Dexter Gordon Quartet – Live at The Blue Note, Berlin – November 11, 1967 – Gordon Skene Sound Collection –
Dexter Gordon this weekend. From a gig at The Blue Note in Berlin and featuring Hampton Hawes on piano, Palle Daniellson, bass and Rune Carlsson, drums – all recorded on November 11, 1967 and broadcast by RBB in Berlin.
Dexter Gordon was among the most influential early bebop musicians, which included other greats such as Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Bud Powell. Gordon’s height was 6 feet 6 inches, so he was also known as “Long Tall Dexter” and “Sophisticated Giant”. His studio and performance career spanned over 40 years.
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 (1965–73). For the label, he recorded bop albums like The Tower of Power! and More Power! (1969) with James Moody, Barry Harris, Buster Williams, and Albert “Tootie” Heath; The Panther! (1970) with Tommy Flanagan, Larry Ridley, and Alan Dawson; The Jumpin’ Blues (1970) with Wynton Kelly, Sam Jones, and Roy Brooks; The Chase! (1970) with Gene Ammons, Jodie Christian, John Young, Cleveland Eaton, Rufus Reid, Wilbur Campbell, Steve McCall, and Vi Redd; and Tangerine (1972) with Thad Jones, Freddie Hubbard, and Hank Jones. 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.
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. The Danish label SteepleChase 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 Something Different, Bouncin’ With Dex, Biting the Apple, The Apartment, Stable Mable, The Shadow of Your Smile and others. They again feature American sidemen, but also such Europeans as Spanish pianist Tete Montoliu and Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen.
Enjoy the gig.
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