[mrpeebee]

Hi all,

Found again a fantastic video from a famous tenor-battle played in 1979 in The Netherlands at the North Sea Jazz Festival. This time it's a ballad feature for the late great Dexter Gordon.

Here is the link:

The poster of this video and me are not sure about the song he plays here. It sounds like Skylark. Could anyone confirm?

Enjoy this great performance of one of the real hero's of jazz tenor!

And for those who want to see more of this great tenor-battle, check this thread:
http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showth...er-Gordon-and-Illinois-Jacquet-in-Flying-Home

 

[belliott]

Thanks, Peter, that is really nice.

Sounds like Laura to me, however, not Skylark.

Good stuff.

 

[mrpeebee]

I think you're right with Laura, thanks Bill, great !

Found this version of Dex playing that song on YouTube, see here to compare:

 

[DenisJ]

Nice. Love Dexter.
And Hank Jones of course

Thank you

 

[FawltyTenor]

Dexter's playing sure endured for decades, aging and maturing like fine wine. Can't even think of words that appropriately descibe the beauty of his ballad playing. I sure never tire of listening to him...

Shawn

Btw, that is definitely Laura, but I think the piano player quoted Skylark briefly in the intro.

 

[mrpeebee]

I agree Shawn, Dexter is one the 'real' musicians throughout his whole career. IMO he doesn't play music, he IS music. Fantastic to see his facial expression during playing, it's so well captured in this video.

Indeed the tune is Laura, thanks. Received also some notifications from others on that. I also recognized something of Skylark, and according to a friend of mine Dexter also quote's Mono Lisa (which he did often).

The piano player is the great Hank Jones, with on bass Gene Ramey and on drums Gus Johnson. Arnett Cobb playes some background lines at the end of the tune.

 

[BrianMitchellBrody]

Thanks for this post. I get regular updates and videos on facebook as a "friend" of Dexter Gordon. Its a great way to get my daily dose of Dex.

What I really like about his period of 'Round Midnight is that he seems to have sobered up and his playing is as good or better than the early days.

B

 

[saxobari]

Thanks mrpeebee
Just wonderfull.
Regards
Saxobari

 

[FawltyTenor]

What I really like about his period of 'Round Midnight is that he seems to have sobered up and his playing is as good or better than the early days.

During a weather delay or some similar thing maybe around 1990-1991, WBEZ rebroadcast his performance at the 1987 Chicago jazz fest. At the end of the show, DJ Neil Tesser talks about just how historic he felt the performance was, with Dexter's failing health and all, Dexter got up there and played as well as anyone heard in years. "Miraculous", I think was the word he used. Had a casette of this at one point, but it seems to have dissapeared from "the vault."

There's a little taste of this at the site linked below. After the long DJ introduction, and then Dexter's greeting, you can hear the opening of Blue Walk...
http://www.sarahtoulouse.net/live/

There's also a few YT (audio) clips of the same group with Cedar Walton and Bobby Hutcherson at Pescara Jazz Fest. 1987, I think these were some of Dexter's last performances that were captured on tape. Sound quality may not be great, but Dexter's still taking care of business!

Round Midnight

Part 1 and Part 2 of Society Red. Swingin' right until the end!!!

 

[smoothjazztenor]

Laura...beautiful ballad.
Dex had this thing with ballads...always behind the beat...always relaxed....always evokes beautiful scenes in my head....

 

[mrpeebee]

Thanks for the additions above Shawn (#9).

I liked that "Round Midnight" movie very much, but his sound was not so strong anymore as before. But still a great musician ofcourse.

Found some older "Blues Walk" video of Dexter of 1964, also recorded in Holland (still playing his Dukoff mouthpiece here):

 

[saxobari]

Just wonderfull
Thanks for sharing.
Mario

 

[toughtenor]

Dexter in optima forma , wow , great clip. Very visible embouchure, he takes in an enourmous amount of mpc !!
I love the moment on the out cadenza on "Laura" where he runs out of keys on the horn ( can't get any lower then Bflat) and the pianist completes the last note, Dexter's reacts with a smile !

 

[mrpeebee]

Toughtenor, thanks for pointing out that very very nice moment just after 6:40 .

I have seen this concert back in 1979 at age 17 and can't understand why I didn't remember this great performance of Dexter till I found the video clip on Youtube... It's so damn DAMN GOOD!!! Guess I didn't appreciate ballads back in those days as much as I do know.

And I see the clip only has 410 views until now, that's a real shame ...

 

[toughtenor]

Toughtenor, thanks for pointing out that very very nice moment just after 6:40 .

I have seen this concert back in 1979 at age 17 and can't understand why I didn't remember this great performance of Dexter till I found the video clip on Youtube... It's so damn DAMN GOOD!!! Guess I didn't appreciate ballads back in those days as much as I do know.

And I see the clip only has 410 views until now, that's a real shame ...

appreciation of the real quality things in life grows with age I suppose. I performed as a singer in at the middelsee jazz festival at about that age and got to see a concert of Stan Getz at that festival, I almost fell asleep during this concert because it was postponed for 11/2 hour because Chet Baker ( who was announced too) decided not to show up, I think he needed a fix and drove to Amsterdam. The warm soothing melodies of Getz's horn passed me by , I was too young to realize.. I remember sort of waking up though everytime Kenny Barron played...
Hey mr. peebee just done the math, we're the same age !

 

[mrpeebee]

That's indeed funny, both being about the same age, (big) jazz fans, living in The Netherlands, not too much hair anymore, forgetting great performances at young age :bluewink:!

But I remember very well the feature of Arnett Cobb in that same concert back in 1979. He made me wanting to learn playing tenor because of this performance:

 

[dexdex]

What more can I say ... I just get tears.