Dexter Gordon | Artist

Dexter Gordon was an American jazz tenor saxophonist born 1923 in Los Angeles, California. He was among the most influential early bebop musicians, which included other greats such as Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Bud Powell. Gordon's father, Dr. Frank Gordon, one of the first African American doctors in Los Angeles, arrived in 1918 after graduating from Howard University Medical School. Among his patients were Duke Ellington and Lionel Hampton. Dexter's mother, Gwendolyn Baker, was the daughter of Captain Edward Lee Baker Jr., one of the five African American Medal of Honour recipients in the Spanish-American War. Gordon played clarinet from the age of 13, before switching to saxophone at 15. While still at school he played in bands with such contemporaries as Chico Hamilton and Buddy Collette. During the '50s and early ' 60s Gordon remained in California and recorded six albums, culminating in the superb Go in 1962. He then relocated to Europe for 14 years, living mainly in Paris and Copenhagen. Whilst there he continued issuing top-rate albums including Our Man in Paris ('63), A Swingin' Affair ('64) and One Flight Up ('65). Upon returning to the USA, Gordon continued to perform and record up until his death in 1999, aged 67. A prolific recording artist, Gordon issued some 58 studio albums, including solo works, with the Dexter Gordon Quartet, and collaborations. Standout releases include Doin' Allright, Go, Our Man in Paris, A Swingin' Affair, One Flight Up, Tangerine and The Apartment. Outside music, Gordon was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performance in the Bertrand Tavernier film 'Round Midnight' (1986), and he won a Grammy for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Soloist, for the soundtrack album The Other Side of Round Midnight (1986). In 2018, Gordon's album Go was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

Artist Website: dextergordon.org/bio

Featured Albums: Dexter Gordon

Related Artists: Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Dexter Gordon Quartet

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