. I bought that Sinatra box set along with Dexter's blue note comp.

Dickran

Hey Dickran, I remember that trip. I think I was the one who talked you into buying that LTD comp!

Are you still producing records out there in LA?

[Gary Sisco]

Ran -- A wild and free day I won't forget. That was the Jazz Recod Gallery.

[Vince Kargatis]

From the thread "Quotes in solos":

Originally Posted by Enforcer

One word: Dexter Gordon.

Originally Posted by Nate Dorward

Well, he quotes a LOT, sure, but this is one of the things I don't enjoy about Gordon's records, especially since so often they're pet quotes that turn up again & again. Same goes for most musicians who habitually quote (e.g. Jessica Williams, whom I once saw quote "Bye Bye Blackbird" three times in two sets, or the aforementioned Krall): they keep on lazily drawing on the same pool of quotes.

Originally Posted by Pete C

Come on, Nate, how can one ever tire of "Here Comes the Bride"?

[Gary Sisco]

coleman hawkins was another cat present through all of the music's changes during his time.

[Tom Storer]

That's right--he went from Mamie Smith in 1921 to Fletcher Henderson as of 1923 and through into the thirties. Along the way he more or less invented jazz tenor saxophone. He hired a young Thelonious Monk in 1944, played alongside Charlie Parker for Jazz at the Philharmonic, and recorded with Sonny Rollins in 1963 on "Sonny Meets Hawk." When he started his career, Armstrong had yet to record the Hot Fives and Hot Sevens; when he ended it, swing and bebop had already had their golden eras and all hell was breaking loose on the free-jazz side of things. A hell of a ride.

[ran]

Kevin , how are you . If I remember correctly it was you who suggested going there in the first place.

As far as recordings go I'm reminded of the Lloyd Bridges scenes in the Airplane movies. My timing stinks, I picked a hell of a week to stop sniffing glue. We got a few things in the can but given the state of things , who knows.

LTD , is playing and has been for a long - long time now. Be well.

[bigtiny]

Originally Posted by Darryl G. Thomas

I remember when Dexter came back to the States in the mid '70's and it was treated like a major event. I was just getting into acoustic jazz so I bought that double live album Columbia put out that Woody Shaw and Eddie Gladden on it.

At first I'm like "what's the big deal?" I'm a novice at the time so I'm expecting to hear something revolutionary. But Dexter grew on me and I wound up buying everything that I could find of his. I've got that two CD compilation of his from the Blue Note years here at work and I play it constantly. I love that behind the beat, laconic style of his.

And the ballads! Delicious. My major regret is that I was actually stationed in Alexandra, VA, when he played in DC in the late '70's and I didn't go see him. I didn't know DC well so I punked out.

But in the '70's he was right up there with Coltrane for me.

Actually, Gladden was in Dexter's quartet a few years later....the band on the live album ("Homecoming") is Shaw's band of the time with Louis Hayes on drums....

bigtiny

[ran]

My house was robbed on labor day weekend. The stupid idiots didn't take much but they ended up with my g-4. My life was ruined ,I didn't back it up and the only thing I had still , that , they left , was my i-pod.

The insurance has paid off and I bought my self a new Mac Pro. This thing is fucking brilliant.

So I'm all over my 8 gigs of music again. Lo and behold and as I live and breath my man, the only man, Dexter is alive and well.

I'm still trying to decide if it's the music or computer that I'm most happy about. Listening to Dexter loud in and around the house makes me feel protected again , like a warm blanket on a cold Wisconsin night. Cheese it baby. DuPre , did you hear me twice the first time ?

Long live Dexter.

[Chris D]

Man, that's terrible about the burglarly, Dick. So glad you've got Dex to comfort you. You need some brandy to go with the blanket.

"It's you or no one. It's you or no one for me...."