• Dexter Gordon Our Man In Paris Full Album

For some reason, doesn't immediately leap to my mind when I think of A-list bop saxmen. Our Man in Paris is all the evidence you need.Gordon made a bunch of terrific records for Blue Note from 1961 to 1964. From 1962, with pianist, is the best of the bunch, and I can't really argue with that. But Our Man in Paris is every bit its equal, based largely on the strength of three songs and the presence of seminal bebop pianist.As the title implies, Our Man in Paris was recorded in the City of Lights. It's a simple bop quartet with Gordon on sax, Powell on piano, American on drums and Frenchman Pierre Michelot on bass.

It's a simple lineup, but powerful.The album kicks off with a wild rendition of the classic 'Scrapple From the Apple.' Gordon is on fire, and Powell is sublime. This is no mere imitation.

It's full of original ideas and endless energy, using the Parker tune as a jumping-off point for inspired solos.Next up is another jazz chestnut, 'Willow Weep for Me.' It's been recorded a million times by a million artists, and my favorite version is still on solo piano. But the Gordon-Powell version is a close second, full of smoky noir flavor and, again, clever soloing that makes this more than a mere blues.A couple more standards follow: 'Broadway,' which sounds suspiciously like 's 'Lounging at the Waldorf,' and the ballad 'Stairway to the Stars.'

And then the highlight of the CD, and the closer of the original LP, a fantastic, crazy, original take on 's 'A Night in Tunisia,' perhaps my all-time favorite jazz composition. Again, it's a tune that's been covered by hundreds of jazz musicians—definitively by both Diz himself and Charlie Parker in the 1940s. This is a more modern interpretation, and Gordon is positively exuberant, blowing line after line after line of original ideas, followed by Powell with some nice noodling on the keyboard.The CD adds two more cuts to the LP, neither essential: a pleasant mid-tempo version of 'Our Love is Here to Stay' and a sax-less take of 'Like Someone in Love,' featuring Bud Powell sounding very un-Powell-like. No clever bop-istries here, just nice, unremarkable melodies.Funny thing about Our Man in Paris. I've owned the record (and now the CD) for decades, but it's not one I go to often. And yet once I do play the album, I wind up listening to it over and over.

If it's not in your collection, it should be. Gordon is one of the all-time best boppers, and Paris is arguably his best recording.Rating: 5 stars (out of 5)Availability: Many copies on Amazon, new and usedCost: Just $2 or $3 used.

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In concert in Toronto, August 19, 1978Background informationAlso known asLong Tall Dexter, Dexter GordonBorn( 1923-02-27)February 27, 1923, U.S.DiedApril 25, 1990 (1990-04-25) (aged 67), U.S.Genres,Occupation(s)Musician, composer, bandleader, actorInstrumentsTenor saxophone, Soprano saxophoneYears active1940–1986Labels,Associated acts,WebsiteDexter Gordon (February 27, 1923 – April 25, 1990) was an American tenor saxophonist. He was one of the first players of the instrument in the idiom of musicians such as,. Gordon's height was 6 feet 6 inches (198 cm), so he was also known as 'Long Tall Dexter' and 'Sophisticated Giant'. His studio and performance career spanned over 40 years.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 humorously inserting musical quotes into his solos, with sources as diverse as popular tunes like ' to the operas of. This is not unusual in common-practice jazz improvisation, but Gordon did it frequently enough to make it a hallmark of his style. One of his major influences was. Gordon, in turn, was an early influence on.

Rollins and Coltrane then influenced Gordon's playing as he explored 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. One of his idiosyncratic rituals was to recite lyrics from each ballad before playing it.A photograph by of Gordon taking a smoke break at the 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 for for his performance in the film (, 1986), and he won a Grammy for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Soloist, for the soundtrack album (, 1986). He also had a cameo role in the 1990 film. In 2019, Gordon's album (Blue Note, 1962) was selected by the for preservation in the for being 'culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant'.

At the 1980, AmsterdamGordon finally returned to the United States for good in 1976. He appeared with, and, for a gig at the in New York that was dubbed his 'homecoming.' It was recorded and released by under that title. He noted: '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 Corner in San Francisco during 1978 and 1979. They featured Gordon,.

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, renewed promotion of the classic jazz catalogs of the Savoy and Blue Note record labels, and the continued efforts of through 1970s and early 1980s, have been credited with reviving interest in swinging, melodic, acoustically-based classic jazz sounds after the era that saw an emphasis on electronic sounds and contemporary pop influences.Musician Emeritus In 1978 and 1980, Gordon was the Musician of the Year and in 1980 he was inducted into the.

Dexter Gordon Our Man In Paris Full Album

The US Government honored him with a Congressional Commendation, a Dexter Gordon Day in Washington DC, and a award for Lifetime Achievement. In 1986, he was named a member and officer of the by the Ministry of Culture in.During the 1980s, Gordon was weakened. He remained a popular attraction at concerts and festivals, although his live appearances and recording dates would soon become infrequent.Gordon's most memorable works from the decade were not in music but in film. He starred in the 1986 movie 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. In addition, he had a non-speaking role in the 1990 film, which was posthumously released. Before that last film was released he made a guest appearance on the series.Soundtrack performances from Round Midnight were released as the albums and, featuring original music by as well as playing by Gordon.

The latter was the last recording released under Gordon's name. He was a sideman on 's 1987 album, Berlin.Death and postmortem Gordon died of and cancer of the in, on April 25, 1990, at the age of 67.

On June 25, 2019, listed Dexter Gordon among hundreds of artists whose material was reportedly destroyed in the. Family Gordon's maternal grandfather was Captain, who received the during the, while serving with the 10th Cavalry Regiment (also known as the ).Gordon's father, Dr.by, February 2016 - retrieved August 7, 2017. ^. Archived from on 2018-07-30.

Retrieved 2015-05-28. Harvardartmuseums.org. Andrews, Travis M. (March 20, 2019). The Washington Post.

Retrieved March 25, 2019. ^. Archived from on 2015-04-14. Retrieved 2015-08-28. Joop Visser, essay booklet with Settin' the Pace, Proper box set. ^. Retrieved October 11, 2019., YouTube video.

David Meeker, Library of Congress, Performing Arts Encyclopedia. Chapman, Dale. P. 78.

Rosen, Jody (25 June 2019). Retrieved 28 June 2019. Joel McIver, Omnibus Press, 2004.Further reading. Gordon, Maxine (2018) Sophisticated Giant: The Life and Legacy of Dexter Gordon (University of California Press)External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to. at. on. by Eric Novod (www.jazz.com).

Retrieved August 30, 2010. C. Michael Bailey (August 1, 2001). All about jazz. Article by., April 2019 - Issue 204, page 15. Retrieved 4 April 2019.