Dexter Gordon Quartet – Live in Oslo – November 24, 1962 – NRK-Radio, Oslo –
Dexter Gordon in Oslo this weekend. Featuring Einar Iversen, piano – Erik Amundsen, bass and Jon Christensen, drums – recorded in the studios of NRK-Radio in Oslo on November 24, 1962.
Dexter Gordon’s first visit to Norway (and indeed, not his last by any stretch) – supplemented by a gang of locals, who provide solid backup and who went on to make names for themselves in the International Jazz world.
As Wikipedia puts it:
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” and well known melodies from the operas of Wagner. This 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. 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.
But don’t take their word for it – hit the play button, dive in and check it out yourself.
Good times all around.
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