Editing Dexter Gordon

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{{Short description|American jazz saxophonist (1923–1990)}}
{{Use American English|date=November 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name            = Dexter Gordon
| image           = Dexter Gordon1.jpg
| caption         = Gordon in concert in [[Toronto]] on August 19, 1978
| image_size      =
| birth_name      = Dexter Keith Gordon
| alias           = Long Tall Dexter
| birth_date      = {{birth date|1923|2|27}}
| birth_place     = [[Los Angeles]], California, U.S.
| death_date      = {{death date and age|1990|4|25|1923|2|27}}
| death_place     = [[Philadelphia]], Pennsylvania, U.S.
| origin          =
| instrument      = Tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone
| genre           = [[Jazz]], [[Swing music|swing]], [[bebop]], [[hard bop]]
| occupation      = Musician, composer, bandleader
| years_active    = 1940–1986
| label           = [[Blue Note Records|Blue Note]], [[Savoy Records|Savoy]], [[Columbia Records|Columbia]]
| associated_acts = [[Gene Ammons]], [[Billy Eckstine]], [[Dizzy Gillespie]], [[Wardell Gray]], [[Lionel Hampton]]
| website         = {{URL|DexterGordon.com}}
}}

'''Dexter Gordon''' (February 27, 1923 – April 25, 1990) was an American [[jazz]] tenor saxophonist, composer, and bandleader. He was among the most influential early [[bebop]] musicians. Gordon's height was {{convert|6|ft|6|in|cm}}, so he was also known as "Long Tall Dexter" and "Sophisticated Giant". His studio and performance career spanned more than 40 years.

Gordon's sound was commonly characterized as being "large" and spacious and he had a tendency to play behind the beat. He inserted musical quotes into his solos, with sources as diverse as "[[Happy Birthday to You|Happy Birthday]]" and well-known melodies from the operas of [[Richard Wagner|Wagner]]. Quoting from various musical sources is not unusual in jazz improvisation, but Gordon did it frequently enough to make it a hallmark of his style. One of his major influences was [[Lester Young]]. Gordon, in turn, was an early influence on [[John Coltrane]] and [[Sonny Rollins]]. Rollins and Coltrane then influenced Gordon's playing as he explored [[hard bop]] and modal playing during the 1960s.

Gordon had a genial and humorous stage presence. He was an advocate of playing to communicate with the audience,<ref name="tomkinsineterview">{{cite web|title=Dexter Gordon interview with Les Tomkins, 1962|url=https://nationaljazzarchive.org.uk/explore/interviews/1622002-dexter-gordon-interview-2|url-status=live|access-date=March 6, 2021|website=National Jazz Archive|date=March 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200814170214/https://nationaljazzarchive.org.uk/explore/interviews/1622002-dexter-gordon-interview-2 |archive-date=August 14, 2020 }}</ref> which was his musical approach as well. One of his idiosyncratic rituals was to recite lyrics from each ballad before playing it.{{Citation needed|date=March 2024}}

A photograph by [[Herman Leonard]] of Gordon taking a smoke break at the [[Royal Roost]] in 1948 is one of the iconic images in jazz photography.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.harvardartmuseums.org/collections/object/342926|title=From the Harvard Art Museums' collections Dexter Gordon, Royal Roost, New York City|website=Harvardartmuseums.org}}</ref> Cigarettes were a recurring theme on covers of Gordon's albums.

Gordon was nominated for an [[Academy Awards|Academy Award]] for [[Academy Award for Best Actor|Best Actor in a Leading Role]] for his performance in the [[Bertrand Tavernier]] film ''[[Round Midnight (film)|Round Midnight]]'' ([[Warner Bros]], 1986), and he won a Grammy for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Soloist, for the soundtrack album ''[[The Other Side of Round Midnight]]'' ([[Blue Note Records]], 1986). He also had a cameo role in the 1990 film ''[[Awakenings]]''. In 2018, Gordon's album [[Go (Dexter Gordon album)|''Go'']] (Blue Note, 1962) was selected by the [[Library of Congress]] for preservation in the [[National Recording Registry]] for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".<ref>{{cite news |last=Andrews |first=Travis M. |date=March 20, 2019 |title=Jay-Z, a speech by Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and 'Schoolhouse Rock!' among recordings deemed classics by Library of Congress |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/jay-z-a-speech-by-sen-robert-f-kennedy-and-schoolhouse-rock-among-recordings-deemed-classics-by-library-of-congress/2019/03/19/f7eb08ea-4a58-11e9-9663-00ac73f49662_story.html?|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=March 25, 2019}}</ref>

==Life and career==
===Early life===
Dexter Keith Gordon was born on February 27, 1923, in [[Los Angeles]], [[California]].<ref name="LarkinGE">{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]|editor=[[Colin Larkin (writer)|Colin Larkin]]|publisher=[[Guinness Publishing]]|date=1992|edition=First|isbn=0-85112-939-0|page=1002}}</ref> His father, Frank Gordon, one of the first African-American medical doctors in Los Angeles, arrived in 1918 after graduating from [[Howard University]] Medical School in [[Washington, D.C.]] 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 Honor]] recipients in the [[Spanish–American War]].<ref name=DexGor1>{{Cite web|title = Biography|url = http://www.dextergordon.com/bio/|website = DEXTERGORDON.COM|access-date = August 28, 2015|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150414070039/http://www.dextergordon.com/bio/|archive-date = April 14, 2015}}</ref>

Gordon began his study of music with the [[clarinet]] at the age of 13, then switched to the [[alto saxophone]] at 15, and finally to the [[tenor saxophone]] at 17.<ref name=DexGor1 /><ref name="LarkinGE"/> He studied with [[multi-instrumentalist]] Lloyd Reese while attending [[Jefferson High School (Los Angeles)|Thomas Jefferson High School]], and studied with the school’s band director, Sam Browne.<ref name="DGRD list">{{Cite book |last=Britt |first=Stan | year=1989 |title=Dexter Gordon: a music biography | location = London | publisher=[[Da Capo Press]] |isbn=0-306-80361-5}} pp. 4, 26.</ref> While still at school, he played in bands with such contemporaries as [[Chico Hamilton]] and [[Buddy Collette]].<ref>Joop Visser, essay booklet with ''Settin' the Pace'', Proper box set.</ref>

Between December 1940 and 1943, Gordon was a member of [[Lionel Hampton]]'s band,<ref name="LarkinGE"/> playing in a saxophone section alongside [[Illinois Jacquet]] and [[Marshal Royal]]. During 1944, Gordon was featured in the [[Fletcher Henderson]] band, followed by the [[Louis Armstrong]] band, before joining [[Billy Eckstine]].<ref name="LarkinGE"/> The [[1942–44 musicians' strike]] curtailed the recording of the Hampton, Henderson, and Armstrong bands; however, they were recorded on [[V-Discs]] produced by the Army for broadcast and distribution among overseas troops. In 1943, he was featured, alongside [[Harry Edison|Harry "Sweets" Edison]], in recordings under [[Nat Cole]] for a small label not affected by the strike.

===Bebop era recordings===
By late 1944, Gordon was resident in New York, a regular at bebop jam sessions, and a featured soloist in the Billy Eckstine big band ("If That's The Way You Feel", "I Want To Talk About You", "Blowin' the Blues Away", "Opus X", "I'll Wait and Pray", "The Real Thing Happened To Me", "Lonesome Lover Blues", "I Love the Rhythm in a Riff"). During early 1945, he was featured on recordings by [[Dizzy Gillespie]] ("[[Blue 'n' Boogie]]", "[[Groovin' High]]") and [[Charles Thompson (jazz)|Charles Thompson]] ("Takin' Off", "If I Had You", "20th Century Blues", "The Street Beat"). In late 1945, Gordon was recording under his own name for the [[Savoy Records|Savoy]] label. His Savoy recordings during 1945–46 included ''Blow Mr. Dexter'', ''Dexter's Deck'', ''Dexter's Minor Mad'', ''Long Tall Dexter'', ''Dexter Rides Again'', ''I Can't Escape From You,''and ''Dexter Digs In''.

He returned to Los Angeles in late 1946 and in 1947 was leading sessions for [[Ross Russell (jazz)|Ross Russell]]'s [[Dial Records (1946)|Dial]] label (''Mischievous Lady, Lullaby in Rhythm, The Chase, Iridescence, It's the Talk of the Town, Bikini, A Ghost of a Chance, Sweet and Lovely''). After his return to Los Angeles, he became known for his saxophone duels with fellow tenorman [[Wardell Gray]], which were a popular concert attraction documented in recordings made between 1947 and 1952 (''The Hunt, Move, The Chase, The Steeplechase'').<ref name="LarkinGE"/> ''The Hunt'' gained literary fame from its mention in [[Jack Kerouac]]'s ''[[On The Road]]'', which also contains descriptions of wild tenormen jamming in Los Angeles. ''Cherokee, Byas a Drink, ''and'' Disorder at the Border'' are other live recordings of the Gray/Gordon duo from the same concert (all issued on the album ''[[The Hunt (Dexter Gordon album)|The Hunt]]'' in 1977). In December 1947, Gordon recorded again with the Savoy label (''Settin' the Pace, So Easy, Dexter's Riff, Dextrose, Dexter's Mood, Index, Dextivity, Wee Dot, Lion Roars''). Through the mid-to-late 1940s, he continued to work as a sideman on sessions led by [[Russell Jacquet]], [[Benny Carter]], [[Ben Webster]], [[Ralph Burns]], [[Jimmy Rushing]], [[Helen Humes]], [[Gerry Mulligan]], [[Wynonie Harris]], [[Leo Parker]], and [[Tadd Dameron]].

===The 1950s===
During the 1950s, Gordon's recorded output and live appearances declined as heroin addiction and legal troubles took their toll.<ref name="LarkinGE"/> Gordon made a concert appearance with Wardell Gray in February 1952 (''The Chase, The Steeplechase, Take the A Train, Robbins Nest, Stardust'') and appeared as a sideman in a session led by Gray in June 1952 (''The Rubiyat, Jungle Jungle Jump, Citizen's Bop, My Kinda Love''). After an incarceration at [[Chino Prison]] from 1953 to 1955, he recorded the albums ''[[Daddy Plays the Horn]]'' and ''[[Dexter Blows Hot and Cool]]'' in 1955 and played as a sideman on the [[Stan Levey]] album, ''This Time the Drum's on Me''. The latter part of the decade saw him in and out of prison until his final release from Folsom Prison in 1959. He was one of the initial sax players for the [[Onzy Matthews]] [[big band]] in 1959, along with [[Curtis Amy]]. Gordon continued to champion Matthews' band after he left Los Angeles for New York, but left for Europe before getting a chance to record with that band. He recorded ''[[The Resurgence of Dexter Gordon]]'' in 1960. His recordings from the mid-1950s onward document a meander into a smooth [[West Coast jazz|West Coast]] style that lacked the impact of his bebop era recordings or his subsequent Blue Note recordings.

The decade saw Gordon's first entry into the world of drama. He appeared as a member (uncredited) of Art Hazzard's band in the film ''[[Young Man with a Horn (film)|Young Man with a Horn]]'' (1950). He appeared in an uncredited and overdubbed role as a member of a prison band in the movie ''[[Unchained (film)|Unchained]]'', filmed inside Chino. Gordon was a saxophonist performing [[Freddie Redd]]'s music for the Los Angeles production of [[Jack Gelber]]'s play ''[[The Connection (1959 play)|The Connection]]'' in 1960, replacing [[Jackie McLean]]. He contributed two compositions, ''Ernie's Tune'' and ''I Want More'' to the score and later recorded them for his album ''Dexter Calling...''.

===New York renaissance===
Gordon signed to [[Blue Note Records|Blue Note]] in 1961. He initially commuted from Los Angeles to New York to record, but took up residence when he regained the cabaret card that allowed him to perform where alcohol was served. The Jazz Gallery hosted his first New York performance in twelve years. The Blue Note association was to produce a steady flow of albums for several years, some of which gained iconic status. His New York renaissance was marked by ''[[Doin' Allright]]'', ''[[Dexter Calling...]]'', [[Go (Dexter Gordon album)|''Go!'']], and ''[[A Swingin' Affair]]''. The first two were recorded over three days in May 1961 with [[Freddie Hubbard]], [[Horace Parlan]], [[Kenny Drew]], [[Paul Chambers]], [[George Tucker (musician)|George Tucker]], [[Al Harewood]], and [[Philly Joe Jones]]. The last two were recorded in August 1962, with a rhythm section that featured Blue Note regulars [[Sonny Clark]], [[Butch Warren]] and [[Billy Higgins]]. Of the two [[Go (Dexter Gordon album)|''Go!'']] was an expressed favorite.<ref name=DexGor1 /> The albums showed his assimilation of the hard bop and modal styles that had developed during his years on the west coast, and the influence of John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins, whom he had influenced before. The stay in New York turned out to be shortlived, as Gordon got offers for engagements in England, then Europe, that resulted in a fourteen-year stay.<ref name="LarkinGE"/> Soon after recording ''A Swingin' Affair'', he left the United States.

===Years in Europe===
Over the next 14 years in Europe, living mainly in [[Paris]] and [[Copenhagen]], Gordon played regularly with fellow expatriates or visiting players, such as [[Bud Powell]], [[Ben Webster]], [[Freddie Hubbard]], [[Bobby Hutcherson]], [[Kenny Drew]], [[Horace Parlan]] and [[Billy Higgins]]. Blue Note's [[Francis Wolff]] supervised Gordon's later sessions for the label on his visits to Europe. The pairing of Gordon with Drew turned out to be one of the classic matchups between a horn player and a pianist, much like [[Miles Davis]] with [[Red Garland]] or [[John Coltrane]] with [[McCoy Tyner]].

From this period came ''[[Our Man in Paris]]'', ''[[One Flight Up]]'', ''[[Gettin' Around]]'', and ''[[Clubhouse (album)|Clubhouse]]''. ''Our Man in Paris'' was a Blue Note session recorded in Paris in 1963 with backup consisting of pianist Powell, drummer [[Kenny Clarke]], and French bassist [[Pierre Michelot]]. ''One Flight Up'', recorded in Paris in 1964 with trumpeter [[Donald Byrd]], pianist Kenny Drew, drummer [[Art Taylor]], and Danish bassist [[Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen]], features an extended solo by Gordon on the track "Tanya".

Gordon also visited the US occasionally for further recording dates. ''Gettin' Around'' was recorded for Blue Note during a visit in May 1965, as was the album ''Clubhouse'' which remained unreleased until 1979.

Gordon found Europe in the 1960s a much easier place to live, saying that he experienced less racism and greater respect for jazz musicians. He also stated that on his visits to the US in the late 1960s and early 1970s, he found the political and social strife disturbing.<ref name=Berginterview>{{Cite web|url=http://jazzprofiles.blogspot.com/2013/01/dexter-gordon-chuck-berg-interview.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150528032742/https://jazzprofiles.blogspot.com/2013/01/dexter-gordon-chuck-berg-interview.html|archivedate=May 28, 2015|title=Dexter Gordon interview with Chuck Berg, Downbeat Magazine, 1977|website=Jazzprofiles.blogspot.com|access-date=October 11, 2019}}</ref> While in Copenhagen, Gordon and Drew's trio appeared onscreen<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLoU9SSYMWs "Dexter Gordon & Kenny Drew – Pornography A Musical (1971) OST"], YouTube video.</ref> in Ole Ege's theatrically released hardcore pornographic film ''Pornografi – en musical'' (1971), for which they composed and performed the score.<ref>David Meeker,[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/loc.natlib.jots.200021706/default.html "Jazz on the Screen – A jazz and blues filmography"], Library of Congress, Performing Arts Encyclopedia.</ref>

He switched from Blue Note to [[Prestige Records]] (1965–73). For the label, he recorded bop albums like ''[[The Tower of Power!]]'' and ''[[More Power!]]'' (1969) with [[James Moody (saxophonist)|James Moody]], [[Barry Harris]], [[Buster Williams]], and [[Albert "Tootie" Heath]]; ''[[The Panther!]]'' (1970) with [[Tommy Flanagan (musician)|Tommy Flanagan]], [[Larry Ridley]], and [[Alan Dawson]]; ''[[The Jumpin' Blues]]'' (1970) with [[Wynton Kelly]], [[Sam Jones (musician)|Sam Jones]], and [[Roy Brooks]]; ''[[The Chase!]]'' (1970) with [[Gene Ammons]], [[Jodie Christian]], [[John Young (jazz pianist)|John Young]], [[Cleveland Eaton]], [[Rufus Reid]], Wilbur Campbell, [[Steve McCall]], and [[Vi Redd]]; and ''[[Tangerine (Dexter Gordon album)|Tangerine]]'' (1972) with [[Thad Jones]], [[Freddie Hubbard]], and [[Hank Jones]]. Some of the Prestige albums were recorded during visits back to North America while he was still living in Europe; others were made in Europe, including live sets from the [[Montreux Jazz Festival]].

In addition to the recordings Gordon did under his American label contracts, live recordings by European labels and live video from his European period have been released. In 1975, Dexter Gordon signed an exclusive recording contract with Danish label SteepleChase, for which he recorded some of his most inspired sessions including ''[[The Apartment (album)|The Apartment]]'' (1974), ''[[More Than You Know (Dexter Gordon album)|More Than You Know]]'' (1975), ''[[Stable Mable]]'', ''[[Swiss Nights Vol. 1]], [[Swiss Nights Vol. 2|2]] and [[Swiss Nights Vol. 3|3]]'', ''[[Something Different (Dexter Gordon album)|Something Different]]'', ''[[Lullaby for a Monster]]'', and not least ''[[Biting the Apple]]'' (1976), recorded during his homecoming trip to New York, featuring Barry Harris, Sam Jones and [[Al Foster]]. The album received the Grand Prix De Jazz in Montreux, Switzerland, in 1977. [[SteepleChase Records|SteepleChase]] released live dates from his mid-1960s tenure at the [[Jazzhus Montmartre]] in Copenhagen. The video was released in the ''Jazz Icons'' series.

===Homecoming===
[[File:Dexter Gordon 1980.jpg|thumb|At the 1980 [[Edison Award]], Amsterdam]]
Gordon returned to the United States for good in 1976.<ref>Allan, William (December 11, 1977). "[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-pittsburgh-press-jazz-is-backbig/146607276/ Jazz is back...big...on Records]". ''The Pittsburgh Press''.</ref> He appeared with [[Woody Shaw]], [[Ronnie Mathews]], [[Stafford James]], and [[Louis Hayes]], for a gig at the [[Village Vanguard]] in New York that was dubbed his "homecoming." It was recorded and released by [[Columbia Records]] under that title. He observed: "There was ''so'' much love and elation; sometimes it was a little ''eerie'' at the Vanguard. After the last set they'd turn on the lights and ''nobody'' would move."<ref>{{cite book|author=Chapman, Dale|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RTRMDwAAQBAJ&q=%22There+was+so+much+love+and+elation%22&pg=PA78|title=The Jazz Bubble: Neoclassical Jazz in Neoliberal Culture|date = March 23, 2018|page=78| publisher=Univ of California Press |isbn = 9780520968219}}</ref> In addition to the ''Homecoming'' album, a series of live albums was released by Blue Note from his stands at [[Keystone Korner]] in San Francisco during 1978 and 1979. They featured Gordon, [[George Cables]], [[Rufus Reid]], and [[Eddie Gladden]]. He recorded the studio albums ''[[Sophisticated Giant]]'' with an eleven piece big band in 1977 and ''Manhattan Symphonie'' with the ''Live at Keystone Corner'' crew in 1978. The sensation of Gordon's return, and the continued efforts of [[Art Blakey]] through 1970s and early 1980s, have been credited with reviving interest in swinging, melodic, acoustically-based classic jazz sounds after the [[Fusion jazz]] era that saw an emphasis on electronic sounds and contemporary pop influences.

===Musician Emeritus===
[[File:Dexter Gordon at Mountain Winery Jazz Festival, Saratoga CA 1981.jpg|left|thumb|Dexter Gordon at Mountain Winery Jazz Festival, Saratoga CA 1981]]
In 1978 and 1980, Gordon was the ''[[DownBeat]]'' Musician of the Year, and in 1980 he was inducted into the [[DownBeat Jazz Hall of Fame|Jazz Hall of Fame]]. The US Government honored him with a Congressional Commendation, a Dexter Gordon Day in Washington DC, and in 1986 the [[National Endowment for the Arts]] named him a [[NEA Jazz Master]] in recognition of hia Lifetime Achievement.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.arts.gov/honors/jazz/dexter-gordon|title=Dexter Gordon|publisher=National Endowment for the Arts {{!}} NEA Jazz Masters Fellowships|access-date=24 October 2024}}</ref> In 1986, he was named a member and officer of the [[French Order of Arts and Letters]] (Officier des Arts et Lettres) by the Ministry of Culture in [[France]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dextergordon.org/bio|title=Dexter Keith Gordon|publisher=The Dexter Gordon Society|access-date=24 October 2024}}</ref>

During the 1980s, Gordon, a life-long smoker, was weakened by [[emphysema]]. He remained a popular attraction at concerts and festivals, although his live appearances and recording dates would soon become infrequent.{{Citation needed|date=March 2024}}

Gordon starred in the 1986 movie ''[[Round Midnight (film)|Round Midnight]]'' as "Dale Turner", an expatriate jazz musician in Paris during the late 1950s based loosely on Lester Young and Bud Powell.<ref name="LarkinGE"/> That portrayal earned him a nomination for an [[Academy Award for Best Actor]].<ref name="LarkinGE"/> In addition, he had a non-speaking role as a piano-playing hospital inmate in the 1990 film ''[[Awakenings]]'', which was posthumously released. Before that last film was released, he made a guest appearance on the [[Michael Mann (director)|Michael Mann]] series ''[[Crime Story (U.S. TV series)|Crime Story]]''.

Soundtrack performances from ''Round Midnight'' were released as the albums ''[[Round Midnight (soundtrack)|Round Midnight]]'' and ''[[The Other Side of Round Midnight]]'', featuring original music by [[Herbie Hancock]] as well as playing by Gordon. The latter was the last recording released under Gordon's name. He was a sideman on [[Tony Bennett]]'s 1987 album, ''Berlin''.

===Death===
Gordon died of [[kidney failure]] and smoking-related cancer of the [[larynx]] in [[Philadelphia]], on April 25, 1990, at the age of 67.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/04/26/obituaries/dexter-gordon-dies-at-67-a-charismatic-jazz-figure.html|title=Dexter Gordon Dies at 67; A Charismatic Jazz Figure|first=Peter|last=Watrous|date=April 26, 1990|access-date=September 8, 2021|website=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1990/04/26/dexter-gordon-jazz-saxophonist-actor-dies/634b9c85-7b70-4b9e-a6ed-6cdf278ac8ac/|title=DEXTER GORDON, JAZZ SAXOPHONIST, ACTOR, DIES|newspaper=Washington Post|date=April 25, 1990}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-04-26-mn-195-story.html|title=Saxophonist, Oscar Nominee Dexter Gordon Dies at 67|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=April 26, 1990}}</ref>

==Family==
Gordon's maternal grandfather was Captain [[Edward L. Baker Jr.]], who received the [[Medal of Honor]] during the [[Spanish–American War]], while serving with the 10th Cavalry Regiment (also known as the [[Buffalo Soldiers]]).{{Citation needed|date=March 2024}}

Gordon's father, Dr. Frank Gordon, M.D., was one of the first prominent African-American physicians and a graduate of [[Howard University]].{{Citation needed|date=March 2024}}

Gordon's uncle, Clifford Myota Gordon, was a charter member of the Alpha Delta chapter of [[Alpha Phi Alpha]] fraternity, seated at the [[University of Southern California]]. <ref>{{Citation |last=Gordon |first=Maxine |title=2. An Uncommon Family |date=2018-11-06 |work=Sophisticated Giant: The Life and Legacy of Dexter Gordon |pages=13–25 |url=https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1525/9780520971622-003/html |access-date=2024-12-29 |publisher=University of California Press |language=en |doi=10.1525/9780520971622-003 |isbn=978-0-520-97162-2|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=History |url=https://www.alphadelta1921.com/history |access-date=2024-12-29 |website=Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., Alpha Delta Chapter |language=en-US}}</ref>

When he lived in Denmark, Gordon became friends with the family of the future [[Metallica]] drummer [[Lars Ulrich]], and subsequently became Lars's godfather.<ref>Joel McIver, [https://archive.org/details/justiceforalltru0000mciv_h8q4/page/3 ''Justice for All: The Truth about Metallica''], Omnibus Press, 2004.</ref>

Gordon was married three times and had six children: Robin, James, Deirdre, Mikael, Morten and Benjamin. .<ref>{{Cite web |last=Watrous |first=Peter |date=April 26, 1990 |title=Dexter Gordon Dies at 67; A Charismatic Jazz Figure |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/04/26/obituaries/dexter-gordon-dies-at-67-a-charismatic-jazz-figure.html |access-date=March 22, 2024 |website=New York Times}}</ref>

==Instruments and mouthpieces==
The earliest photographs of Gordon as a player show him with a [[C.G. Conn|Conn]] 30M "Connqueror" and an Otto Link mouthpiece. Later he adopted the standard Conn tenor, the 10M. In a 1962 interview with the British journalist Les Tomkins, he did not refer to the specific model of mouthpiece but stated that it was made for him personally. He stated that it was stolen around 1952.<ref name=tomkinsineterview /> In the Tomkins interview he referred to his mouthpiece as a small-chambered piece with a 5* (.085" under the Otto Link system) tip opening. He bought a [[Selmer Mark VI]] from [[Ben Webster]] after he lost his 10M during the trip to Paris. In a ''DownBeat'' magazine interview from 1977, he referred to his current mouthpiece as an Otto Link model with a #8 (.110" under the Otto Link system) tip opening.<ref name=Berginterview />

==Discography==
=== As a leader ===
*''[[Dexter Rides Again]]'' (1947 78 album; Savoy MG 12130, 1992; SV-120, 2010)
*''[[The Hunt (Dexter Gordon album)|The Hunt]]'' with [[Wardell Gray]] (1947 78 album; Savoy SJL 2222, 1977)
*Dexter Gordon – ''The Chase'' with [[Wardell Gray]] (Dial Records, 1947, re-released as Spotlite (E) SPJ 130)
*Dexter Gordon – ''Move!'' (Dial Records, 1947, re-released as Spotlite (E) SPJ 133)
*''[[The Duel (Dexter Gordon album)|The Duel]]'' with [[Teddy Edwards]] (Dial, Spotlite, 1947)
*''Dexter Gordon On Dial, The Complete Sessions – The Chase'' (compilation, Spotlite (E) SPJ 130 CD)
*''Dexter Gordon – Long Tall Dexter'' (Savoy SJL 2211, 1976, compilation of 1940s Savoy tracks, previously released and unreleased)
*''Dexter Gordon: Settin' the Pace'' (Savoy SVY 17027, compilation of 1940s Savoy studio tracks, including alternate takes)
*''Dexter's Mood'' (Cool & Blue [Switzerland] C&B CD-114, 1994, compilation of Dial and Savoy studio tracks)
*''The Wardell Gray Memorial, Volume 2'' (live jam, ''Move'') (Prestige, PRLP 7009, 1983; CD, OJC 051, 1992)
*''The Chase and The Steeplechase,'' with Wardell Gray, Paul Quinichette (1952, Decca; Universal Distribution CD 9061, 2003)
*''[[Daddy Plays the Horn]]'' (Bethlehem 1955)
*''[[Dexter Blows Hot and Cool]]'' (Dootone 1955)
*''[[The Resurgence of Dexter Gordon]]'' ([[Riverside Records|Jazzland]], 1960)
*''[[Doin' Allright]]'' ([[Blue Note Records|Blue Note]], 1961)
*''[[Dexter Calling...]]'' (Blue Note, 1961)
*''[[Landslide (album)|Landslide]]'' (Blue Note, 1961–62 [1980])
*''[[Go (Dexter Gordon album)|Go!]]'' (Blue Note 1962)
*''[[A Swingin' Affair]]'' (Blue Note, 1962)
*''[[Our Man in Paris]]'' (Blue Note, 1963, with [[Bud Powell]], [[Pierre Michelot]], [[Kenny Clarke]])
*''[[One Flight Up]]'' (Blue Note, 1964)
*''[[Cheese Cake (album)|Cheese Cake]]'' ([[SteepleChase Records|SteepleChase]], 1979 [1964])
*''[[King Neptune (album)|King Neptune]]'' (SteepleChase, 1979 [1964])
*''[[I Want More (album)|I Want More]]'' (SteepleChase, 1980 [1964])
*''[[Love for Sale (Dexter Gordon album)|Love for Sale]]'' (SteepleChase, 1982 [1964])
*''[[It's You or No One (Dexter Gordon album)|It's You or No One]]'' (SteepleChase, 1983 [1964])
*''[[Billie's Bounce (album)|Billie's Bounce]]'' (SteepleChase, 1983 [1964])
*''[[Gettin' Around]]'' (Blue Note 1965)
*''[[Clubhouse (album)|Clubhouse]]'' (Blue Note, 1979 [1965])
*''[[Wee Dot]]'' (SteepleChase, 2003 [1965])
*''[[Loose Walk (Dexter Gordon album)|Loose Walk]]'' (SteepleChase, 2004 [1965])
*''[[Misty (Dexter Gordon album)|Misty]]'' (SteepleChase, 2004 [1965])
*''[[Heartaches (Dexter Gordon album)|Heartaches]]'' (SteepleChase, 2004 [1965])
*''[[Ladybird (Dexter Gordon album)|Ladybird]]'' (SteepleChase, 2005 [1965])
*''[[Stella by Starlight (album)|Stella by Starlight]]'' (SteepleChase, 2005 [1966])
*''[[The Squirrel (album)|The Squirrel]]'' (Blue Note, 2001 [1967])
*''Satin Doll'' (SteepleChase, 2012 [1967])
*''[[Both Sides of Midnight]]'' (Black Lion, 1988 [1967])
*''[[Body and Soul (Dexter Gordon album)|Body and Soul]]'' (Black Lion, 1988 [1967])
*''[[Take the "A" Train (Dexter Gordon album)|Take The "A" Train]]'' (Black Lion, 1989 [1967])
*''After Hours'' (SteepleChase, 1986, [1969])
*''After Midnight'' (SteepleChase, 1986, [1969])
*''Live at the Amsterdam Paradiso'' (Catfish, 1971 [1969])
*''[[A Day in Copenhagen]]'' (MPS, 1969) – with [[Slide Hampton]]
*''[[The Tower of Power!]]'' (Prestige, 1969) – with [[James Moody (saxophonist)|James Moody]]
*''[[More Power!]]'' (Prestige, 1969)
*''L.T.D. Live At The Left Bank'' (Prestige, 2001 [1969])
*''XXL Live At The Left Bank'' (Prestige, 2002 [1969])
*''[[Some Other Spring]]'' (Sonet, 1970) – with [[Karin Krog]]
*''[[Dexter Gordon with Junior Mance at Montreux]]'' (Prestige, 1970, with [[Junior Mance]])
*''[[The Panther!]]'' (Prestige, 1970, with [[Tommy Flanagan (musician)|Tommy Flanagan]] and [[Alan Dawson]]. [[Prestige Records]])
*''[[Live at the Both/And Club, San Francisco]]'' (BPM BPE-6101, 1970, with [[George Duke]] and [[Donald Garrett]] and [[Oliver Johnson (drummer)|Oliver Johnson]])
*''[[The Chase!]]'' (Prestige, 1970, with [[Gene Ammons]])
*''[[The Jumpin' Blues]]'' (Prestige, 1970, with [[Wynton Kelly]])
*''Those Were The Days'' (Moon, 1995 [1967–71])
*''[[The Shadow Of Your Smile]]'' ([[Steeplechase SCCD-31206 1971]])
*''[[Tangerine (Dexter Gordon album)|Tangerine]]'' (Prestige, 1975 [1972])
*''[[Ca'Purange]]'' (Prestige, 1972, with [[Thad Jones]], [[Hank Jones]], [[Stanley Clarke]] and [[Louis Hayes]])
*''[[Generation (Dexter Gordon album)|Generation]]'' (Prestige, 1972, with [[Freddie Hubbard]], [[Cedar Walton]] and others)
*''Afterhours/The Great Pescara Jam Sessions Vol 1&2'' (Ports Song, 1973, with [[Eric Ineke]])
*''[[Blues à la Suisse]]'' (Prestige, 1973)
*''[[The Montmartre Collection Vol.II - Blues Walk]]'' (Black Lion Records, 1974)
*''[[Candlelight Lady (album)|Candlelight Lady]]'' ([[SteepleChase Records|SteepleChase]], 2014 [1974])
*''[[The Apartment (album)|The Apartment]]'' ([[SteepleChase Records|SteepleChase]], 1974)
*''[[The Rainbow People (album)|The Rainbow People]]'' (Steeplechase, 2002 [1974], with [[Benny Bailey]])
*''Round Midnight'' (SteepleChase, 1991 [1974], with [[Benny Bailey]])
*''Revelation'' (SteepleChase, 1995 [1974], with [[Benny Bailey]])
*''[[More Than You Know (Dexter Gordon album)|More Than You Know]]'' (SteepleChase, 1975) with Orchestra arranged and conducted by [[Palle Mikkelborg]]
*''[[Stable Mable]]'' (SteepleChase, 1975)
*''[[Something Different (Dexter Gordon album)|Something Different]]'' (SteepleChase, 1975)
*''[[Bouncin' with Dex]]'' (SteepleChase, 1975)
*''[[Swiss Nights Vol. 1]]'' (SteepleChase, 1976 [1975])
*''[[Swiss Nights Vol. 2]]'' (SteepleChase, 1978 [1975])
*''[[Swiss Nights Vol. 3]]'' (SteepleChase, 1979 [1975])
*''[[Live in Chateauvallon]]'' (Elemental, 11/8/78 [2020)
*''[[Lullaby for a Monster]]'' (SteepleChase, 1981 [1976])
*''[[True Blue (jazz album)|True Blue]]'' ([[Xanadu Records|Xanadu]], 1976, with [[Al Cohn]])
*''[[Silver Blue (album)|Silver Blue]]'' ([[Xanadu Records|Xanadu]], 1976, with [[Al Cohn]])
*''[[Biting the Apple]]'' (SteepleChase, 1976)
*''[[Homecoming: Live at the Village Vanguard]]'' (Columbia, 1976, with [[Woody Shaw]], [[Ronnie Mathews]], [[Stafford James]], [[Louis Hayes]])
*''[[Jazz Classics]]'' (Aurophon, 1977, with [[Lionel Hampton]], [[Bucky Pizzarelli]], [[Hank Jones]], [[George Duvivier]], [[Candido Camero]], [[Oliver Jackson (musician)|Oliver Jackson]])
*''[[Sophisticated Giant]]'' ([[Columbia Records|Columbia]], 1977, with 11-piece big-band including [[Woody Shaw]], [[Slide Hampton]], [[Bobby Hutcherson]], and [[Benny Bailey]])
*''Manhattan Symphonie'' (Columbia, 1978, with [[Rufus Reid]] – bass, [[Eddie Gladden]] – percussion, and [[George Cables]] – keyboard)
*Great Encounters (Columbia, 1979)
*''Live at Carnegie Hall'' (Columbia, 1998 [1978], 2 tracks with [[Johnny Griffin]])
*''North Sea Jazz Legendary Concerts'' (North Sea Jazz, 1979)
*''Nights at the Keystone, Volumes 1-3'' (1979, Blue Note; CD release 1990)
*''[[The Montmartre Collection Vol.I]]'' (Black Lion Records, 1981)
*''[[Gotham City (album)|Gotham City]]'' (Columbia, 1981, with [[Woody Shaw]], [[Cedar Walton]], [[George Benson]], [[Percy Heath]], [[Art Blakey]])
*''American Classic'' ([[Elektra/Musician]], 1982, featuring [[Grover Washington Jr.]] and [[Shirley Scott]])
*''[[The Other Side of Round Midnight]]'' ([[Blue Note Records|Blue Note]], 1986)

=== As sideman ===
'''With [[Gene Ammons]]'''
* ''[[The Chase!]]'' (Prestige, 1970)
* ''[[Gene Ammons and Friends at Montreux]]'' (Prestige, 1973)

'''With [[Louis Armstrong]]'''
*''Dexter Gordon, Vol. 1 Young Dex 1941-1944'' (Masters Of Jazz MJCD 112)
* ''Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra 1944-1945'' (Blue Ace BA 3603)
* ''Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra'' (AFRS One Night Stand 240) ([[V-Disc]], 1944)
* ''Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra'' (AFRS One Night Stand 253) ([[V-Disc]], 1944)
* ''Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra'' (AFRS One Night Stand 267) ([[V-Disc]], 1944)
* ''Louis Armstrong New Orleans Masters, Vol. 2'' (Swing House (E) SWH 44)
* ''Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra'' (AFRS Spotlight Bands 382) ([[V-Disc]], 1944)
* ''Louis Armstrong – Chronological Study'' (MCA Decca 3063 72)
* ''Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra'' (AFRS Spotlight Bands 444) ([[V-Disc]], 1944)
* ''Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra'' (AFRS Spotlight Bands 465) ([[V-Disc]], 1944)
* ''Various Artists, Louis, Pops And Tram'' (IAJRC 21) (off [[V-Disc]], 1944)
* ''Louis Armstrong Armed Forces Radio Service 1943/44'' (Duke (It) D 1021)

'''With [[Benny Carter]]'''
* ''The Fabulous Benny Carter'' (1946, Audio Lab AL 1505)
* ''Benny Carter And His Orchestra'' ([https://archive.org/details/AfrsJubilee AFRS Jubilee 246]) ([[V-Disc]], 1947)
* ''Various Artists – Jazz Off The Air, Vol. 3'' (Spotlite (E) SPJ 147) (off [[V-Disc]] 1947)

'''With [[Billy Eckstine]]'''
* ''The Chronological Billy Eckstine and His Orchestra, 1944-1945'' (CD, Classic Records [France], 1997)
* ''Billy Eckstine, The Legendary Big Band'' (SVY 17125)

'''With [[Dizzy Gillespie]]'''
* ''Dexter Gordon, Vol. 2 Young Dex 1944-1946'' (Masters Of Jazz MJCD 128)
* ''Dizzy Gillespie – Groovin' High'' (Savoy MG 12020, 1992; SV 152, 2010)

'''With [[Lionel Hampton]]'''
* ''Dexter Gordon, Vol. 1 Young Dex 1941-1944'' (Masters Of Jazz MJCD 112)
* ''Lionel Hampton, Vol. 1: 1941-1942'' (Coral (G) COPS 7185)
* ''[[Lionel Hampton|Decca Jazz Heritage Series DL-79244]]''

'''With [[Herbie Hancock]]'''
* ''[[Takin' Off]]'' (Blue Note, 1962)
* ''[[Round Midnight (soundtrack)|Round Midnight]]'' (1986), Columbia Records

'''With [[Fletcher Henderson]]'''
* ''Fletcher Henderson And His Orchestra'' ([https://archive.org/details/AfrsJubilee AFRS Jubilee 76]), ([[V-Disc]], 1944)
* ''Fletcher Henderson And His Orchestra'' ([https://archive.org/details/AfrsJubilee AFRS Jubilee 77]), ([[V-Disc]], 1944)

'''With [[Helen Humes]]'''
* ''Various Artists – Black California'' (Savoy SJL 2215)
* ''Helen Humes – Be-Baba-Leba 1942-52'' (Whiskey, Women And... Gene Norman "Just Jazz" concert, February 2, 1952, KM 701)
* ''Helen Humes – New Million Dollar Secret'' (Whiskey, Women And... Gene Norman "Just Jazz" concert, February 2, 1952, KM 707)

'''With [[Jackie McLean]]'''
* ''[[The Meeting (Jackie McLean album)|The Meeting]]'' (SteepleChase, 1974) 
* ''[[The Source (Jackie McLean album)|The Source]]'' (SteepleChase, 1974)

'''With [[Gerry Mulligan]]'''
* ''Gerry Mulligan – Capitol Jazz Classics, Vol. 4: Walking Shoes'' (Capitol M 11029)
* ''Classic Capitol Jazz Sessions'' (Mosaic MQ19-170)

'''With [[Leo Parker]]'''
* ''The Be Bop Boys'' (Savoy SJL 2225)
* ''Leo Parker – Birth Of Bop, Vol. 1'' (Savoy XP 8060)

'''With [[Pony Poindexter]]'''
* ''[[Pony's Express]]'' (Epic, 1962)
* ''[[Stella By Starlight]]'' (co leader) (SteepleChase 1966)

'''With [[Jimmy Rushing]]'''
* ''Jimmy Rushing/Don Redman/Russell Jacquet/Joe Thomas – Big Little Bands'' (1946, Onyx ORI 220)
* ''Black California, Vol. 2: Anthology'' (1946, Savoy SJL 2242)

'''With others'''
* [[Rob Agerbeek]], ''All Souls'' (Dexterity, 1972, with [[Eric Ineke]] and others)
* [[Tony Bennett]], ''Berlin'' (Columbia, 1987)
* [[Ralph Burns]], ''Various Artists – OKeh Jazz'' (Epic EG 37315)
* [[Nat King Cole]], ''Nat King Cole Meets The Master Saxes'' 1943 (Phoenix Jazz LP 5)
* [[Tadd Dameron]], ''Tadd Dameron/Babs Gonzales/Dizzy Gillespie – Capitol Jazz Classics, Vol. 13: Strictly Bebop'' (Capitol M 11059)
* [[Booker Ervin]], ''[[Setting the Pace]]'' (Prestige, 1965)
* [[Lowell Fulson]], ''Lowell Fulson'' (Swing Time 320)
* [[Wynonie Harris]], ''Wynonie Harris – Love Is Like Rain / Your Money Don't Mean A Thing (Come Live With Me Baby)'' (King 4217)
* [[Philly Joe Jones]], ''[[Philly Mignon]]'' (Galaxy, 1977)
* [[Stan Levey]], ''Stan Levey – This Time The Drum's On Me'' (Bethlehem BCP 37)
* [[Charlie Parker]], ''Charlie Parker – Every Bit Of It 1945'' (Spotlite (E) SPJ 150D)
* [[Leslie Thompson (musician)|Les Thompson]], ''Les Thompson – Gene Norman Presents Just Jazz'' (RCA Victor LPM 3102)
* [[Ben Webster]], ''Ben Webster Nonet'' (1945, Jazz Archives JA 35)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*Gordon, Maxine (2018) ''Sophisticated Giant: The Life and Legacy of Dexter Gordon'' (University of California Press)

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*{{Official website|1=http://www.DexterGordon.com}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20071013123631/http://home.ica.net/~blooms/dexterhome.html Sophisticated Giant: The Dexter Gordon Discography]
*{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p6601}}
*{{IMDb name|0330143}}
*[http://www.kerouacalley.com/gordon.html Dexter Gordon Multimedia Directory] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303191351/http://www.kerouacalley.com/gordon.html |date=March 3, 2016 }}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090708060613/http://www.jazz.com/dozens/the-dozens-dexter-gordon Dexter Gordon: 12 Essential Tracks] by Eric Novod (www.jazz.com)
*{{cite web|title=Dexter Gordon: LTD: Live At the Left Bank|url=http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=8368|author=C. Michael Bailey|date=August 1, 2001|publisher=All about jazz}}
*[https://findingaids.loc.gov/db/search/xq/searchMfer02.xq?_id=loc.music.eadmus.mu011002&_faSection=overview&_faSubsection=did&_dmdid=d127e6 Dexter Gordon Collection] at the [https://loc.gov/ Library of Congress]
{{Dexter Gordon}}
{{David di Donatello for Best Foreign Actor}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gordon, Dexter}}
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