DEXTER GORDON - Doin’ Alright / Dexter Calling / Landslide
The Complete Sessions
American Jazz Classics 99101 ( 2 CD Set )
CD One
Tracks 1 to 7
Doin’ Allright
Dexter Gordon ( tnr ) Freddie Hubbard ( tpt ) Horace Parlan ( pno ) George Tucker ( bass ) Al Harewood ( drs )
Recorded Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 6th May 1961
CD One
Tracks 8 to 10
Dexter Calling
Dexter Gordon ( tnr ) Kenny Drew ( pno ) Paul Chambers ( bass ) Philly Joe Jones ( drs )
Recorded Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 9th May 1961
CD Two
Tracks 1 to 5
Dexter Calling
Dexter Gordon ( tnr ) Kenny Drew ( pno ) Paul Chambers ( bass ) Philly Joe Jones ( drs )
Recorded Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 9th May 1961
CD Two
Tracks 6 to 8
Landslide
Dexter Gordon ( tnr ) Tommy Turpentine ( tpt ) on “You Said It” only Sir Charles Thompson ( pno ) Al Lucas ( bass ) Willie Bobo ( drs )
Recorded Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 5th May 1961
CD Two
Tracks 9 to 11
Landslide
Dexter Gordon ( tnr ) Dave Burns ( tpt ) Sonny Clark ( pno ) Ron Carter ( bass ) Philly Joe Jones ( drs) Recorded Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 25th June 1962
CD Two
Track 12
Bonus track
Dexter Gordon ( tnr ) Sonny Stitt ( tnr ) Don Patterson ( organ ) Paul Weeden ( gtr ) Billy James ( drs )
Recorded Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 14th May 1962
The three LPs contained on these two Cds are the balance of the six albums Dexter recorded between 1960 and 1962. The other three albums were “Resurgence”, “Go” and A Swingin’ Affair” and these six albums contain some of Dexter’s finest recorded work.
Dexter is joined by trumpeter Freddie Hubbard on the album “Doin’ Allright” which adds some colour and variety to the proceedings. The title tune has a nice catchy theme which Dexter takes full advantage of before he begins to build his solo which he develops slowly but reaches a fitting climax before Freddie Hubbard takes over. The drummer Al Harewood is little pedestrian on this number giving little encouragement to the frontline instrumentalists.
Dexter has always had an ear for a good ballad and hebrings out the full beauty of “You’ve Changed” without lapsing into the over sentimental.
On Dexter’s own composition “Society Red” he is at his creative best swinging hard and inspiring Freddie Hubbard to come up with a fine solo. Al Harewood is much improved on this track on spurs on the soloists with his interesting fills. Pianist Horace Parlan sets a high standard throughout the album but his solo on this track is outstanding full of twists and turns.
As a stand alone album “Doin’ Allright” sets a high standard with Dexter at his creative best and closely by Freddie Hubbard and Horace Parlan.
For “Dexter Calling” the group becomes a quartet with a stellar rhythm section with pianist Kenny Drew who was to work and record with whilst they were both living and working in Europe. The opening track Dexter’s own composition, the gospel inspired “Soul, Sister” has both Dexter and Kenny Drew getting into the spirit of the tune and creating some swining solos. The rhythm section with Paul Chambers on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums along with Kenny Drew at rhe piano are a cohesive group and create a platform for Dexter to play over.
“Ernie’s Theme” is a beautiful tune and brings out the best in Dexter’s skills as a ballad player. “The End of a Love Affair” would have benefited from a slower tempo as the faster pace failed to bring out the best in the tune.
All in all this album captured Dexter and the rest of the group in good form and contains some of Dexter’s most effective playing.
“Landslide” is an album of contrasting halves, on the first four tracks we have Sir Charles Thompson on piano, for the balance of the tracks we find the more modern rhythm section of Sonny Clark on piano who is joined by Ron Carter on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums.
You would not expect Sir Charles Thompson to be the ideal pianist for Dexter but he acquits himself rather well and on “Love Locked Out” his solo is a master of understatement.
On “You Said It” they are joined by Tommy Turrentine on trumpet who produces a sparkling solo to the piece and there is another concise solo by Sir Charles. “Serenade in Blue” is treated as a ballad and Dexter is at the top of his form with a fine reading of the tune but does not lapse into sentimentality.
Dave Burn’s trumpet on the final three tracks of “Landslide” is welcome as there is little recorded evidence of his work and his solo on “Blue Gardenia” is a demonstration of good taste.
The bonus track “Lady be Good” with Sonny Stiit joining Dexter on tenor is very much a filler and does not have the feel of the rest of the albums but I suppose an Dexter is a bonus.
These three albums on the two Cds cotain some of Dexter’s best work and should be purchased by any lovers of the tenor saxophone.
Reviewed by Roy Booth
The Complete Sessions
American Jazz Classics 99101 ( 2 CD Set )
CD One
Tracks 1 to 7
Doin’ Allright
Dexter Gordon ( tnr ) Freddie Hubbard ( tpt ) Horace Parlan ( pno ) George Tucker ( bass ) Al Harewood ( drs )
Recorded Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 6th May 1961
CD One
Tracks 8 to 10
Dexter Calling
Dexter Gordon ( tnr ) Kenny Drew ( pno ) Paul Chambers ( bass ) Philly Joe Jones ( drs )
Recorded Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 9th May 1961
CD Two
Tracks 1 to 5
Dexter Calling
Dexter Gordon ( tnr ) Kenny Drew ( pno ) Paul Chambers ( bass ) Philly Joe Jones ( drs )
Recorded Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 9th May 1961
CD Two
Tracks 6 to 8
Landslide
Dexter Gordon ( tnr ) Tommy Turpentine ( tpt ) on “You Said It” only Sir Charles Thompson ( pno ) Al Lucas ( bass ) Willie Bobo ( drs )
Recorded Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 5th May 1961
CD Two
Tracks 9 to 11
Landslide
Dexter Gordon ( tnr ) Dave Burns ( tpt ) Sonny Clark ( pno ) Ron Carter ( bass ) Philly Joe Jones ( drs) Recorded Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 25th June 1962
CD Two
Track 12
Bonus track
Dexter Gordon ( tnr ) Sonny Stitt ( tnr ) Don Patterson ( organ ) Paul Weeden ( gtr ) Billy James ( drs )
Recorded Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 14th May 1962
The three LPs contained on these two Cds are the balance of the six albums Dexter recorded between 1960 and 1962. The other three albums were “Resurgence”, “Go” and A Swingin’ Affair” and these six albums contain some of Dexter’s finest recorded work.
Dexter is joined by trumpeter Freddie Hubbard on the album “Doin’ Allright” which adds some colour and variety to the proceedings. The title tune has a nice catchy theme which Dexter takes full advantage of before he begins to build his solo which he develops slowly but reaches a fitting climax before Freddie Hubbard takes over. The drummer Al Harewood is little pedestrian on this number giving little encouragement to the frontline instrumentalists.
Dexter has always had an ear for a good ballad and hebrings out the full beauty of “You’ve Changed” without lapsing into the over sentimental.
On Dexter’s own composition “Society Red” he is at his creative best swinging hard and inspiring Freddie Hubbard to come up with a fine solo. Al Harewood is much improved on this track on spurs on the soloists with his interesting fills. Pianist Horace Parlan sets a high standard throughout the album but his solo on this track is outstanding full of twists and turns.
As a stand alone album “Doin’ Allright” sets a high standard with Dexter at his creative best and closely by Freddie Hubbard and Horace Parlan.
For “Dexter Calling” the group becomes a quartet with a stellar rhythm section with pianist Kenny Drew who was to work and record with whilst they were both living and working in Europe. The opening track Dexter’s own composition, the gospel inspired “Soul, Sister” has both Dexter and Kenny Drew getting into the spirit of the tune and creating some swining solos. The rhythm section with Paul Chambers on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums along with Kenny Drew at rhe piano are a cohesive group and create a platform for Dexter to play over.
“Ernie’s Theme” is a beautiful tune and brings out the best in Dexter’s skills as a ballad player. “The End of a Love Affair” would have benefited from a slower tempo as the faster pace failed to bring out the best in the tune.
All in all this album captured Dexter and the rest of the group in good form and contains some of Dexter’s most effective playing.
“Landslide” is an album of contrasting halves, on the first four tracks we have Sir Charles Thompson on piano, for the balance of the tracks we find the more modern rhythm section of Sonny Clark on piano who is joined by Ron Carter on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums.
You would not expect Sir Charles Thompson to be the ideal pianist for Dexter but he acquits himself rather well and on “Love Locked Out” his solo is a master of understatement.
On “You Said It” they are joined by Tommy Turrentine on trumpet who produces a sparkling solo to the piece and there is another concise solo by Sir Charles. “Serenade in Blue” is treated as a ballad and Dexter is at the top of his form with a fine reading of the tune but does not lapse into sentimentality.
Dave Burn’s trumpet on the final three tracks of “Landslide” is welcome as there is little recorded evidence of his work and his solo on “Blue Gardenia” is a demonstration of good taste.
The bonus track “Lady be Good” with Sonny Stiit joining Dexter on tenor is very much a filler and does not have the feel of the rest of the albums but I suppose an Dexter is a bonus.
These three albums on the two Cds cotain some of Dexter’s best work and should be purchased by any lovers of the tenor saxophone.
Reviewed by Roy Booth
