Customer Reviews

Live at the Amsterdam Paradiso

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this is a gem of a recording, each track is 100% dexter gordon with a dutch backup group. no, the audio quality is not the greatest, but the way the mics are positioned it foregrounds his horn, and dexter's absolutely blowing his heart out, be it hot or cool.

unlike many of the more polished albums he made, this has an off the cuff, unrestrained quality, and ballads like "what's new" are where the approach really shines, with his melancholy sax cutting through plenty of silence.

i consider this to be essential listening for anyone exploring the multifaceted dexter gordon.

On this 1969 recording, travelling jazzman Dexter Gordon is surrounded by an all-Dutch rhythm section made up of Cees Slinger (piano), Jacques Schols (bass) and Han Bennink (drums). This album was recorded live at the Amsterdam Paradiso, which used to be a church ! The sound is a bit rough, about what you might expect from a decent bootleg, so it's a bit rough around the edges at times, but then, so was Gordon's blowing ! Versions of standards like "Willow weep for me" and "Scrapple from the apple" (all rather lengthy, as was the Gordon way of doing things live) are coupled with originals like "Sticky wicket" (here titled "Junior") and "Fried bananas", which would be recorded for Prestige some time later in the same year, and which remained favorite blowing vehicles for Gordon for the remainder of his career. Die-hard fans will enjoy this CD, but the casual listener had better look elsewhere for the best in Dexter Gordon.

This recording by Dexter Gordon actually contains four jazz standards and two of his originals, "Fried Bananas" and "Junior." The advertised CD is full of blues tunes and must be done by a blues artist, not Dexter Gordon!