Dexter Gordon:
Fabulous player and great record! Coincidentally, I posted two or three cuts off that record just a couple of weeks ago.
Toss up between he and Wayne Shorter as probably my two favorite tenor players; and if it weren’t due to the fact that Shorter is one of the greatest Jazz composers ever (Dexter was not), Dexter would stand alone in my book. One of Coltrane’s and Rollins’ both main influence; pretty good credential.
Personally, I think “unknown” is an overstatement. Maybe somewhat forgotten during the 50’s while in LA. He did move to Europe for 14 years and continued to record there and during occasional visits back to the USA. I was at the Village Vanguard for one of the dates in 1976 heralded as his big return to the USA. Awesome performance. Truly one of the greats. Huge sound and beautiful story telling in his solos with probably the most generous use of musical quotes of anyone; if one likes that sort of thing. One favorite quote was “Mona Lisa”, which can be heard in many of his solos; and it always fit and made musical sense. Sort of a signature thing of his.
Dexter makes an interesting comparison to Nathan Davis and the reasons why some players are better known than others. Davis is clearly a good player and as you point out a brilliant man. My comments are not meant to suggest otherwise, or that he is perhaps not deserving of wider recognition. However, the contrast is striking.
Two notes and one knows it’s Dexter. His huge sound is immediately recognizable. Fantastic sense of swing and beautifully expressive solos. One of the cuts that I posted previously was “Scrapple From The Apple” and commented that I thought his solo on the cut was, for me, one of the all time great solos on any instrument. Very interesting and a model of thematic development: taking a short, even very simple statement (in this case, a single repeated note) and building an entire long solo that develops and keeps returning to that simple idea. Fantastic! That is why a player can go into semi obscurity due to drug problems (‘50s), even move to Europe for 14 years (!) and when he returns it is heralded as a great event in the music world. He was a giant. Players of that caliber are never forgotten. VERY few exceptions.
Davis was a good player. I like his soprano sound and concept more than I like his tenor which sounds a little crass on ballads and overall not nearly as interesting as Dexter’s. His sound is not distinctive which goes to the core of what Jazz is mostly about: individuality. His rhythmic feel is not as grounded and solid like Dexter’s. Good player, but I must say that, IMO, there are many players who are on a similar overall level in towns and cities around the country and teaching in music schools who are local heroes and never get to record as leaders or higher profile sidemen. This may sound like harsh criticism, but is not meant to be. So, the question then becomes, is it surprising that all these players are not better known? Not really. Is this unfair or some sort of slight. I can’t answer that for everyone, but the music world is a tough scene. Very tough! Still, glad to have made the acquaintance.
Another favorite Dexter record and one that he himself considered one of his best:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_ldEgeU2IYstfUuhavk6y_jkbhhuAHHgSw
Fabulous player and great record! Coincidentally, I posted two or three cuts off that record just a couple of weeks ago.
Toss up between he and Wayne Shorter as probably my two favorite tenor players; and if it weren’t due to the fact that Shorter is one of the greatest Jazz composers ever (Dexter was not), Dexter would stand alone in my book. One of Coltrane’s and Rollins’ both main influence; pretty good credential.
Personally, I think “unknown” is an overstatement. Maybe somewhat forgotten during the 50’s while in LA. He did move to Europe for 14 years and continued to record there and during occasional visits back to the USA. I was at the Village Vanguard for one of the dates in 1976 heralded as his big return to the USA. Awesome performance. Truly one of the greats. Huge sound and beautiful story telling in his solos with probably the most generous use of musical quotes of anyone; if one likes that sort of thing. One favorite quote was “Mona Lisa”, which can be heard in many of his solos; and it always fit and made musical sense. Sort of a signature thing of his.
Dexter makes an interesting comparison to Nathan Davis and the reasons why some players are better known than others. Davis is clearly a good player and as you point out a brilliant man. My comments are not meant to suggest otherwise, or that he is perhaps not deserving of wider recognition. However, the contrast is striking.
Two notes and one knows it’s Dexter. His huge sound is immediately recognizable. Fantastic sense of swing and beautifully expressive solos. One of the cuts that I posted previously was “Scrapple From The Apple” and commented that I thought his solo on the cut was, for me, one of the all time great solos on any instrument. Very interesting and a model of thematic development: taking a short, even very simple statement (in this case, a single repeated note) and building an entire long solo that develops and keeps returning to that simple idea. Fantastic! That is why a player can go into semi obscurity due to drug problems (‘50s), even move to Europe for 14 years (!) and when he returns it is heralded as a great event in the music world. He was a giant. Players of that caliber are never forgotten. VERY few exceptions.
Davis was a good player. I like his soprano sound and concept more than I like his tenor which sounds a little crass on ballads and overall not nearly as interesting as Dexter’s. His sound is not distinctive which goes to the core of what Jazz is mostly about: individuality. His rhythmic feel is not as grounded and solid like Dexter’s. Good player, but I must say that, IMO, there are many players who are on a similar overall level in towns and cities around the country and teaching in music schools who are local heroes and never get to record as leaders or higher profile sidemen. This may sound like harsh criticism, but is not meant to be. So, the question then becomes, is it surprising that all these players are not better known? Not really. Is this unfair or some sort of slight. I can’t answer that for everyone, but the music world is a tough scene. Very tough! Still, glad to have made the acquaintance.
Another favorite Dexter record and one that he himself considered one of his best:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_ldEgeU2IYstfUuhavk6y_jkbhhuAHHgSw