Customer Reviews

Dexter Rides Again

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This CD of 1940s performances by Dexter Gordon offers a glimpse of "Mister Dexter"'s daring, explosive energy long before he became the popular, sleepy-eyed tenor sax icon known and adored by the masses. Dexter Gordon was one of the most fascinating bridges between the swing tenor giants (Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Ben Webster) and tenors to follow (Rollins, Coltrane, Mobley, etc. etc.), taking some of Charlie Parker's innovations but firing up his own sound. Of particular importance: tracks 4-7 are Gordon's 1946 collaborations with the great Bud Powell. Also, the work of Tadd Dameron, underappreciated baritone saxophonist Leo Parker on tracks 1-3. For any Gordon novices who are only familiar with his big bleating sound from the 1970s on, learn how he sounded when younger.

I'm almost ashamed to admit that this CD has just hit my collection for the first time. Although Dexter's been gone for a while, there was a time it was all too easy to take him for granted. He was appearing at Jazz festivals in the '80s, had a starring role in a GREAT film called ROUND MIDNIGHT, and like Dizzy Gillespie, was somewhat of a Jazz ambassador. Ah, but now he's gone... as for the reason I suddenly got interested, it was listening to Eddie Jefferson's brilliant version of Dexter Dig's In in which Eddie briliantly ascribed word's to Dexter's frenzic yet deeply coherent and melodious solo. The original version of the solo which Eddie based his lyrics appears on this album... and both Eddie and Dexter got it right.

This CD is a great taste of early bebop... it includes sessions from '45, '46 and '47, not too far out... yet still pretty cooking. Its one of those albums that if you're a tenor player, you get out your pen and paper and transcribe the solos. Dexter may have definitely had his bag and some of the stuff is so brilliant and simple, yet would you have ever come up with it yourself or put it where he put it ?

Appearing on the three sessions from which this CD and the original album (no bonus tracks... and its monaural, but it was remastered brilliantly by Rudy Van G.) are Tadd Dameron, Art Blakey, Leonard Hawkins, Bud Powell (love the way you hear him mumbling whenever his solos come in - - you KNOW its Bud), Curly Russell, Max Roach, Sadik Hakim, Gene Ramey and Ed Nicholson.

The the CD is only 36 minutes, but its packed with pure dynomite. This one is staying within reach !

Dexter Rides again is an album culled from three sessions from the 1940s. Tracks 1-3 were recorded on December 11th, 1947 and feature Gordon on tenor sax joined by Leo Parker on baritone sax, Tadd Dameron on piano, Curly Russell on bass, and Art Blakey on drums. Tracks 4-7 are from January 29, 1946 with the lineup of Leonard Hawkins on trumpet, Bud Powell on piano, Russell on bass, and Max Roach on drums. Tracks 8 to 11 are performed by Sadik Hakim (listed as Argonne Thornton in the original liner notes. I'm assuming he took a Muslim name at some point), Gene Ramey on bass, and Ed Nicholson on drums, recorded on October 30, 1945.

All of the tracks were composed by Dex except the title track, which was co-written by Bud Powell and "I Can't Escape from You", credited to Robin-Whiting. The album kicks off with "Dexter's Riff", a cooking bebop number with a memorable tagline performed in unison by Parker and Gordon. It's over all too soon as Gordon and Parker trade solos over Dameron's tasteful accompaniment. "Settin' the Pace Parts 1 & 2" is the longest piece on the album, giving the two saxophonists more room to stretch out. There's also some hints of Blakey's explosiveness on some of his fills on this number. "So Easy" is a slower bluesier track, which ends the 1947 session. "Long Tall Dexter" finds us in 1946 with Bud Powell along for the ride. Dexter drops some "Jingle Bells" into his solo on the title track, which also features a beautiful run by Powell and some nice trumpet work by Leonard Hawkins. Dexter shows off his romantic side with "I Can't Escape from You", the one ballad on the album. "Dexter Digs in" returns to the bebop feel. "Dexter's Minor Mad" finds Dex the lone horn in a quartet, taking center stage on these tracks from the 1945 session. All four of these numbers ("Dexter's Minor Mad", "Blow Mr. Dexter", "Dexter's Deck", & "Dexter's Cuttin' Out") are quick, spry, and to the point bebop. This session is very energetic, if a little less polished than the "newer" sessions.

The audio quality throughout is a little sketchy, but that's understandable given that the latest recording found here took place two years after WWII! I've heard modern recordings that sound much worse and the little bit of scratchiness doesn't detract from the performances. Buy this for the music and the energy displayed by the musicians. It's a chance to hear Gordon and company before many of them were (jazz) household names. I'd give it 4.5 stars simply for the sheer pleasure of the lineups.

I BOUGHT THIS CD YEARS AGO FROM A CD CLUB, MAN AM I SORRY.
ANYTHING OVER $4.00 FOR THIS "CUT" IS TOO MUCH