Dexter Gordon - American Classic (1982)

ELEKTRA/MUSICIAN MONTH (FEBRUARY 2023)

Gordon's final album (not counting his soundtrack work on the 1986 film Round Midnight) is a throwback of sorts to the kind of music Gordon released 20 years prior: blues and hard bop cuts including a few standards and a couple of originals. Gordon doesn't play with the same abandon he did in the '60s - and I wouldn't expect him to - but his tone and improv skills were still top-shelf.

What we've got here is actually two different sessions originally split over the two sides of the LP. The first three tracks were recorded in Philadelphia on March 8, 1982 with Grover Washington, Jr. and Shirley Scott, "Queen of the Organ." Those tracks include a Gordon original, For Soul Sister, along with two standards from the '40s: Jumpin' Blues and Besame Mucho. It's fun to hear Grover play some straight-ahead solos and Scott is a delight, both as soloist and accompanist.

Side Two was recorded in New York City on March 16, 1982 with what was Gordon's touring band at that time. That side starts off with another Gordon original, Sticky Wicket, and includes another standard from the '40s, Skylark. Like the Bud Powell album featured last week, the last track is a brief interview with Gordon, where he is asked generic questions along the lines of "Where do you find your inspiration?" and "How much time do you spend on the road?"

Reviews/ratings:

• Billboard: "it's still Gordon's laconic phrasing and big tone that will be the immediate lures"
• The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide (1999): ★★★
• The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999): ★★★

Gordon - tenor saxophone
Grover Washington, Jr. - soprano saxophone
Shirley Scott - organ
Eddie Gladden - drums
Kirk Lightsey - piano
David Eubanks - bass

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard Top 200: Did not chart
• Billboard Jazz: #19
• CashBox Jazz: #17
• Radio & Records Jazz Radio National Airplay Chart: #12

Tracks: Nothing skippable among the five music cuts. You'd think my favorite track would be one that includes Grover Washington, Jr., but it's actually the gorgeous 12½ minute take on Skylark. Of the tracks with Washington, the interplay between Gordon and Washington on the Gordon original For Soul Sister is a master class.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None

Previously revisited for the blog:
Round Midnight - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1986)