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. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

tenor saxophonist, composer, and bandleader. He was among the most influential early

bebop Bebop or bop is a style of jazz developed in the early to mid-1940s in the United States. The style features compositions characterized by a fast tempo (usually exceeding 200 bpm), complex chord progressions with rapid chord changes and numerou ...

musicians. 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 inserted musical quotes into his solos, with sources as diverse as " Happy Birthday" and well-known melodies from the operas of

Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, essayist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most o ...

. 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 Lester Willis Young (August 27, 1909 – March 15, 1959), nicknamed "Pres" or "Prez", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and occasional clarinetist. Coming to prominence while a member of Count Basie's orchestra, Young was one of the most i ...

. Gordon, in turn, was an early influence on

John Coltrane John William Coltrane (September 23, 1926 – July 17, 1967) was an American jazz saxophonist, bandleader and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the Jazz#Post-war jazz, history of jazz and 20th-century musi ...

and

Sonny Rollins Walter Theodore "Sonny" Rollins (born September 7, 1930) is an American retired jazz tenor saxophonist who is widely recognized as one of the most important and influential jazz musicians. In a seven-decade career, Rollins recorded over sixt ...

. Rollins and Coltrane then influenced Gordon's playing as he explored

hard bop Hard bop is a subgenre of jazz that is an extension of bebop (or "bop") music. Journalists and record companies began using the term in the mid-1950s to describe a new current within jazz that incorporated influences from rhythm and blues, gospe ...

and modal playing during the 1960s. Gordon had a genial and humorous stage presence. He was an advocate of playing to communicate with the audience, which was his musical approach as well. One of his idiosyncratic rituals was to recite lyrics from each ballad before playing it. A photograph by Herman Leonard of Gordon taking a smoke break at the

Royal Roost The Royal Roost was a jazz club located at 1580 Broadway in the Theater District of Manhattan in New York City. History Ralph Watkins originally opened the Royal Roost as a chicken restaurant. After a difficult start, Watkins was persuaded by ...

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, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...

for

Best Actor in a Leading Role The Academy Award for Best Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 1st Academy Awards to an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading ro ...

for his performance in the

Bertrand Tavernier Bertrand Tavernier (; 25 April 1941 – 25 March 2021) was a French film director, screenwriter, and producer. Life and career Tavernier was born in Lyon, France, the son of Geneviève (née Dumond) and René Tavernier, a publicist and writer, ...

film '' Round Midnight'' (

Warner Bros Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI), commonly known as Warner Bros. (WB), is an American film studio, filmed entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios Burbank, Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California and th ...

, 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 label.

'' (

Blue Note Records Blue Note Records is an American jazz record label now owned by Universal Music Group and operated under Capitol Music Group. Established in 1939 by History of the Jews in Germany, German-Jewish emigrants Alfred Lion and Max Margulis, it deriv ...

, 1986). He also had a cameo role in the 1990 film ''

Awakenings ''Awakenings'' is a 1990 American biographical drama film written by Steven Zaillian, directed by Penny Marshall, and starring Robert De Niro, Robin Williams, Julie Kavner, Ruth Nelson, John Heard, Penelope Ann Miller, Peter Stormare and Max ...

''. In 2018, Gordon's album ''Go'' (Blue Note, 1962) was selected by the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is a research library in Washington, D.C., serving as the library and research service for the United States Congress and the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It also administers Copyright law o ...

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 inform or reflect life in the United States." The registry was established by the National Recording Preservation ...

for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

Life and career

Early life

Dexter Keith Gordon was born on February 27, 1923, in

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

. His father, Frank Gordon, one of the first African-American medical doctors in Los Angeles, arrived in 1918 after graduating from

Howard University Howard University is a private, historically black, federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C., United States. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity" and accredited by the Mid ...

Medical School in

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

Among his patients were

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American Jazz piano, jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous Big band, jazz orchestra from 1924 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D ...

and

Lionel Hampton Lionel Leo Hampton (April 20, 1908 – August 31, 2002) was an American jazz vibraphonist, percussionist, and bandleader. He worked with jazz musicians from Teddy Wilson, Benny Goodman, and Buddy Rich, to Charlie Parker, Charles Mingus, an ...

. Dexter's mother, Gwendolyn Baker, was the daughter of Captain Edward Lee Baker, Jr. one of the five African-American

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...

recipients in the

Spanish–American War The Spanish–American War (April 21 – August 13, 1898) was fought between Restoration (Spain), Spain and the United States in 1898. It began with the sinking of the USS Maine (1889), USS ''Maine'' in Havana Harbor in Cuba, and resulted in the ...

. Gordon began his study of music with the

clarinet The clarinet is a Single-reed instrument, single-reed musical instrument in the woodwind family, with a nearly cylindrical bore (wind instruments), bore and a flared bell. Clarinets comprise a Family (musical instruments), family of instrume ...

at the age of 13, then switched to the

alto saxophone The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments. Saxophones were invented by Belgians, Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s and patented in 1846. The alto saxophone is pitched in the key of E♭ ( ...

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 (whi ...

at 17. He studied with

multi-instrumentalist A multi-instrumentalist is a musician who plays two or more musical instruments, often but not exclusively at a professional level of proficiency. Also known as woodwind doubler, doubling, the practice allows greater ensemble flexibility and mor ...

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, f ...

and

Buddy Collette William Marcel "Buddy" Collette (August 6, 1921 – September 19, 2010) was an American jazz flutist, saxophonist, and clarinetist. He was a founding member of the Chico Hamilton Quintet. Early life William Marcel Collette was born in ...

. Between December 1940 and 1943, Gordon was a member of

's band, playing in a saxophone section alongside

Illinois Jacquet Jean-Baptiste Illinois Jacquet (October 30, 1922 – July 22, 2004) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, best remembered for his solo on " Flying Home", critically recognized as the first R&B saxophone solo. He is also known as one of the w ...

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, Gordon 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 musical ...

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 a ...

. The

1942–44 musicians' strike Year 194 ( CXCIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday 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 condita''). The denomination 194 for thi ...

curtailed the recording of the Hampton, Henderson, and Armstrong bands; however, they were recorded on V-Discs produced by the Army for broadcast and distribution among overseas troops. In 1943, he was featured, alongside

Harry "Sweets" Edison Harry "Sweets" Edison (October 10, 1915 – July 27, 1999) was an American jazz trumpeter and a member of the Count Basie Orchestra. His most important contribution was as a Hollywood studio musician, whose muted trumpet can be heard backi ...

, in recordings under

Nat Cole Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, alternatively billed as Nat "King" Cole, was an American singer, jazz pianist, and actor. Cole's career as a jazz and pop vocalist starte ...

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 improvisation, improviser, building on the virtuosic style of Roy El ...

(" Blue 'n' Boogie", "

Groovin' High "Groovin' High" is an influential 1945 song by jazz composer and trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie. The song was a bebop mainstay that became a jazz standard, one of Gillespie's best known hits, and according to ''Bebop: The Music and Its Players'' author ...

") and Charles Thompson ("Takin' Off", "If I Had You", "20th Century Blues", "The Street Beat"). In late 1945, Gordon was recording under his own name for the

Savoy Savoy (; )  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 and west and to the Aosta Vall ...

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 Wardell Gray (February 13, 1921 – May 25, 1955) was an American jazz tenor saxophone, tenor saxophonist. Biography Early years The youngest of four children, Gray was born in Oklahoma City. He spent his early childhood years in Oklahoma b ...

, 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 ...

'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 protagoni ...

'', 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,

Benny Carter Bennett Lester Carter (August 8, 1907 – July 12, 2003) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader. With Johnny Hodges, he was a pioneer on the alto saxophone. From the beginning of his career ...

Ben Webster Benjamin Francis Webster (March 27, 1909 – September 20, 1973) was an American jazz tenor Saxophone, saxophonist. He performed in the United States and Europe and made many recordings with Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Johnny Hodges, a ...

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 James Andrew Rushing (August 26, 1901 – June 8, 1972) was an American singer and pianist from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S., best known as the featured vocalist of Count Basie's Orchestra from 1935 to 1948. Rushing was known as " Mr. Five by ...

Helen Humes Helen Humes (June 23, 1913 – September 13, 1981) was an American singer. She was a blues, R&B and classic popular singer. Early life Humes was born on June 23, 1913, in Louisville, Kentucky, to Emma Johnson and John Henry Humes. She grew up ...

Gerry Mulligan Gerald Joseph Mulligan (April 6, 1927 – January 20, 1996), also known as Jeru, was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, pianist, composer and arranger. Though primarily known as one of the leading jazz baritone saxophonists—playing t ...

Wynonie Harris Wynonie Harris (August 24, 1915 – June 14, 1969) was an American blues shouter best remembered as a singer of upbeat songs, featuring humorous, often ribald lyrics. He had fifteen Top 10 hits between 1946 and 1952. Harris is attributed by ...

Leo Parker Leo Parker (April 18, 1925 – February 11, 1962) was an American jazz musician, who primarily played baritone saxophone. Parker was the earliest baritone saxophonist to play bebop. Early life Born in Washington, D.C., Parker studied alto sax ...

, 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 List of California state prisons, state prison located in the city of Chino, California, Chino, San Bernardino County, California. It is often colloquially referenced as "Chino". In turn, locals ...

from 1953 to 1955, he recorded the albums '' Daddy Plays the Horn'' and '' Dexter Blows Hot and Cool'' in 1955 and played as a sideman on the Stan Levey 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 Onzy Durrett Matthews, Jr. (January 15, 1930 – November 13, 1997) was an American jazz pianist, singer, arranger, composer, and television and movie actor. He is best known for the big band arrangements done for the Lou Rawls albums ''Black and ...

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 and ...

in 1959, along with

Curtis Amy Curtis Edward Amy (October 11, 1927 – June 5, 2002) was an American jazz saxophonist. Biography Amy was born in Houston, Texas, United States. He learned how to play clarinet before joining the Army, and during his time in service, picked up t ...

. 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'' in 1960. His recordings from the mid-1950s onward document a meander into a smooth West Coast 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 Freddie Redd (May 29, 1928 – March 17, 2021) was an American hard-bop pianist and composer. He is best known for writing music to accompany '' The Connection'' (1959), a play by Jack Gelber. According to Peter Watrous, writing in ''The New Y ...

'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 (play), The Connection'', depicting the life of drug-addicted jazz musicians. The first great success of the Living Theatr ...

's play '' The Connection'' in 1960, replacing

Jackie McLean John Lenwood McLean (May 17, 1931 – March 31, 2006) was an American jazz alto saxophonist, composer, bandleader, and educator. He is one of the few musicians to be elected to the ''DownBeat'' Hall of Fame in the year of their death. Bio ...

. 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 Blue Note Records is an American jazz record label now owned by Universal Music Group and operated under Capitol Music Group. Established in 1939 by German-Jewish emigrants Alfred Lion and Max Margulis, it derived its name from the blue no ...

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 an album recorded in 1962 by saxophonist Dexter Gordon, recorded two days after '' Go!'' with the same line-up, but not released for two years. Recording and music The album was recorded at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood ...

''. 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 Cha ...

Kenny Drew Kenneth Sidney "Kenny" Drew (August 28, 1928 – August 4, 1993) was an American-Danish jazz pianist. Biography Drew was born on August 28, 1928, in New York City, United States, and he received piano lessons from the age of five. Feather, ...

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 er ...

, George Tucker,

Al Harewood Al Harewood (June 3, 1923 – March 13, 2014) was an American jazz drummer and teacher. Biography Harewood was born in Brooklyn. As a musician he worked with many jazz musicians including the J.J. Johnson/Kai Winding group, the Art Farmer/Gigi ...

, and

Philly Joe Jones Joseph Rudolph "Philly Joe" Jones (July 15, 1923 – August 30, 1985) was an American Jazz drumming, jazz drummer. Biography Early career As a child, Jones appeared as a featured tap dancer on ''The Kiddie Show'' on the Philadelphia radio stat ...

. The last two were recorded in August 1962, with a rhythm section that featured Blue Note regulars

Sonny Clark Conrad Yeatis "Sonny" Clark (July 21, 1931 – January 13, 1963) was an American jazz pianist and composer who mainly worked in the hard bop idiom. Early life Clark was born and raised in Herminie, Pennsylvania, a coal mining town east of P ...

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 shortlived, 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 city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

and

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...

, 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. A pioneer in the development of bebop and its associated contributions to jazz theory,Grove Powell's application of complex phrasing to ...

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 Records, Blue Note album ''Components (album), Components'', is one of his best-known composi ...

and

. 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. Car ...

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 jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th century music, 20th-century music. Davis ado ...

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 ...

with

McCoy Tyner Alfred McCoy Tyner (December 11, 1938March 6, 2020) was an American jazz piano, jazz pianist and composer known for his work with the John Coltrane Quartet from 1960 to 1965, and his long solo career afterwards. He was an NEA Jazz Masters, NEA J ...

. From this period came '' Our Man in Paris'', ''

One Flight Up ''One Flight Up'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist Dexter Gordon recorded on June 2, 1964 in Paris and released on Blue Note the following year.

'', ''

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 Clubhouse may refer to: Locations * The meetinghouse of: ** A club (organization), an association of two or more people united by a common interest or goal ** In the United States, a country club ** In the United Kingdom, a gentlemen's club * A ...

''. ''Our Man in Paris'' was a Blue Note session recorded in Paris in 1963 with backup consisting of pianist Powell, drummer

Kenny Clarke Kenneth Clarke Spearman (January 9, 1914January 26, 1985), known professionally as Kenny Clarke and nicknamed Klook, was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. A major innovator of the bebop style of drumming, he pioneered the use of the ride ...

, 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, composer and vocalist. A sideman for many other jazz musicians of his generation, Byrd was one of the few h ...

, 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 Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (; 27 May 1946 – 19 April 2005), also known by his abbreviated nickname NHØP, was a Danish jazz double bassist. Biography Pedersen was born in Osted, near Roskilde, on the Danish island of Zealand, the son o ...

, 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!'' (1969) with James Moody,

Barry Harris Barry Doyle Harris (December 15, 1929 – December 8, 2021) was an American jazz pianist, bandleader, composer, arranger, and educator. He was an exponent of the bebop style. Influenced by Thelonious Monk and Bud Powell, Harris in turn influenc ...

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, as well as working with guitarist Larry Coryell, the Thelonious Monk reperto ...

, and Albert "Tootie" Heath; ''

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 or Tom Flanagan may refer to: * Thomas Flanagan (bishop) (1930–2019), American Roman Catholic bishop * Thomas Flanagan (Irish politician) (died 1980), Irish civil engineer and politician * Thomas Flanagan (priest) (1814–1865), English Ro ...

Larry Ridley Laurence “Larry” Howard Ridley II (born September 3, 1937) is an American jazz bassist and music educator. He is an inductee of the Indianapolis Jazz Hall of Fame. Early life Ridley was born on September 3, 1937, in Indianapolis, Indiana. ...

, and

Alan Dawson Alan Dawson (July 14, 1929 – February 23, 1996) was an American jazz drummer and percussion teacher based in Boston. Biography Dawson was born in Marietta, Pennsylvania and raised in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Serving in the U.S. Army durin ...

; ''

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 1 ...

, Sam Jones, and

Roy Brooks Roy Brooks (March 9, 1938 – November 15, 2005) was an American Jazz drumming, 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 c ...

; '' The Chase!'' (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 R ...

Jodie Christian Jodie Christian (February 2, 1932 – February 13, 2012)
- accessed February 14, 2012 was an American jazz pianist, n ...

, John Young,

Cleveland Eaton Cleveland Josephus Eaton II (August 31, 1939 – July 5, 2020) was an American jazz double bassist, producer, arranger, composer, publisher, and head of his own record company in Fairfield, Alabama, a suburb of Birmingham. His most famous accom ...

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 immacul ...

, and Vi Redd; and ''

Tangerine The tangerine is a type of citrus fruit that is orange in colour, that is considered either a variety of the mandarin orange (''Citrus reticulata''), or a closely related species, under the name ''Citrus tangerina'', or yet as a hybrid (''Citr ...

'' (1972) with

Thad Jones Thaddeus Joseph Jones (March 28, 1923 – August 20, 1986) was an American jazz trumpeter, composer and bandleader who has been called "one of the all-time greatest jazz trumpet soloists". Early life, family and education Thad Jones was born i ...

, and

Hank Jones Henry Jones Jr. (July 31, 1918 – May 16, 2010) was an American jazz pianist, bandleader, arranger, and composer. Critics and musicians have described Jones as eloquent, lyrical, and impeccable. In 1989, The National Endowment for the Arts h ...

. 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 annu ...

. 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, for which he recorded some of his most inspired sessions including ''

The Apartment ''The Apartment'' is a 1960 American romantic comedy-drama film directed and produced by Billy Wilder from a screenplay he co-wrote with I. A. L. Diamond. It stars Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, and Fred MacMurray, with Ray Walston and Edie ...

'' (1974), '' More Than You Know'' (1975), '' Stable Mable'', '' Swiss Nights Vol. 1, 2 and 3'', '' Something Different'', '' Lullaby for a Monster'', and not least ''

Biting the Apple ''Biting the Apple'' is an album led by saxophonist Dexter Gordon recorded in 1976 and released on the Danish SteepleChase label. The album was released in the U.S. in collaboration with Inner City Records. The album's title refers to Gordon's r ...

'' (1976), recorded during his homecoming trip to New York, featuring Barry Harris, Sam Jones and

Al Foster Aloysius Tyrone Foster (January 18, 1943 – May 28, 2025) was an American jazz drummer. Foster's professional career began in the mid-1960s, when he played and recorded with hard bop and Swing music, swing musicians including Blue Mitchell and ...

. The album received the Grand Prix De Jazz in Montreux, Switzerland, in 1977.

SteepleChase SteepleChase Records is a jazz record company and label based in Copenhagen, Denmark. SteepleChase was founded in 1972 by Nils Winther, who was a student at Copenhagen University at the time. He began recording concerts at Jazzhus Montmartre, ...

released live dates from his mid-1960s tenure at the Jazzhus Montmartre in Copenhagen. The video was released in the ''Jazz Icons'' series.

Homecoming

Gordon returned to the United States for good in 1976. 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 20th century's most important and influentia ...

, Ronnie Mathews, Stafford James, and

Louis Hayes Louis Hayes (born May 31, 1937) is an American jazz drummer and band leader. He was with McCoy Tyner's trio for more than three years. Since 1989 he has led his own band, and together with Vincent Herring formed the Cannonball Legacy Band. He i ...

, for a gig at the

Village Vanguard The Village Vanguard is a jazz club at Seventh Avenue South in Greenwich Village, New York City. The club was opened on February 22, 1935, by Max Gordon. Originally, the club presented folk music and beat poetry, but it became primarily a jaz ...

in New York that was dubbed his "homecoming." It was recorded and released by

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...

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 The Keystone Korner was a jazz club in the North Beach, San Francisco, North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco, California, which opened in 1970 and continued operation until 1983. Many live recordings were made at the club. In the 1970s, Jessi ...

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 Art ...

, and

Eddie Gladden Eddie Gladden (December 6, 1937 – September 30, 2003) was an American jazz drummer. Career Gladden played professionally from 1962 in his hometown of Newark. In 1972 he began working with James Moody. During the rest of his career he worked ...

. He recorded the studio albums '' Sophisticated Giant'' 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 jazz rock, jazz-rock fusion, or simply fusion) is a popular music genre that developed in the late 1960s when musicians combined jazz harmony and improvisation with rock music, funk, and rhythm and blues. Electric gui ...

era that saw an emphasis on electronic sounds and contemporary pop influences.

Musician Emeritus

In 1978 and 1980, Gordon was the ''

DownBeat ''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 that it covered exclusively in previous years. The publication was established in 1 ...

'' 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 in 1986 the

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 feder ...

named him a

NEA Jazz Master The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), every year honors up to seven jazz musicians with Jazz Master Awards. The National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters Fellowships are the self-proclaimed highest honors that the United States bestows upo ...

in recognition of his Lifetime Achievement. In 1986, he was named a member and officer of the French Order of Arts and Letters (Officier des Arts et Lettres) by the Ministry of Culture in

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

. During the 1980s, Gordon, a life-long smoker, was weakened by

emphysema Emphysema is any air-filled enlargement in the body's tissues. Most commonly emphysema refers to the permanent enlargement of air spaces (alveoli) in the lungs, and is also known as pulmonary emphysema. Emphysema is a lower respiratory tract di ...

. He remained a popular attraction at concerts and festivals, although his live appearances and recording dates would soon become infrequent. Gordon 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 has been awarded since the 1st Academy Awards to an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading ...

. In addition, he had a non-speaking role as a piano-playing hospital inmate in the 1990 film ''

'', 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 film director, screenwriter, author and producer, best known for his stylized crime dramas. He has received a BAFTA Award and two Primetime Emmy Awards as well as nominations for four ...

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 label.

'', featuring original music by

Herbie Hancock Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American jazz musician, bandleader, and composer. He started his career with trumpeter Donald Byrd's group. Hancock soon joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he helped to redefine the role of ...

as well as playing by Gordon. The latter was the last recording released under Gordon's name. He was a sideman on

Tony Bennett Anthony Dominick Benedetto (August 3, 1926 – July 21, 2023), known professionally as Tony Bennett, was an American jazz and traditional pop singer. He received many accolades, including 20 Grammy Awards, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, ...

's 1987 album, ''Berlin''.

Death

Gordon died of

kidney failure Kidney failure, also known as renal failure or end-stage renal disease (ESRD), 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 fa ...

and smoking-related cancer of the

larynx The larynx (), commonly called the voice box, is an organ (anatomy), 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 ...

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

, on April 25, 1990, at the age of 67.

Family

Gordon's maternal grandfather was Captain Edward L. Baker Jr., who received the

during the

, while serving with the 10th Cavalry Regiment (also known as the Buffalo Soldiers). Gordon's father, Dr. Frank Gordon, M.D., was one of the first prominent African-American physicians and a graduate of

. Gordon's uncle, Clifford Myota Gordon, was a charter member of the Alpha Delta chapter of

Alpha Phi Alpha Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. () is the oldest intercollegiate List of African-American fraternities, historically African American Fraternities and sororities, fraternity. It was initially a literary and social studies club organized in the ...

fraternity, seated at the

University of Southern California The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in ...

. When he lived in Denmark, Gordon became friends with the family of the future

Metallica Metallica is an American heavy metal band. It was formed in Los Angeles in 1981 by vocalist and 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 who is the drummer and a founding member of American heavy metal band Metallica. Along with James Hetfield, Ulrich has songwriting credits on almost all of the band's songs, and the ...

, and subsequently became Lars's godfather. Gordon was married three times and had six children: Robin, James, Deirdre, Mikael, Morten and Benjamin. .

Instruments and mouthpieces

The earliest photographs of Gordon as a player show him with a Conn 30M "Connqueror" and an Otto Link mouthpiece. Later he adopted the standard Conn tenor, the 10M. 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 from

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

(1947 78 album; Savoy SJL 2222, 1977) *Dexter Gordon – ''The Chase'' with

(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 "Teddy" 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 ...

(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'' (Bethlehem 1955) *'' Dexter Blows Hot and Cool'' (Dootone 1955) *'' The Resurgence of Dexter Gordon'' ( 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.

'' (

, 1961) *'' Dexter Calling...'' (Blue Note, 1961) *''

Landslide Landslides, also known as landslips, rockslips or rockslides, are several forms of mass wasting that may include a wide range of ground movements, such as rockfalls, mudflows, shallow or deep-seated slope failures and debris flows. Landslides ...

'' (Blue Note, 1961–62

980 Year 980 ( CMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Peace is concluded between Emperor Otto II (the Red) and King Lothair III (or Lothair IV) at Margut, ending the Franco-Germa ...

*'' Go!'' (Blue Note 1962) *''

'' (Blue Note, 1962) *'' Our Man in Paris'' (Blue Note, 1963, with

, Pierre Michelot,

) *''

One Flight Up ''One Flight Up'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist Dexter Gordon recorded on June 2, 1964 in Paris and released on Blue Note the following year.

'' (Blue Note, 1964) *''

Cheese Cake Cheesecake is a dessert made with a soft fresh cheese (typically cottage cheese, cream cheese, quark or ricotta), eggs, and sugar. It may have a crust or base made from crushed cookies (or digestive biscuits), graham crackers, pastry, or s ...

'' (

, 1979

964 Year 964 ( CMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. Events Byzantine Empire * Arab–Byzantine War: Emperor Nikephoros II continues the reconquest of south-eastern Anatolia (modern Turkey). He recaptures Cyp ...

*'' King Neptune'' (SteepleChase, 1979

*'' I Want More'' (SteepleChase, 1980

*'' Love for Sale'' (SteepleChase, 1982

*'' It's You or No One'' (SteepleChase, 1983

*''

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, Dizzy Gillespie's agent, Billy Shaw, al ...

'' (SteepleChase, 1983

*''

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) *''

'' (Blue Note, 1979

965 Year 965 ( CMLXV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Arab–Byzantine War: Emperor Nikephoros II conquers the fortress cities of Tarsus and Mopsuestia. The Muslim resid ...

*''

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 2003.965 Year 965 ( CMLXV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Arab–Byzantine War: Emperor Nikephoros II conquers the fortress cities of Tarsus and Mopsuestia. The Muslim resid ...

*'' Loose Walk'' (SteepleChase, 2004

*''

Misty In cryptography, MISTY1 (or MISTY-1) is a block cipher designed in 1995 by Mitsuru Matsui and others for Mitsubishi Electric. MISTY1 is one of the selected algorithms in the European NESSIE project, and has been among the cryptographic tech ...

'' (SteepleChase, 2004

*'' Heartaches'' (SteepleChase, 2004

*''

Ladybird Coccinellidae () is a widespread family of small beetles. They are commonly known as ladybugs in North America and ladybirds in the United Kingdom; "lady" refers to mother Mary. Entomologists use the names ladybird beetles or lady beetles ...

'' (SteepleChase, 2005

*''

Stella by Starlight "Stella by Starlight" is a popular jazz standard with music by Victor Young that was drawn from thematic material composed for the main title and soundtrack of the 1944 Paramount Pictures film ''The Uninvited (1944 film), The Uninvited''. Appearin ...

'' (SteepleChase, 2005

966 Year 966 (Roman numerals, CMLXVI) was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * 23 June - Arab-Byzantine Wars, Byzantine-Arab War: Arab-Byzantine prisoner exchanges, A prisoner excha ...

*'' The Squirrel'' (Blue Note, 2001

967 Year 967 ( CMLXVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Spring – Emperor Otto I (the Great) calls for a council at Rome, to present the new government under Pope John XIII. He ...

*''Satin Doll'' (SteepleChase, 2012

*'' Both Sides of Midnight'' (Black Lion, 1988

*'' Body and Soul'' (Black Lion, 1988

*'' Take The "A" Train'' (Black Lion, 1989

*''After Hours'' (SteepleChase, 1986,

969 Year 969 ( CMLXIX) was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar, the 969th year of the Common Era (CE) and ''Anno Domini'' (AD) designations, the 969th year of the 1st millennium, the 69th year of the 10th century, and the 10th ...

*''After Midnight'' (SteepleChase, 1986,

*''Live at the Amsterdam Paradiso'' (Catfish, 1971

*'' A Day in Copenhagen'' (MPS, 1969) – with

Slide Hampton Locksley Wellington Hampton (April 21, 1932 – November 18, 2021) was an American jazz trombone, jazz trombonist, composer and arranger. As his nickname implies, Hampton's main instrument was slide trombone, but he also occasionally played tub ...

*'' The Tower of Power!'' (Prestige, 1969) – with James Moody *'' More Power!'' (Prestige, 1969) *''L.T.D. Live At The Left Bank'' (Prestige, 2001

*''XXL Live At The Left Bank'' (Prestige, 2002

*''

Some Other Spring ''Some Other Spring Blues And Ballads'' is an album by Norwegian vocalist Karin Krog with American saxophonist Dexter Gordon recorded in Norway in 1970 and originally released on the Sonet label in Europe.Karin Krog Karin Krog (born 15 May 1937) is a Norwegian Vocal jazz, jazz singer. Life and career Krog began singing jazz as a teenager and attracted attention while performing in jam sessions in Oslo. In 1955, she was hired by the pianist Kjell Karlsen ...

*'' Dexter Gordon with Junior Mance at Montreux'' (Prestige, 1970, with

Junior Mance Julian Clifford Mance, Jr. (October 10, 1928 – January 17, 2021), known as Junior Mance, was an American jazz pianist and composer. Biography Early life (1928–1947) Mance was born in Evanston, Illinois. When he was five years old, Mance st ...

) *''

and

) *'' Live at the Both/And Club, San Francisco'' (BPM BPE-6101, 1970, with

George Duke George Martin 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 ...

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!'' (Prestige, 1970, with

) *''

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

) *''Those Were The Days'' (Moon, 1995 967–71 *'' The Shadow Of Your Smile'' (

Steeplechase SCCD-31206 1971 SteepleChase Records is a jazz record company and label based in Copenhagen, Denmark. SteepleChase was founded in 1972 by Nils Winther, who was a student at Copenhagen University at the time. He began recording concerts at Jazzhus Montmartre, wh ...

) *''

'' (Prestige, 1975

972 Year 972 ( CMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Spring – Emperor John I Tzimiskes divides the Bulgarian territories, recently held by the Kievan Rus', into six ...

*''

Ca'Purange ''Ca'Purange'' is an album by saxophonist Dexter Gordon which was recorded in 1972 and released by Prestige.Thad Jones Thaddeus Joseph Jones (March 28, 1923 – August 20, 1986) was an American jazz trumpeter, composer and bandleader who has been called "one of the all-time greatest jazz trumpet soloists". Early life, family and education Thad Jones was born i ...

Stanley Clarke Stanley Clarke (born June 30, 1951) is an American bassist, composer and founding member of Return to Forever, one of the first jazz fusion bands. Clarke gave the bass guitar a prominence it lacked in jazz-related music. He is the first jazz-fus ...

and

) *''

Generation A generation is all of the people born and living at about the same time, regarded collectively. It also is "the average period, generally considered to be about 20–⁠30 years, during which children are born and grow up, become adults, and b ...

'' (Prestige, 1972, with

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 c ...

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 a jazzdrummer with singer Henny Vonk and tenorsaxophonist Ferdi ...

) *'' Blues à la Suisse'' (Prestige, 1973) *'' The Montmartre Collection Vol.II - Blues Walk'' (Black Lion Records, 1974) *'' Candlelight Lady'' (

, 2014

974 Year 974 ( CMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Battle of Danevirke: Emperor Otto II defeats the rebel forces of King Harald I, who has invaded Nordalbingia (modern-day Ho ...

*''

'' (

, 1974) *'' The Rainbow People'' (Steeplechase, 2002

with

Benny Bailey Ernest Harold "Benny" Bailey (August 13, 1925 – April 14, 2005) was an American jazz trumpeter. Biography A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Bailey briefly studied flute and piano before turning to trumpet. He attended the Cleveland Conserva ...

) *''Round Midnight'' (SteepleChase, 1991

with

) *''Revelation'' (SteepleChase, 1995

with

) *'' 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 Year 975 ( CMLXXV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Arab–Byzantine War: Emperor John I raids Mesopotamia and invades Syria, using the Byzantine base at Antioch to pres ...

*'' Swiss Nights Vol. 2'' (SteepleChase, 1978

*'' Swiss Nights Vol. 3'' (SteepleChase, 1979

*''

Live in Chateauvallon Live may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Live!'' (2007 film), 2007 American film * ''Live'' (2014 film), a 2014 Japanese film * ''Live'' (2023 film), a Malayalam-language film *'' Live: Phát Trực Tiếp'', a Vietnamese-langua ...

'' (Elemental, 11/8/78 Lullaby for a Monster'' (SteepleChase, 1981 020) *'' Lullaby for a Monster'' (SteepleChase, 1981 True Blue'' (Xanadu Records">Xanadu, 1976, with Al Cohn">Xanadu_Records.html" ;"title="976 *'' True Blue'' ( Xanadu, 1976, with Al Cohn) *''Silver Blue (album)">Silver Blue'' (Xanadu Records">Xanadu, 1976, with Al Cohn">Xanadu Records">Xanadu, 1976, with Al Cohn) *''Silver Blue (album)">Silver Blue'' (Xanadu Records">Xanadu, 1976, with Al Cohn) *''

'' (SteepleChase, 1976) *''Homecoming: Live at the Village Vanguard'' (Columbia, 1976, with

, Ronnie Mathews, Stafford James,

) *'' Jazz Classics'' (Aurophon, 1977, with

Bucky Pizzarelli John Paul "Bucky" Pizzarelli (January 9, 1926 – April 1, 2020) was an American jazz guitarist. He worked for NBC as a staffman from 1964, including for Dick Cavett (1971) and ABC with Bobby Rosengarden in (1952). Musicians he collaborate ...

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 ...

Candido Camero Candido is both a given name and a surname. Notable people with the name include: Given name * Candido Amantini (1914–1992), Italian Roman Catholic priest * Candido Camero, known simply as "Candido" (1921–2020), Cuban percussionist * Candido ...

, Oliver Jackson) *'' Sophisticated Giant'' ( Columbia, 1977, with 11-piece big-band including

, and

) *''Manhattan Symphonie'' (Columbia, 1978, with

– bass,

– percussion, and

– keyboard) *Great Encounters (Columbia, 1979) *''Live at Carnegie Hall'' (Columbia, 1998 978 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) *'' The Montmartre Collection Vol.I'' (Black Lion Records, 1981) *''

Gotham City Gotham City ( ), or simply Gotham, is a fictional city in the Northeastern United States that serves as the primary city appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. It is best known as the home of the superhero Batman and his List ...

'' (Columbia, 1981, with

George Benson George Washington Benson (born March 22, 1943) is an American jazz fusion guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He began his professional career at the age of 19 as a jazz guitarist. A former child prodigy, Benson first came to prominence in the ...

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 througho ...

) *''American Classic'' ( Elektra/Musician, 1982, featuring Grover Washington Jr. 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 P ...

) *''

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 label.

'' (

, 1986)

As sideman

With

* '' The Chase!'' (Prestige, 1970) * '' Gene Ammons and Friends at Montreux'' (Prestige, 1973) With

*''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

* ''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

* ''The Chronological Billy Eckstine and His Orchestra, 1944-1945'' (CD, Classic Records

rance Rance may refer to: Places * Rance (river), northwestern France * Rancé, a commune in eastern France, near Lyon * Ranče, a small settlement in Slovenia * Rance, Wallonia, part of the municipality of Sivry-Rance ** Rouge de Rance, a Devonian ...

1997) * ''Billy Eckstine, The Legendary Big Band'' (SVY 17125) With

* ''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

* ''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

* ''

Takin' Off ''Takin' Off'' is the debut album by jazz pianist Herbie Hancock released in 1962 by Blue Note Records. The album features veteran tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon, trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, bassist Butch Warren and drummer Billy Higgins. The a ...

'' (Blue Note, 1962) * '' Round Midnight'' (1986), Columbia Records With

* ''Fletcher Henderson And His Orchestra''
AFRS Jubilee 76
, ( V-Disc, 1944) * ''Fletcher Henderson And His Orchestra''
AFRS Jubilee 77
, ( V-Disc, 1944) With

* ''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

* '' The Meeting'' (SteepleChase, 1974) * ''

The Source The Source may refer to: Film and television * ''The Source'' (1918 film), 1918 American drama directed by George Melford * ''The Source'' (1999 film), a 1999 documentary film about the Beat generation * ''The Source'' (2002 film), a 2002 scienc ...

'' (SteepleChase, 1974) With

* ''Gerry Mulligan – Capitol Jazz Classics, Vol. 4: Walking Shoes'' (Capitol M 11029) * ''Classic Capitol Jazz Sessions'' (Mosaic MQ19-170) With

* ''The Be Bop Boys'' (Savoy SJL 2225) * ''Leo Parker – Birth Of Bop, Vol. 1'' (Savoy XP 8060) With Pony Poindexter * '' Pony's Express'' (Epic, 1962) * ''

Stella By Starlight "Stella by Starlight" is a popular jazz standard with music by Victor Young that was drawn from thematic material composed for the main title and soundtrack of the 1944 Paramount Pictures film ''The Uninvited (1944 film), The Uninvited''. Appearin ...

'' (co leader) (SteepleChase 1966) With

* ''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 Agerbeek (28 September 1937 – 5 July 2023) was an Indo Dutch boogie-woogie and jazz pianist and winner of several jazz concourses in the Netherlands in the late 1950s. He was regarded as one of Europe's finest jazz pianist ...

, ''All Souls'' (Dexterity, 1972, with

and others) *

, ''Berlin'' (Columbia, 1987) *

, ''Various Artists – OKeh Jazz'' (Epic EG 37315) *

Nat King Cole Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, alternatively billed as Nat "King" Cole, was an American singer, jazz pianist, and actor. Cole's career as a jazz and Traditional pop, pop ...

, ''Nat King Cole Meets The Master Saxes'' 1943 (Phoenix Jazz LP 5) *

, ''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 (March 31, 1921March 7, 1999) was an American blues guitarist and songwriter, in the West Coast blues tradition. He also recorded for contractual reasons as Lowell Fullsom and Lowell Fulsom. After T-Bone Walker, he was the most i ...

, ''Lowell Fulson'' (Swing Time 320) *

, ''Wynonie Harris – Love Is Like Rain / Your Money Don't Mean A Thing (Come Live With Me Baby)'' (King 4217) *

, '' Philly Mignon'' (Galaxy, 1977) * Stan Levey, ''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 Saxophone, saxophonist, bandleader, and composer. Parker was a highly influential soloist and leading figure in the development of beb ...

, ''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 Nonet'' (1945, Jazz Archives JA 35)

References

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 saxophonists African-American jazz musicians 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 in the United States 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 in the United States 20th-century American male musicians Black Lion Records artists 20th-century American jazz composers Sonet Records artists 20th-century African-American musicians DownBeat Jazz Hall of Fame members NEA Jazz Masters

Life and career

Early life

Bebop era recordings

The 1950s

New York renaissance

Years in Europe

Homecoming

Musician Emeritus

Death

Family

Instruments and mouthpieces

Discography

As a leader

As sideman

References

Further reading

External links