Dexter Gordon

[mrjazzman]

Can anyone tell me if these are available for purchase? On All Souls, I think the leader is Ron Agerbeek, this is from Holland, and could Soy Califa be the same as the Steeplechase release Jazz At High School?

Edited April 20, 2014 by mrjazzman

[Cyril]

For 'All Souls' (1972) you can send an email to Henk Haverhoek. He's the bassist.

http://www.henkhaverhoek.nl/discography.html

Edited April 20, 2014 by Cyril

[JohnS]

I believe Soy Califa is a recent vinyl release on the Gearbox label. Quite short, a tv broadcast.

[Cyril]

I believe Soy Califa is a recent vinyl release on the Gearbox label. Quite short, a tv broadcast.

Yep. See: http://www.systemrecords.co.uk/gordon-dexter-califa-gram-p-1119695.html

[mjzee]

It looks to be the same date as this; the CD has two additional tracks.

[mrjazzman]

It looks to be the same date as this; the CD has two additional tracks.

As I suspected, Thanks

For 'All Souls' (1972) you can send an email to Henk Haverhoek. He's the bassist.

http://www.henkhaverhoek.nl/discography.html

All the links on his page work except the email link, oh well.

For 'All Souls' (1972) you can send an email to Henk Haverhoek. He's the bassist.

http://www.henkhaverhoek.nl/discography.html

All the links on his page work except the email link, oh well.

[Cyril]

It looks to be the same date as this; the CD has two additional tracks.

As I suspected, Thanks

For 'All Souls' (1972) you can send an email to Henk Haverhoek. He's the bassist.

http://www.henkhaverhoek.nl/discography.html

All the links on his page work except the email link, oh well.

For 'All Souls' (1972) you can send an email to Henk Haverhoek. He's the bassist.

http://www.henkhaverhoek.nl/discography.html

All the links on his page work except the email link, oh well.

<henk.haverhoek@hotmail.com>

[Kevin Bresnahan]

On 4/20/2014 at 6:26 AM, mrjazzman said:

Can anyone tell me if these are available for purchase? On All Souls, I think the leader is Ron Agerbeek, this is from Holland, and could Soy Califa be the same as the Steeplechase release Jazz At High School?

 

I see that this LP has recently been released in Japan on 2 CDs on the Solid Records label with what appears to be some added tracks. The audio samples I've heard have been pretty good. I'm still not sure if it's worth picking up.

I'm curious though - Are these CDs bootlegs or are they legit releases?

[mjzee]

8 minutes ago, bresna said:

I see that this LP has recently been released in Japan on 2 CDs on the Solid Records label with what appears to be some added tracks. The audio samples I've heard have been pretty good. I'm still not sure if it's worth picking up.

I'm curious though - Are these CDs bootlegs or are they legit releases?

They are worth picking up.  I’ve just finished listening to Vol. 1, and it is fabulous.  They’re released by Timeless/UltraVybe - legit.

[Gheorghe]

On February 27th was Dexter´s Birthday.

This Double CD was recorded on February 27th, Dexter´s 60th Birthday. 

But Maxine Gordon writes in her book that this was the gig were he said "it´s over". 

Actually, his playing on those two sets is far from his peak. 

I listened to it once or twice, but perfer listening to better albums, like "Manhattan Symphony" which I love most of all from Dexter´s discography 

[Kevin Bresnahan]

6 hours ago, Gheorghe said:

On February 27th was Dexter´s Birthday.

This Double CD was recorded on February 27th, Dexter´s 60th Birthday. 

But Maxine Gordon writes in her book that this was the gig were he said "it´s over". 

Actually, his playing on those two sets is far from his peak. 

I listened to it once or twice, but prefer listening to better albums, like "Manhattan Symphony" which I love most of all from Dexter´s discography 

Dexter had emphysema, which would make it hard to blow like he does. Phil Woods had emphysema and the last two times I saw, he played with a oxygen line.

[Gheorghe]

22 hours ago, bresna said:

Dexter had emphysema, which would make it hard to blow like he does. Phil Woods had emphysema and the last two times I saw, he played with a oxygen line.

I´m no doctor, but is this some desease you can get after a live long blowing the horn ? Sonny Rollins also had to give up playing due to a pulmonary ailment I think.

About Dexter around his 60´s birthday in 1983.

I saw him live in Vienna just before that event, it must have been in january or february 1983 and my main impression was, that he seemed to be stone drunk. And he had an outright hoarse voice, it was almost impossible to understand his announcements. He even tried to "sing" "Jelly Jelly Jelly"....., well that performance left me quite in embarassment. 

But I admire Dexter for all the great things he did, he is one of my favourite artists. 

[felser]

Emphysema caused by intake of bad stuff to your lungs - smoking, breathing pollution or fumes, etc.  As for Rollins, he is 90.

[Dub Modal]

From what I've read, Sonny really took care of himself. Early morning meditation sessions, no late nights, limited to no substances etc. Reaching 90 years for a jazz musician that lived through those early eras is really a feat. Here's hoping his health stays good for many years to come. 

[bertrand]

Sonny's ailments are a direct result of inhaling all the toxic fumes on 9/11. He lived in the neighborhood.

[JSngry]

5 hours ago, bertrand said:

Sonny's ailments are a direct result of inhaling all the toxic fumes on 9/11. He lived in the neighborhood.

This is common knowledge, correct?

[Dan Gould]

I was unaware of a direct line from 9-11 to Sonny having to stop playing. I find it a little remarkable that it took 18 or so years to reach that point. Was anyone noticing an effect on his sound or stamina before close to the end of his public concerts?

[JSngry]

He was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, and there's footage (CNN?) of him getting the hell out of the neighborhood after the attack, when all kinds of shit was still live in the air. It was him and his horn.

I started hearing his tone getting more "craggy" on on Global Warming (pre-9/11, 1998), but that would  have been simple "old age".  Hawk had the same thing happen to his tone. But it continues on through the years, his sound definitely was not as full of air as it once was..In hindsight, yeah, it was an evolving thing, already underway, but accellerating gradually) Stamina...it appeared that more and more, he was picking his spots to go long, like one or tow tunes per gig, and letting the band carry more weight for the rest of the show..

It was obvious to me that he was his body slowing down, but he still had the will and he still had the mind. Nothing to make be think that he was going to be forced to stop playing, but when it became clear that he wasn't playing...then there was word out that he was "recuperating" and "hoping to return soon,, I was, like, uh-oh...and then the diagnosis came and that was it.

Sonny had long been a physically fit guy, so maybe that allowed him to slow the progress of the disease, I have no idea how that works. And all "we" can see is the public side of it. Who knows how the disease was progressing for the man off-stage? For that matter, when he makes his on-line speaking appearances now, who knows what prepping up he has to do for those? We don't know. Nor, really, should we have to. None of our business, really. Just know that he's doing it, as much as he can, while he can.

As I told people when he was out there playing and they were casually dismissing it for various reasons, this ain't gonna last forever, don't take Sonny Rollins for granted, you better appreciate this while you have it, because when it's gone...and it's definitely going to be gone sooner rather than later now. So...appreciate what you have, while you have it.

 

[bertrand]

3 hours ago, JSngry said:

This is common knowledge, correct?

I am sure I read it several times. It is not some insider knowledge I have.

[mjzee]

Not sure how many 90-year olds have the wind to continue playing sax.  I saw Benny Carter when he turned 90, and he played very faintly.  https://www.nytimes.com/1997/08/15/style/chronicle-626619.html

[Gheorghe]

2 minutes ago, mjzee said:

Not sure how many 90-year olds have the wind to continue playing sax.  I saw Benny Carter when he turned 90, and he played very faintly.  https://www.nytimes.com/1997/08/15/style/chronicle-626619.html

Yes, at that age I think you mangage to get through the day. Anyway, Sonny Rollins still was playing great when he was already 80.

As for Dexter, I don´t know. I saw him several times in the 70´s and early 80´s and tall and strong as he was I thought he might live "forever". But it went fast. As I said, I saw him around february 1983 and it was hard for him to get through the set, that anyway was cut short. The Trio Kirk Leightsey-David Eubanks-Eddie Gladden played three tunes until Dexter came on stage and he took his sweet time to get on stage. 

I still remember what they played: 1) Secret Love 2) More than you know, 3) Good Bait, 4) Jelly Jelly Jelly into Long Tall Dexter. 

[kh1958]

10 minutes ago, mjzee said:

Not sure how many 90-year olds have the wind to continue playing sax.  I saw Benny Carter when he turned 90, and he played very faintly.  https://www.nytimes.com/1997/08/15/style/chronicle-626619.html

It's not impossible. I saw Benny Waters at Sweet Basil at age 95; he played great.

[mjzee]

This is the last Dexter album I have.  He sounds fine, identifiably himself: 

[JSngry]

Minus some intervals of sobriety, Dexter did not take care of himself in terms of lifestyle  He lived well, regally, actually, which is a different thing altogether.

That, too, was common knowledge, I thought.

Look, none of this matters, really. It is what it is.

[mr jazz]

I love Dexter but that man had some issues. I remember seeing him at a club and between breaks (not set but instrument) he would leave the bandstand, go to the bar and chug a couple of beers then return for his break without missing a beat. This was early 80s I think.

Edited March 6, 2021 by mr jazz