AVID Jazz presents three classic Dexter Gordon albums plus, including original LP liner notes on a finely re-mastered and low priced double CD.
“Dexter Blows Hot & Cool”; “The Resurgence of Dexter Gordon”; “Daddy Plays the Horn” plus 6 of 7 tracks from the Stan Levey album “This Time the Drums on Me”
Let’s look at the line up for “Dexter Blows Hot & Cool.” Dexter on tenor sax, Carl Perkins on piano (years before Blue Suede Shoes!!?) Leroy Vinnegar on bass, Chuck Thompson on drums and Jimmy Robinson on trumpet. Not bad! And here’s a quote from the original liner notes to sum up the album “the group of original and standard songs that they play are loaded with creative vitality and thrilling solo artistry”. For “The Resurgence of Dexter Gordon,” recorded in L.A. in 1960, the line up reads Dexter on tenor, Richard Boone on trombone, Charles Green on bass, Martin Banks on trumpet, Charles “Dodo” Coker on piano and Lawrence Marable on drums. To quote again from the original liner notes “this album marks a notable occasion...... the welcome and long overdue return of Dexter Gordon after several years absence”. The absence has some sense of irony as it was due to the emergence of the West Coast Cool School of jazz in the mid 1950’s. This had left L.A. born (but with an East Coast orientated playing style), Dexter, out in the cold and in very limited demand. Until now that is!! A quartet greets us for our next selection from September 1955, “Daddy Plays the Horn”. Dexter on tenor, Kenny Drew on piano, Leroy Vinnegar on bass and Larry Marable on drums. “The formula used on this date is rather simple, one swinging tenor blowing at length with a rhythm section that is a joy to hear”. Finally we have an album under the leadership of veteran drummer from the Dizzy, Kenton and Shearing bands, Stan Levey’s “This Time the Drums on Me”. While the line up includes Levey on drums, Conte Candoli on trumpet, Frank Rosolino on trombone, Leroy Vinnegar on bass and Lou Levy on piano, it also features our main man Dexter Gordon on tenor sax! And as the original liner notes testify “Dexter Gordon was an added starter to this date and proved to be a valuable addition”.
All three albums plus have been digitally re-mastered
CD1
1-9: ‘Dexter Blows Hot And Cool’
1. Silver Plated
2. Cry Me A River
3. Rhythm Mad
4. Don’t Worry About Me
5. I Hear Music
6. Bonna Rue
7. I Should Care
8. Blowin’ For Dootsie
9. Tenderly
10-15: ‘The Resurgence Of Dexter Gordon’
10. Home Run
11. Dolo
12. Lovely Lisa
13. Affair In Havana
14. Jodi
15. Field Day
CD2
1-6: ‘Daddy Plays The Horn’
1. Daddy Plays The Horn
2. Confirmation
3. Darn That Dream
4. Number Four
5. Autumn In New York
6. You Can Depend On Me
7. Diggin’ For Diz from This Time The Drum’s On Me
8. Ruby My Dear from This Time The Drum’s On Me
9. Tune Up from This Time The Drum’s On Me
10. Day In Day Out from This Time The Drum’s On Meut
11. Stanley The Steamer from This Time The Drum’s On Me
12. This Time The Drum’s On Me from This Time The Drum’s On Me
