Dexter Gordon: Classic Track From A Classic Album
Dexter Gordon’s first Blue Note album Doin’ Allirght (1961) was a major event in many respects. It was his comeback after a troubled, lackluster ‘50s and got him to Blue Note Records and eventually to Europe. Every track was a gem, but my favorite is Society Red, a cool, medium tempo blues that’s written as kind of stuttering, funky march. It’s a unique piece that Dexter played throughout the ‘60s and revived for the 1986 filming of “’Round Midnight.” The 12-minute meditation on the blues features Freddie Hubbard, Dexter, Horace Parlan and George Tucker building brilliant solos chorus after chorus.
-Michael Cuscuna
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Francis Wolff Limited Edition Photograph: Dexter Gordon
With Blue Note, Alfred Lion and Francis Wolff brought the world phenomenal jazz, thanks to their incredible ears. Fortunately, Wolff was blessed with an amazing eye as well.
From the company’s inception, he never missed a recording session, and he always brought his Rolleiflex. Crouched behind microphone stands, poised at the end of the piano bench, a fly on the wall while the playback rolled, he had exclusive photographic access to many of the most important moments in all of jazz history. They are great historic documents. And represent exceptional photographic talent.
Selected images became the album cover shots for Blue Note’s brilliant designer Reid Miles, and are instantly recognized by millions. Now, museum-quality prints in limited editions can be owned forever… But only by a few handfuls of people.
Each image will be made available for one month only. At the end of that month, only the images ordered will be printed and that will be the end of the Limited Edition. The Dexter Gordon photograph is only available for the month of April and we are making these limited prints available for the low price of $250.00.
Please join us in celebrating the unique genius of Francis Wolff, and take advantage of this opportunity to own these very special portraits.
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Read MoreDexter Gordon
Very cool 1971 documentary footage of Dexter Gordon warming up and then taking the stage at the Montmartre in Copenhagen to play “Those Were The Days” with Kenny Drew. This was around the time that Mary Hopkins had a hit resurrecting this old tune for Apple Records. Copenhagen was Dexter’s town of choice when he settled in Europe and he loved the people, the musicians and the Montmartre.
-Michael Cuscuna
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Dexter Gordon 90th Birthday: February 27, 1923
Last year marked Charles Mingus’s 90th birthday and this year, another star Los Angeles native hits the same milestone. Dexter was not only a pioneer in the bebop movement, charting the blueprint for the tenor saxophone, but he was also a unique character and well-read intellectual. Despite his one major failing of putting A-1 Steak Sauce on perfectly good meat, he was fond of pointing out, “I’m not the boy next door.” A biography & more from the gorgeous DexterGordon.com website. Please visit.
-Michael Cuscuna
Biography & More At Dexter Gordon’s Website… Follow: Mosaic Records Facebook Tumblr Twitter
Read MoreDexter Gordon Documentary Excerpt
This is a wonderful six-minute except from Don McGlynn and Leonard Malone’s Dexter Gordon documentary “More Than You Know” which focuses on his years in Copenhagen. Unfortunately this wonderful film is no longer available on video. Dexter was a delightful, one-of-a-kind personality and that comes through on this wonderful footage.
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The Dexter Gordon Society: Launch Date February 27, 2013
The Dexter Gordon Society has been created to honor, preserve, document, and present the life’s work and musical legacy of world-renowned Jazz musician, band leader, composer, Academy Award nominated actor, and the world’s first Bebop tenor saxophonist, Dexter Keith Gordon (1923-1990).
The Society will serve to increase public awareness and appreciation for the cultural and artistic contributions of Dexter Gordon and his musical contemporaries through historical research and documentation, educational workshops, musical performance, public panels and presentations, technology, and archival work.
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Read MoreDexter Gordon: Live At Montreux 1973
This is a very cool performance as Dexter Gordon digs into Jimmy Heath’s “Gingerbread Boy” with an all-star rhythm section. This performance was issued as Dexter’s final Prestige album, but it’s cool to see all the 1973 trappings like Dexter’s dashiki-like top and Hampton Hawes and Bob Cranshaw on electric instruments.
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Dexter Gordon, Really at Ease
Here are two Canadian radio interviews, one from 1976 and the other from 1979, with a very relaxed and candid Dexter Gordon. I spent hundreds of hours talking to Dexter in the ’70s and ’80s and I can attest that here he is, speaking without any attitude or guard up. Really fascinating conversation if you are curious about this most unique human being.
-Michael Cuscuna
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