GordonDexter,TenorSaxaphone ,known as 'long tallDexter because of his 6'5".Began playing in 1940 withLionel Hampton.
Gordon Dexter Tenor Saxaphone , known as 'long tall Dexter because of his 6'5".He began playing in 1940 with Lionel Hamptons band but by 1943 had produced his own records. In 1943 -1944 was featured in the Louis Armstong and Fletcher Henderson Bands before he joined Billy Eckstine. By 1945 was playing with Charlie Parker. His sound was 'large and spacious', He was a major influence on Lester Young and in turn became a major influence on John Coltrane. One of his habits was to recite the lyrics of a song through before playing it. He recorded on Blue Note with Freddie Hubbard and Horace Parlan. He came over to Europe in 1961 and stayed fifteen years in Paris and Copenhagen, he liked Europe finding it less racist and they had much more respect for jazz here. He still went home and recorded on Blue Note. His records Included 'Doin' Alrlght, Dexter Calling', 'A Swingin Affair' 'Our Man In Paris', 'One Flight Up' and 'Gettin' Around'. Pianist Bud Powell and drummer Kenny Clarke were his partners in those days. Other records made in those days included live sets at the Montreux Jazz festival. He finally returned home in 1976 and appeared at the Village Vanguard. He made several recordings that were good if not better than his time before. He made several film performances, the first was in 'Unchained', then came 'Round Midnight' before he got an Academy Award for Best Actor in 'Awakenings', which was released after his death. He died of kidney failure on aged 67. He is a member of the Jazz Hall of Fame and was voted Musician Of the Year in 1978 and 1980 by Down Beat magazine.
Size: 3332px × 5144px
Location: London
Photo credit: © Tom Hanley / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: -1944, ., ., ., 65., 1940, 1943, 1945, 1961, 1976, , affair, alrlght, armstong, band, bands, bands., began, billy, bud, calling, charlie, clarke., coltrane., copenhagen, , dexter, doin, drummer, eckstine, eckstine., europe, featured, fifteen, finally, finding, fletcher, flight, gettin, gordon, hamptons, henderson, home, included, influence, jazz, john, joined, kenny, large, lester, lionel, long, louis, major, man, paris, parker., pianist, playing, powell, produced, racist, records, records., respect, returned, saxaphone, sound, spacious, stayed, swingin, tall, tenor, turn, years, young
