Artist:Dexter Gordon
Song:Tanya
Album:The Best Of Dexter Gordon:The Blue Note Years
This comp is a good way for beginners to get a taste of tenor sax legend Dexter Gordon's classic 1960s recordings on Blue Note. But once you hear this beautiful Donald Byrd composition Tanya, you will want more. A lot of jazz musicians moved to Europe in the early 60s. There was more work outside the US and European audiences seemed more appreciative. In Gordon's case, he spent several years in jail on drug charges so that was an incentive for him. So Gordon moved to Copenhagen, Denmark in 1962. He continued to record great music and remained in Europe until 1976. Tanya is from the 1964 album One Flight Up. It was recorded in Paris June 2, 1964. The band includes three other great musicians living in Europe, Donald Byrd on trumpet, Kenny Drew on piano & Art Taylor on drums. It also includes 17 year old Danish bassist Neils-Henning Orsted Pedersen. He would go on to become one of the all time great bass players. All the tracks on this album are lengthy and Gordon always said he felt like he could breathe in Europe and that's why he moved. Blue Note released One Flight Up on CD in 2004 with a bonus track. Dexter Gordon is one of my favourite musicians. His music is intricate and accessible at the same time and he remained productive until his death on Apr. 25, 1990 at age 67. Here's Dexter Gordon performing Night In Tunisia for a Dutch TV show in 1964 featuring George Gruntz on piano.
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