Customer Reviews

Bouncin' With Dex

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I've been checking out some of my favorite jazz discs at this site, and I'm kind of surprised this one hasn't been reviewed yet. Bouncin' With Dex is one of LTD's best.
Of course it doesn't help that they have no album info listed, so here goes:
Origionally recorded for SteeplChase Productions, Denmark 1975.
Track List:

1 Billie's Bounce
2 Easy Living
3 Benji's Bounce
4 Catalonian Nights
5 Four
6 Easy Living (take one)

This is for the most part a straight ahead blowing session that
captures Dexter in his prime, shortly before his triumphant return to the U.S.. He's accompanied by Billy Higgins on drums, Tete Montoliu on piano, and Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass (Pedersen is known as a great bass player, but I'm convinced his name would be on the short list of all time greats if only it weren't such a mouthful). I'd never heard Tete Montoliu before this album but he has an interesting rhythmic way of phrasing which works well here. Higgins is great of course. And Dexter's just blowing free and easy with that big sound of his. For a guy who was an influence on both Coltrane and Sonny Rollins, it almost seems that Dexter Gordon is underappreciated, if such a thing is possible. In any case, this along with The Apartment are two of the best from his SteepleChase period. Great stuff!

This is a reunion album of sorts in that it was bringing together for the first time in over eleven years Dexter Gordon and blind pianist Tete Montoliu. Back in 1964, the two recorded a number of live albums from Copenhagen that were considered landmark recordings; also with them was Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass (again on this 1975 date) and where Alex Riel was usually the drummer back then, Billy Higgins is with the group here. Everyone came to blow on this studio date, and the up-tempo numbers are taken very fast, faster than usual with Dex. Bird's BILLIE'S BOUNCE gets the bop whipped out of it (Tete is on fire!) and BENJI'S BOUNCE, a tune written by Dexter based on RHYTHM-A-NING (a Monk tune recorded frequently by Gordon) is equally hellbent on blowing the roof off. Things slow down for the ballad EASY LIVING (2 takes), but we're off to the races again with Mile Davis's FOUR. Gordon's tone is very warm throughout and his ideas are flowing. Montoliu is also up to the task and takes some very inventive solos; Pedersen and Higgins are solid on everything. Pedersen's bass is strong and melodic at the same time. A classy, swinging modern jazz CD.

I've been checking out some of my favorite jazz discs at this site, and I'm kind of surprised this one hasn't been reviewed yet. Bouncin' With Dex is one of LTD's best.
Of course it doesn't help that they have no album info listed, so here goes:
Origionally recorded for SteepleChase Productions, Denmark 1975.
Track List:

1 Billie's Bounce
2 Easy Living
3 Benji's Bounce
4 Catalonian Nights
5 Four
6 Easy Living (take one)

This is for the most part a straight ahead blowing session that
captures Dexter in his prime, shortly before his triumphant return to the U.S.. He's accompanied by Billy Higgins on drums, Tete Montoliu on piano, and Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass (Pedersen is known as a great bass player, but I'm convinced his name would be on the short list of all time greats if only it weren't such a mouthful). I'd never heard Tete Montoliu before this album but he has an interesting rhythmic way of phrasing which works well here. Higgins is great of course. And Dexter's just blowing free and easy with that big sound of his. For a guy who was an influence on both Coltrane and Sonny Rollins, it almost seems that Dexter Gordon is underappreciated, if such a thing is possible. In any case, this along with The Apartment are two of the best from his SteepleChase period. Great stuff!

Dex is in magnificent form on this album and the rhythm section (featuring pianist Tete Montoliu) is nothing short of brilliant.

This recording really captures well the force of nature that was Dexter Gordon's tenor sound. Hearing him tear up the changes on 'Four' is worth the price of admission alone; it's an exhilarating listening experience.

Crank up the volume, wake up the neighbors, Long Tall Lives!