[mrpeebee]

Hi all,

I remember having taped from the Dutch radio the first recordings of Dexter Gordon made under his own name when I was about 15 years old and I have listened a ton to those tracks since then. They turned me into jazz (besides a lot of other stuff). Dexter has a killing tone in these recordings at age 20, something in between his later massive sound and Lester Young, one of his biggest examples. Stylistically he is still with a few tones in the Swing era, but you can already recognize a lot of his own later stuff in his playing.

They recorded four tunes, which are all on YouTube now (and didn't get much views ).

- Dexter Gordon Quintet (source: Dexter Gordon Discography)
Harry Edison (trumpet)
Dexter Gordon (tenor sax)
Nat King Cole (piano)
possibly Red Callender or Johnny Miller (bass)
Juicy Owens (drums)
- Recording date: Los Angeles, CA, late 1943 or circa July, 1944

- Soundlcips:

1. I Found A New Baby (solo of Dexter starts at 1:47):

2. Rosetta (solo of Dexter starts at 2:11):

3. Sweet Lorraine (solo of Dexter starts at 3:18):

4. I Blowed And Gone (solo of Dexter starts at 1:35):

Enjoy !!!

 

[LateNiteSax]

steal this boxed set!

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=dexter+proper&_sacat=0&_from=R40

 

[dexdex]

Amazing ! The similarity with Lester Young is smashing. Thanks PB.

 

[SAXISMYAXE]

Great links. Many thanks for posting this for fellow Dexter fans.

 

[toughtenor]

Great ! Thanks !

 

[mrpeebee]

Amazing ! The similarity with Lester Young is smashing. Thanks PB.

I like Dexter over his whole career, but actually I find his sound and approach in these first recordings the best I've ever heard. It's a pity that we don't have much more recordings of him of the period 1942-1944 (because of the record ban in that period, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1942–44_musicians'_strike).

 

[Nefertiti]

I just bought Dexter's album from 1955 "Dexter Blows Hot and Cool" This album is great. I can't believe I missed it all these years. Do you guys know when Dexter switched from the Dukoff to the Link? I'm curious what recordings were on what.

 

[LiAm84]

Do you guys know when Dexter switched from the Dukoff to the Link? I'm curious what recordings were on what.

You should be aware that Dexter's earlier recordings, like the ones mrpeebee posted and the one you mentioned where recorded on a tone master otto link and a Conn 30m not the famous Conn 10m Dukoff combination but I'm not sure exactly when the switch to the 10m + Dukoff occurred or when he switched from that combination to Mark VI + STM.

 

[Rennie]

Great sound! Yes, Lester is there, but I think I hear Chu Berry too

 

[mrpeebee]

I just bought Dexter's album from 1955 "Dexter Blows Hot and Cool" This album is great. I can't believe I missed it all these years. Do you guys know when Dexter switched from the Dukoff to the Link? I'm curious what recordings were on what.

Steve, Dex played in 1943 on a Tone Master 6 (like Liam also mentioned), which he swapped against his Tone Master 4 with Illinois Jacquet in the early 40's in the Hampton big band. His Dukoff + Conn change to Florida Link + Selmer seems to have taken place somewhere between January 65-July 67 (see >this< link).

Great sound! Yes, Lester is there, but I think I hear Chu Berry too

Rennie, Chu sounds to me more like a full Hawkins follower, while Dex seems to come more from Lester (but indeed not his only source).

 

[mrpeebee]

I tried to get that early Dex vibe in my own sound in a small home recording of >'Skylark'<, recorded a few days after posting this thread. It was inspired on his sound in the 'Sweet Lorraine' clip posted above and played on a vintage 1935 Otto Link Four**** (opened to an 8* tip by Jon van Wie).

 

[bb]

What can I say?
Dexter is simply unreal : a lesson of time sound and relax every time.
He's outstanding, incredibly mature for that age!
One of my favourite players of all times.

 

[jrvinson45]

I tried to get that early Dex vibe in my own sound in a small home recording of >'Skylark'<, recorded a few days after posting this thread. It was inspired on his sound in the 'Sweet Lorraine' clip posted above and played on a vintage 1935 Otto Link Four**** (opened to an 8* tip by Jon van Wie).

Nice. You're definitely "channeling" that Dexter vibe there.

 

[mrpeebee]

Thanks John .

 

[TurtleJimmy]

Great! All four of those songs are on a CD that I have, called "Lester Young Trio". Most of the CD is Lester Young and the trio, with Buddy Rich ... Then, the last four songs are those 4, recorded in 1943, according to the liner notes. There's a great photo in there of Dexter, smoking a cigarette, sitting with a .... looks like a Conn. What a great CD this one is!!!


Turtle

 

[mrpeebee]

I have the same CD Jimmy, it's indeed a great one .

 

[LiAm84]

I have that CD too. Harry Sweets Edison sounds great on the Dexter tracks but never mind them, it's the Lester Young trio tracks; 'I found A New Baby' and 'I Want to Be Happy' with Buddy Rich and Nat King Cole which are really amazing.

 

[TurtleJimmy]

I actually went into the store to buy Dexter's "Go" album, but they were out of it. Instead of some other Dexter Gordon album, the store owner showed me this one. "Here, get this, you won't be sorry."

I always trust him ... and he was sure right about this CD. I still don't have Dex's "Go" yet ... The next time I went in, it was out as well, and I got "One Flight Up". I need more Dexter. More Dexter. MORE DEXTER!!!


Turtle

 

[Rennie]

...but never mind them, it's the Lester Young trio tracks; 'I found A New Baby' and 'I Want to Be Happy' with Buddy Rich and Nat King Cole which are really amazing.

Nat... someone who never got the renown for his piano playing that he should have... I simply love those tracks.

 

[mrpeebee]

I have that CD too. Harry Sweets Edison sounds great on the Dexter tracks but never mind them, it's the Lester Young trio tracks; 'I found A New Baby' and 'I Want to Be Happy' with Buddy Rich and Nat King Cole which are really amazing.

Nat... someone who never got the renown for his piano playing that he should have... I simply love those tracks.

For those that don't know these tracks of Lester:

Those tracks are great, but soundwise I still prefer Lester's old Master Link sound of the late 30's compared to his Brilhart sound in these tracks. Nat King Cole sounds indeed great in this (less commercial) period of his career.