Dexter Gordon (February 27, 1923 – April 25, 1990) was an American jazz musician who played the tenor saxophone, composed music, and led bands. He was one of the most important early bebop musicians. Gordon was 6 feet 6 inches tall (198 cm), which led people to call him "Long Tall Dexter" and "Sophisticated Giant." His career in music studios and performances lasted more than 40 years.

Gordon’s music was often described as having a large, open sound. He often played slightly behind the beat. He included short musical phrases from different songs in his solos, such as "Happy Birthday" and famous melodies from operas by Wagner. Using parts from other songs is common in jazz, but Gordon did it often enough to become a defining feature of his style. One of his main influences was Lester Young. Gordon, in turn, influenced John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins early in their careers. Later, Coltrane and Rollins influenced Gordon as he explored hard bop and modal music in the 1960s.

Gordon was known for being friendly and humorous on stage. He believed music should connect with the audience, and this was his main approach to performing. A unique habit of his was to recite lyrics from each ballad before playing it. In an interview, pianist Dave Bass described how Gordon would stand at the microphone, hold his saxophone horizontally, and say lines like, "You must remember this, a kiss is still a kiss, a sigh is just a sigh." This was part of his way of preparing for a song.

A famous photograph of Gordon taking a smoke break at the Royal Roost in 1948, taken by Herman Leonard, is considered one of the most important images in jazz history. Cigarettes often appeared on the covers of Gordon’s albums.

Gordon was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performance in the film Round Midnight (Warner Bros, 1986). He also won a Grammy for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Soloist, for the soundtrack album The Other Side of Round Midnight (Blue Note Records, 1986). He appeared briefly in the 1990 film Awakenings. In 2018, his 1962 album Go (Blue Note) was added to the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry because it is considered culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.

Early life and education

Dexter Keith Gordon was born on February 27, 1923, in Los Angeles, California. His father, Frank Gordon, was one of the first African-American medical doctors in Los Angeles. He moved there in 1918 after finishing school at Howard University Medical School in Washington, D.C. Frank Gordon treated patients such as Duke Ellington and Lionel Hampton. Dexter’s mother, Gwendolyn Baker, was the daughter of Captain Edward Lee Baker, Jr., who was one of five African-American soldiers awarded the Medal of Honor during the Spanish–American War.

Gordon began learning music with the clarinet at age 13. At 15, he switched to the alto saxophone, and at 17, he changed to the tenor saxophone. While attending Thomas Jefferson High School, he studied with multi-instrumentalist Lloyd Reese and the school’s band director, Sam Browne. During his time in school, he played music with other musicians like Chico Hamilton and Buddy Collette.

In 1942, Gordon joined the U.S. Army after the United States entered World War II. He worked in the Signal Corps for two years and was stationed in North Africa. There, he served as a radio operator and played the trumpet in a military band. Between December 1940 and 1943, Gordon was part of Lionel Hampton’s band, playing saxophone with Illinois Jacquet and Marshal Royal. In 1944, he performed with the Fletcher Henderson band, then with the Louis Armstrong band, and later joined Billy Eckstine. A musicians’ strike from 1942 to 1944 limited the recording of Hampton’s, Henderson’s, and Armstrong’s bands. However, their music was recorded on V-Discs made by the Army for soldiers overseas. In 1943, Gordon recorded music with Harry “Sweets” Edison for a small record label that was not affected by the strike.

Career

By late 1944, Gordon lived in New York. He often played in bebop jam sessions and performed as a soloist in the Billy Eckstine big band. Songs he played included "If That's The Way You Feel," "I Want To Talk About You," "Blowin' the Blues Away," "Opus X," "I'll Wait and Pray," "The Real Thing Happened To Me," "Lonesome Lover Blues," and "I Love the Rhythm in a Riff." In early 1945, he performed on recordings by Dizzy Gillespie, including "Blue 'n' Boogie" and "Groovin' High," and by Charles Thompson, including "Takin' Off," "If I Had You," "20th Century Blues," "The Street Beat." In late 1945, Gordon recorded music under his own name for the Savoy label. His Savoy recordings from 1945–46 included "Blow Mr. Dexter," "Dexter's Deck," "Dexter's Minor Mad," "Long Tall Dexter," "Dexter Rides Again," "I Can't Escape From You," and "Dexter Digs In."

Gordon returned to Los Angeles in late 1946 and led sessions for Ross Russell's Dial label in 1947. Songs from these sessions included "Mischievous Lady," "Lullaby in Rhythm," "The Chase," "Iridescence," "It's the Talk of the Town," "Bikini," "A Ghost of a Chance," and "Sweet and Lovely." After returning to Los Angeles, Gordon became known for his saxophone duels with fellow tenorman Wardell Gray, which were popular at concerts and recorded between 1947 and 1952. These recordings included "The Hunt," "Move," "The Chase," and "The Steeplechase." "The Hunt" was mentioned in Jack Kerouac's book On The Road, which also described saxophone jam sessions in Los Angeles. Other live recordings from the Gray/Gordon duo included "Cherokee," "Byas a Drink," and "Disorder at the Border." These were later released on the album The Hunt in 1977 and reissued on a 3-CD set called Bopland in 2004. In December 1947, Gordon recorded again for the Savoy label, with songs like "Settin' the Pace," "So Easy," "Dexter's Riff," "Dextrose," "Dexter's Mood," "Index," "Dextivity," "Wee Dot," and "Lion Roars." Throughout the mid-to-late 1940s, he worked as a sideman on sessions led by musicians such as Russell Jacquet, Benny Carter, Ben Webster, Ralph Burns, Jimmy Rushing, Helen Humes, Gerry Mulligan, Wynonie Harris, Leo Parker, and Tadd Dameron.

During the 1950s, Gordon's recordings and live performances decreased due to heroin addiction and legal issues. In February 1952, he performed with Wardell Gray, playing songs like "The Chase," "The Steeplechase," "Take the A Train," "Robbins Nest," and "Stardust." He also appeared as a sideman on a session led by Gray in June 1952, with songs like "The Rubiyat," "Jungle Jungle Jump," "Citizen's Bop," and "My Kinda Love." After being incarcerated at Chino Prison from 1953 to 1955, he recorded the albums Daddy Plays the Horn and Dexter Blows Hot and Cool in 1955. He also played as a sideman on the Stan Levey album This Time the Drum's on Me. In the late 1950s, Gordon was in and out of prison until his release from Folsom Prison in 1959. He joined the Onzy Matthews big band in 1959, along with Curtis Amy. Gordon supported Matthews' band after moving to New York but left for Europe before recording with the band. He released the album The Resurgence of Dexter Gordon in 1960. His recordings from the mid-1950s onward showed a shift toward a smoother West Coast style, which was less impactful than his bebop-era work or later Blue Note recordings.

In the 1950s, Gordon appeared in films and plays. He played in Art Hazzard's band in the movie Young Man with a Horn (1950) and in a prison band scene in the film Unchained, which was filmed at Chino Prison. In 1960, he performed Freddie Redd's music for the Los Angeles production of Jack Gelber's play The Connection, replacing Jackie McLean. He also composed two songs, "Ernie's Tune" and "I Want More," which he later recorded for his album Dexter Calling….

Gordon signed with Blue Note Records in 1961. He initially traveled from Los Angeles to New York to record but later moved there permanently after regaining a cabaret card that allowed him to perform in places where alcohol was served. The Jazz Gallery hosted his first New York performance in twelve years. His work with Blue Note produced several iconic albums, including Doin' Allright, Dexter Calling…, Go!, and A Swingin' Affair. The first two albums were recorded in May 1961 with musicians like Freddie Hubbard, Horace Parlan, Kenny Drew, Paul Chambers, George Tucker, Al Harewood, and Philly Joe Jones. The last two were recorded in August 1

Death

Gordon died from kidney failure and cancer of the voice box caused by smoking in Philadelphia on April 25, 1990, when he was 67 years old.

Family

Gordon's maternal grandfather was Captain Edward L. Baker Jr., who earned the Medal of Honor during the Spanish–American War while serving in the 10th Cavalry Regiment, which was also known as the Buffalo Soldiers.

Gordon's father, Dr. Frank Gordon, M.D., was one of the first well-known African-American physicians and graduated from Howard University.

Gordon's uncle, Clifford Myota Gordon, was a charter member of the Alpha Delta chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, which was established at the University of Southern California.

While living in Denmark, Gordon formed a friendship with the family of Lars Ulrich, who later became a drummer for the band Metallica, and eventually became Lars's godfather.

Gordon was married three times and had six children: Robin, James, Deirdre, Mikael, Morten, and Benjamin.

Instruments and mouthpieces

The earliest photos of Gordon as a musician show him using a Conn 30M "Connqueror" saxophone and an Otto Link mouthpiece. Later, he used the standard Conn tenor saxophone, the 10M. In a 1962 interview with British journalist Les Tomkins, Gordon did not mention the exact model of his mouthpiece but said it was made for him personally. He said it was stolen around 1952. In the same interview, he described his mouthpiece as having a small chamber and a tip opening measuring 5* (.085" under the Otto Link system). After losing his 10M saxophone during a trip to Paris, he bought a Selmer Mark VI from Ben Webster. In a 1977 DownBeat magazine interview, Gordon mentioned that his current mouthpiece was an Otto Link model with a tip opening measuring #8 (.110" under the Otto Link system).

Discography

• The Chase! (Prestige, 1970)
• Gene Ammons and Friends at Montreux (Prestige, 1973)

• Dexter Gordon, Vol. 1: Young Dex (1941–1944) – Masters Of Jazz MJCD 112
• Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra (1944–1945) – Blue Ace BA 3603
• Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra (AFRS One Night Stand 240) – V-Disc, 1944
• Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra (AFRS One Night Stand 253) – V-Disc, 1944
• Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra (AFRS One Night Stand 267) – V-Disc, 1944
• Louis Armstrong New Orleans Masters, Vol. 2 – Swing House [UK] SWH 44
• Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra (AFRS Spotlight Bands 382) – V-Disc, 1944
• Louis Armstrong – Chronological Study – MCA Decca 3063 72
• Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra (AFRS Spotlight Bands 444) – V-Disc, 1944
• Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra (AFRS Spotlight Bands 465) – V-Disc, 1944
• Various Artists, Louis, Pops and Tram – IAJRC 21 – V-Disc, 1944
• Louis Armstrong Armed Forces Radio Service 1943/44 – Duke [Italy] D 1021

• The Fabulous Benny Carter – Audio Lab AL 1505, 1946
• Benny Carter And His Orchestra (AFRS Jubilee 246) – V-Disc, 1947
• Various Artists, Jazz Off The Air, Vol. 3 – Spotlite SPJ 147 – taken off V-Disc, 1947

• The Chronological Billy Eckstine and His Orchestra, 1944–1945 – Classics, 1997
• The Legendary Big Band – Savoy 17125 (2-CD)

• Dexter Gordon, Vol. 2: Young Dex (1944–1946) – Masters Of Jazz MJCD 128
• Groovin' High – Savoy MG 12020, 1955; CD reissue: Savoy SV 152, 1992

• Dexter Gordon, Vol. 1: Young Dex (1941–1944) – Masters Of Jazz MJCD 112
• Lionel Hampton, Vol. 1: 1941–1942 – MCA Coral COPS 7185, 1974
• Steppin' Out, Vol. 1 (1942–1945) – Decca 'Jazz Heritage Series' DL 79244, 1969
• Who's Who in Jazz Presents… Lionel Hampton with Dexter Gordon – Who's Who In Jazz; Aurophon Jazz Classics, 1977 – with Hank Jones, Bucky Pizzarelli, George Duvivier, Oliver Jackson and Candido

• Takin' Off – Blue Note, 1962
• Round Midnight – Columbia, 1986 (soundtrack album)

With Fletcher Henderson

• Fletcher Henderson And His Orchestra (AFRS Jubilee 76) – V-Disc, 1944
• Fletcher Henderson And His Orchestra (AFRS Jubilee 77) – V-Disc, 1944

• Various Artists, Black California – Savoy SJL 2215, 1976
• Be-Baba-Leba 1942–52 – Whiskey, Women And… KM 701 – Gene Norman's "Just Jazz" Concert, February 2, 1952
• New Million Dollar Secret – Whiskey, Women And… KM 707 – Gene Norman's "Just Jazz" Concert, February 2, 1952

• The Meeting – SteepleChase, 1974
• The Source – SteepleChase, 1974

• Capitol Jazz Classics, Vol. 4: Walking Shoes – Capitol M 11029
• Classic Capitol Jazz Sessions – Mosaic MQ19-170

• Birth Of Bop, Vol. 1 – Savoy XP 8060, 1953 [1947] (7" EP)
• The Be Bop Boys – Savoy SJL 2225, 1978

• Pony's Express – Epic, 1962
• Stella By Starlight (co-leader) – SteepleChase, 1966

• Jimmy Rushing/Don Redman/Russell Jacquet/Joe Thomas – Big Little Bands – Onyx ORI 220, 1974 [1946]
• Various Artists, Black California, Vol. 2 – Savoy SJL 2242, 1980

• Rob Agerbeek Trio, All Souls' – Dexterity, 1973 – with Henk Haverhoek and Eric Ineke; recorded 11/02/72 at the Haagse Jazz Club, The Hague, Holland
• Tony Bennett, Berlin – Columbia, 1987
• Nat King Cole, Nat King Cole Meets The Master Saxes 1943 – Phoenix Jazz LP 5
• Tadd Dameron, Tadd Dameron/Babs Gonzales/Dizzy Gillespie – Capitol Jazz Classics, Vol. 13: Strictly Bebop – Capitol M