Dexter Gordon: A Musical Biography (Da Capo Paperback) [Paperback]

Stan Britt (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 22, 1989 | Series: Da Capo Paperback

Described by Leonard Feather as "one of the most influential saxophonists of the bop era," Dexter Gordon has been a recognized master for over four decades. This new biography traces his career from his early stints with Lionel Hampton and Louis Armstrong, through his time with the bop big band of Billy Eckstine and his sparring partnership with fellow tenor-player Wardell Gray in Los Angeles, to his self-exile in Denmark, and his triumphant return to New York in 1976, an event that decisively shaped the still strong bebop revival. Stan Britt devotes chapters to Gordon's acclaimed performance in the movie 'Round Midnight, for which he received an Academy Award nomination, along with extended discussions of his recording legacy and an analysis of his unmistakable tenor sound and style. With a notated discography and a keen appreciation of Dexter's warm, ironic personality, this biography adds another dimension to our understanding of one of the coolest—and tallest—figures of jazz.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Stan Britt has written about jazz for more than twenty-five years. A regular contributor to Jazz Journal, author of The Jazz Guitarist and the coauthor of the Illustrated Encyclopedia of Jazz, he is currently at work on a study of Frank Sinatra's contributions to popular singing. He lives in London.

Product Details

• Paperback: 215 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press (August 22, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0306803615
• ISBN-13: 978-0306803611
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #627,459 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Viva LTD, September 15, 2005

By 

Butrus Salim (Gloucester, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dexter Gordon: A Musical Biography (Da Capo Paperback) (Paperback)

Well written account of Dex's life. In contrast to some jazz biographies, it doesn't get mired in a repetitive account of lineups, gigs, and recording dates. Rather, Britt manages to flesh out Dexter well, emphasizing his inimitable physical presence and huge tone. One criticism would be an over-reliance on long quotations from critics and other jazzmen, but most of these offer interesting glimpses of the artist. I give it five stars because this is the only book of its kind and it is ably written. A nice little volume for all of Dexter's fans. Long live LTD!

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book relates Dexter Gordon's entire life., May 27, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Dexter Gordon: A Musical Biography (Da Capo Paperback) (Paperback)

This book explains how Dexter Gordon was born in Los Angeles. His father was one of the few black dentists in the 1920's. Dexter said he wanted to learn how to play the clarinet like his father. His father agreed as long as he took music theory lessons as well. As a teenager he switched to tenor saxophone and the rest as they say is history. He got his big break with the Lionel Hampton big band on tour. During that tour he learned a lot from Illinois Jaquette who was playing 1st tenor. Eventually he made as many recordings as Stan Getz. He moved to Europe and settled in Copehagen, Denmark. He finally came back to the "States" and acted in some movies. For example: "'Round Midnight" and "Awakenings." Dexter is in a video called "Jazz in Exile" which you can buy through The Saxophone Journal. If you have any experiences with Dexter Gordon, please e-mail me.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Long Tall Dexter, September 5, 2007

By 

Bomojaz (South Central PA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dexter Gordon: A Musical Biography (Da Capo Paperback) (Paperback)

Tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon was a seminal figure in modern jazz; his huge, magisterial tone was awe-inspiring, especially when heard on slow ballads. Influenced by the stylings of Lester Young, combined with the musical vocabulary of bebop, Gordon produced some of the most memorable jazz performances during the bop/hard bop era. Stan Britt does a good job of relating the Gordon story. The first half of the book is a fairly straight-forward account of Dexter's life, from the Central Avenue scene in LA, where he grew up; to his first professional gigs with Lionel Hampton, Louis Armstrong, and Billy Eckstine; to his association with Wardell Gray and Charlie Parker; to his drug problems in the early '50s; to his expatriate days in Europe; and finally to his re-emergence on the American jazz scene with his return to NYC in 1976 and the making of the movie ROUND MIDNIGHT. Discussion of Gordon's recordings are removed from the chronology and gathered in a final chapter; I'm not sure I agree with this decision and think perhaps more constructive commentary would have been made of the recordings if Britt had placed them within the biographical text - a la Jack Chambers's approach in his superb biography of Miles Davis (MILESTONES). There is a fairly comprehensive discography, however, of studio dates on which Dexter plays. Britt is a good writer, and though obviously a devotee of Gordon's playing, he casts a critical eye where appropriate and refuses to write as an idolater. Recommended.