A person that might want only one, maybe a couple or three, of
Dexter Gordon sides may spring for a budget collection of 14 performances from different sources, three of the tracks in the extended mode that this particular tenor saxophonist improviser is so good at. The question inevitably is which such set to get, since there are dozens. One school of thought is to sniff around regarding the identities of the rhythm section players or frontline partners, if applicable. The Jazz World set entitled Dexterity does not in fact feature any of the latter breed of sparring partners, thus totally ignoring
Gordon's part in the entire "tenor battle" experience. A less characteristic aspect is the presence of players such as vibraphonist
Lionel Hampton and guitarist
Bucky Pizzarelli, more conservative stylists than
Gordon on instruments not often featured in his combos. The tenor saxophonist's European years, rich in ad hoc sessions from both studio and live settings, are easy to spot in this program simply from the presence of rhythm section players such as expatriate pianist
Kenny Drew and the Danish bass phenomenon
Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen.
Pianist
Kenny Drew worked frequently with
Gordon abroad, his sparkling and layered accompaniment fairly miraculous in comparison with well-documented pick-up pianists who hit the bridge during the chorus, or the other way around.
From a 1967 Copenhagen club date,
Gordon tangles with "Doxy,"
Drew and luxurious drummer
Albert "Tootie" Heath making the Danish bassist's job easy -- not that
Pedersen would ever give that impression, each of his notes in the realm of being mistaken for a serving of Danish blood sausage, the kind with sugar in it. A big chunk of Dexterity sources from this session, including a fantastic "Misty," one of
Gordon's best ballads, and a lengthy "There Will Never Be Another You" in which the saxophonist quotes from
Rodgers & Hammerstein,
Darius Milhaud,
Bing Crosby,
the Andrews Sisters, the ape that terrorizes New Orleans in Murders of the Rue Morgue and a flock of grackles drunk on fermented berries. Most of the rest of the set comes from a septet session co-led by
Gordon and mentor
Hampton in 1977.
Candido is featured on conga drums, accenting the
latin jazz element from
Hampton's bag. The vibraphonist's
swing launching pad meanwhile gets a boost from guitarist
Bucky Pizzarelli, firmly in the
Charlie Christian mode although a trifle bloodless. Still, the version of "Seven Come Eleven" must have been a real "Hi I'm Charlie" for
Pizzarelli,
Hampton throwing his familiar parts into a rock tumbler.
Dexterity thus provides two lenses with which to look at
Gordon, a nightclub setting with a comfortable rhythm section and an unusual but not ridiculous studio all-star date in which his improvisational dimension is somewhat fettered, although never entirely. A driving but intrinsically nimble rhythm section featuring drummer
Oliver Jackson and bassist
George Duvivier gives
Gordon a flexible framework when the arrangements allow for open movement. "Blues for Gates" is a comfortable structure for something more casual to happen, the saxophonist's tonal range making the guitarist sound like part of the insect world in comparison.
Neal Hefti's coy "Cute" gets a sexy seven-minute workout, not a long track by
Gordon's standards, the soloists each demonstrating clever moves around the perky chord changes. ~ Eugene Chadbourne, All Music Guide
