Dexter Gordon • Dexter Calling

 

 

Review
by Michael G. Nastos  
Dexter Gordon's second recording for Blue Note is a solidly swinging affair, yet constantly full of surprises. It's not unexpected that Gordon's tenor at this time (1961) was one of the most enjoyable in mainstream jazz, but his transition from the cool California scene to the hotter music environs of New York City had energized his sound and attitude. A first-time pairing with bassist Paul Chambers has something to do with this, but it also inspires pianist Kenny Drew to a great extent, while drummer Philly Joe Jones is his reliable, energetic self, and always works well with Gordon. Where Gordon's fluent melodic sense is perfectly demonstrated during the simple-as-pie groove waltz "Soul Sister," the steady, steamy bopper "I Want More," and the familiar Charlie Chaplin evergreen "Smile," his sense of expanding the specific line upon soloing is truly remarkable. He constantly keeps the song form in mind, riffing on and on without violating the basic note structures, constantly reharmonizing, shuffling the chords like a card dealer and updating the song form. "The End of a Love Affair" takes this concept into an area where his deep, subtle voice is translated directly into the low-slung voicings of his horn. The remarkable "Modal Mood" combines hard bop with Drew's three-chord piano repetitions and Gordon's soulful, simplified sax, while the equally impressive "Clear the Dex" steamrolls the competition as the band -- cued by Jones -- skillfully pushes or pull tension and release elements, then busts loose into joyous swinging in a true signature tune that is immediately recognizable as only the long, tall tenor man. The sad ballad "Ernie's Tune" is based on a yin/yang theme via Freddie Redd's stage play The Connection and the crazy character that ran wild or tame. The excellent band, solid musicianship, and memorable music on every track make this one of the more essential recordings of Gordon's career.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/dexter-calling-mw0000191915

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Reseña
por Michael G. Nastos  
La segunda grabación de Dexter Gordon para Blue Note es un sólido asunto de swing, pero constantemente lleno de sorpresas. No es inesperado que el tenor de Gordon en esta época (1961) fuera uno de los más agradables del jazz mainstream, pero su transición de la fría escena californiana a los ambientes musicales más calientes de la ciudad de Nueva York había vigorizado su sonido y su actitud. Un emparejamiento por primera vez con el bajista Paul Chambers tiene algo que ver con esto, pero también inspira en gran medida al pianista Kenny Drew, mientras que el batería Philly Joe Jones es su yo fiable y enérgico, y siempre trabaja bien con Gordon. Donde el fluido sentido melódico de Gordon queda perfectamente demostrado durante el vals groove "Soul Sister", el constante y vaporoso bopper "I Want More" y el conocido tema de Charlie Chaplin "Smile", su sentido de la expansión de la línea específica al hacer un solo es realmente notable. Constantemente tiene en mente la forma de la canción, haciendo riffs sin violar las estructuras básicas de las notas, rearmonizando constantemente, barajando los acordes como un tahúr y actualizando la forma de la canción. "The End of a Love Affair" lleva este concepto a un terreno en el que su voz profunda y sutil se traduce directamente en los bajos voicings de su trompa. La notable "Modal Mood" combina el hard bop con las repeticiones al piano de tres acordes de Drew y el conmovedor y simplificado saxo de Gordon, mientras que la igualmente impresionante "Clear the Dex" arrolla a la competencia a medida que la banda -dirigida por Jones- empuja o tira hábilmente de elementos de tensión y liberación, para luego soltarse en un alegre swing en una verdadera melodía de autor que es inmediatamente reconocible sólo por el largo y alto tenor. La triste balada "Ernie's Tune" se basa en un tema yin/yang a través de la obra teatral de Freddie Redd The Connection y el loco personaje que corría salvaje o manso. La excelente banda, la sólida musicalidad y la música memorable de cada tema hacen de ésta una de las grabaciones más esenciales de la carrera de Gordon.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/dexter-calling-mw0000191915

Tracks:
1 - Soul Sister
Written-By – Dexter Gordon
2 - Modal Mood
Written-By – K. Drew*
3 - I Want More
Written-By – Dexter Gordon
4 - The End Of A Love Affair
Written-By – Redding*
5 - Clear The Dex
Written-By – K. Drew*
6 - Ernie's Tune
Written-By – Dexter Gordon
7 - Smile
Written-By – Chaplin*, Parsons*, Turner*
8 - Landslide
Written-By – Dexter Gordon


Credits:
    Bass – Paul Chambers (3)
    Design [Cover] – Reid Miles
    Drums – Philly Joe Jones*
    Liner Notes – Leonard Feather
    Photography By [Cover Photo] – Francis Wolff
    Piano – Kenny Drew
    Producer – Alfred Lion
    Recorded By – Rudy Van Gelder
    Reissue Producer [Produced For Release] – Michael Cuscuna
    Tenor Saxophone – Dexter Gordon
    Transferred By [Digital Transfer] – Ron McMaster

Note:
Recorded on May 9, 1961.

Label:    Blue Note – CDP 7 46544 2
Country:    US
Released:    1987
Genre:    Jazz
Style:    Hard Bop
https://www.discogs.com/release/1242591-Dexter-Gordon-Dexter-Calling--

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