Dexter Gordon
Dexter Gordon
Dexter Gordonwas an American jazz tenor saxophonist. He was among the earliest tenor players to adapt the bebop musical language of people such as Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Bud Powell to the instrument. Gordon's height was 6 feet 6 inches, so he was also known as "Long Tall Dexter" and "Sophisticated Giant". His studio and live performance career spanned over 40 years...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionSaxophonist
Date of Birth27 February 1923
CityLos Angeles, CA
CountryUnited States of America
If you can't play the Blues you might as well hang it up.
Music is a reservoir... of sounds.
What I'm doing, I prefer to call that jazz, because it is a beautiful word - I love it.
Jazz to me is a living music. It's a music that since its beginning has expressed the feelings, the dreams, hopes, of the people.
A lot of times I go back to record and to make a tour, but I'm very happy to do it, because it gives me an opportunity to dig and hear what's going on.
If I were to call it black music, that would be untrue. I don't know what that is, unless it would be some African drums or something.
Jazz to me is a living music.
I hope we left you with something to put under your pillows.
Jazz is a beautiful word. I love it.
When you know the lyrics to a tune, you have some kind of insight as to it's composition. If you don't understand what it's about, you're depriving yourself of being really able to communicate this poem.
In nuclear war, all men are cremated equal.
Bebop is the music of the future (as soon as they learn how to play it).
Thelonius Monk was not exactly 'the guy next door'.
In jazz, there is a lot of European influence harmonically.