Tag Archives: Dexter Gordon

Howard Johnson

On January 11, 2021, Howard Lewis Johnson died aged 79. He was musician (tuba, baritone saxophone, bass clarinet, trumpet), member and leader of the tuba ensembles Tuba Libre, Substructure, and Gravity. He recorded and performed with some of the world best known musicians and bands, including George Gruntz, Hank Crawford, Gil Evans, Charles Mingus, Hank Crawford, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Archie Shepp, Hank Mobley, Levon Helm, Tomasz Stanko, Gary Burton, Gábor Szabó, Bob Thiele, Charlie Haden, Jazz Composers, Andrew Hill, Leon Thomas, Johnny Coles, Taj Mahal, Charles Tolliver, The Band, Carla Bley, John Lennon, Sam Rivers, Gato Barbieri, Jaco Pastorius, Muddy Waters, Dexter Gordon, Clifford Jordan, David “Fathead” Newman,  James Taylor, Jack De Johnette, Jimmy Heath, Franco Ambrosetti, George Gruntz, Miles Davis, Quincy Jones, NDR Big Band, Ray Anderson, Barbara Dennerlein, John Scofield, T. S. Monk, Mario Pavone, and Chet Baker. As leader he released four albums.

James Moody

On December 9, 2010, James Moody died aged 85. He was musician (saxophone, flute) and singer, best known for his work in bebop and hard bop Jazz. He recorded and performed with some of the biggest names in Jazz music including Dizzy Gillespie, Art Farmer, Kenny Barron, Jon Faddis, Eddie Jefferson, Johnny Coles, Todd Coolman, Rufus Reid, Gil Fuller, Milt Jackson, Dexter Gordon, Elvin Jones, Quincy Jones, Charles Mingus, Max Roach, Lalo Schifrin, Bobby Thimons, Cedar Walton, Tubby Hayes, and Roberta Gambarini. In 2011, Moody posthumously won “Grammy Award” for “Best Jazz Instrumental album”, for his album “Moody 4B”. The “New Jersey Performing Arts Center” hosts the “James Moody Democracy of Jazz Festival”. As a leader Moody released 44 albums.

Armando Peraza

On April 14, 2014, Armando Peraza died aged 79. He was musician (percussion, congas, bongos, timbales), recorded and performed with Machito’s Big Band, Charlie Parker, Slim Gaillard, Perez Prado, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Mingus, Dexter Gordon, Tony Martinez, Gato Barbieri, Cal Tjader, George Shearing, Randy Weston, Peggy Lee, Mongo Santamaria, Shelly Manne, Judy Garland, Victor Feldman, Stan Kenton Band, Harvey Mandel and Santana. As leader, Peraza recorded one album.

Jimmy Forrest: Forrest Fire

In November 1960, “New Jazz” label released “Forrest Fire”, the fourth Jimmy Forrest album. It was recorded in August 1960, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, NJ, and was produced by Esmond Edwards.

Personnel:

  • Jimmy Forrest- tenor saxophone
  • Larry Young- organ
  • Thornel Schwartz- guitar
  • Jimmie Smith- drums
  • Unknown – congas
  • Esmond Edwards – supervisor
  • Rudy Van Gelder- engineer

Track listing:

  1. Remember – Irving Berlin
  2. Dexter’s Deck – Dexter Gordon
  3. Jim’s Jam – Jimmy Forest
  4. Bags’ Groove – Milt Jackson
  5. When Your Lover Has Gone – Einar Aaron Swan
  6. Help! – Doug Watkins

 

Joe Felds

On July 12, 2017, Joe Fields died aged 88. He has worked for “London Records”,  “MGM”, “Verve”, “Prestige”, “Sue Records”, and “Buddha Records” (started their jazz division, “Cobblestone Records”), before he started his own label “Muse Records” in 1973. The label featured artists such as Pat Martino, Houston Person, Cedar Walton, Charlie Earland, Larry Coryell and Woody Shaw. In the 80’s Fields acquired “Savoy” and “Landmark Records” labels. “Savoy” owned recordings by Charlie Parker, Miles Davis and Dexter Gordon, among others. In 1997, Joe, and his son Barney, launched “HighNote” and “Savant Records”, labels that features artists such as Kenny Burrell, Houston Person, Wallace Roney, Eric Alexander, Freddy Cole, Tom Harrell and Russell Malone.

Donald Byrd

On February 4, 2013, Donaldson Toussaint L’Ouverture “Donald” Byrd II died aged 80. He was trumpeter, best known as founder and leader the band The Blackbyrds, and regarded as one of the pioneeres of the fusion of funk and soul genres with jazz music. He had successful solo career, and has recorded and performed with big number of famous musicians including Herbie Hancock, Pepper Adams, Gigi Gryce, Jackie McLean, Hank Mobley, Dexter Gordon, George Wallington, Kenny Clarke, Cannonball Adderley, Oscar Pettiford, Hank Jones, Ernie Wilkins, Art Blakey, Rita Reys, Elmo Hope, Phil Woods, Gene Ammons, Art Farmer, Paul Chambers, Doug Watkins, Sonny Rollins, Kenny Burrell, Gigi Gryce, Lou Donaldson, Jimmy Smith, Art Taylor, Kenny Drew, Sonny Clark, John Jenkins, Red Garland, John Coltrane, Pepper Adams, Michel Legrand, Dizzy Reece, Mundell Lowe, Thelonious Monk, Chris Connor, Eric Dolphy, Cal Tjader, Sam Rivers, Wes Monthomery, Stanley Turrentine, Guru and Ahmad Jamal.

Freddie Hubbard

On December 29, 2008, Frederick Dewayne “Freddie” Hubbard died aged 70. He was musician (trumpet) and composer, known primarily for playing in the bebop, hard bop and post bop styles. He has performed and recorded with many famous musicians including George Benson, Walter Benton, Art Blakey, Tina Brooks, Kenny Burrell, George Cables, Betty Carter, Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane, Richard Davis, Eric Dolphy, Kenny Drew, Charles Earland, Bill Evan,  Joe Farrell, Curtis Fuller, Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry, Oscar Peterson, Benny Golson, Dexter Gordon, Slide Hampton, Herbie Hancock, Jimmy Heath, Joe Henderson, Andrew Hill, Bobby Hutcherson, Milt Jackson, Billy Joel, Elton John, J.J. Johnson, Quincy Jones, John Lewis, Kirk Lightsey, Ronnie Mathews, Jackie McLean, The Modern Jazz Quartet, Wes Montgomery, Hank Mobley, Alphonse Mouzon, Oliver Nelson, Duke Pearson, Sam Rivers, Max Roach, Sonny Rollins, Rufus, Poncho Sanchez, Don Sebesky, Wayne Shorter, Leon Thomas, Stanley Turrentine, McCoy Tyner, Cedar Walton and Randy Weston.

Tony Williams

On February 23, 1997, Anthony Tillmon “Tony” Williams died aged 51. He was  musician (drums), regarded as one of the most important and influential jazz drummers ever. In his career he has performed and recorded with some of the biggest names in the jazz history, including: Miles Davis, Geri Allen, Arcana, Chet Baker, George Cables, Ron Carter, Stanley Clarke, Eric Dolphy, Kenny Dorham, Gil Evans, Tommy Flanagan, Hal Galper, Stan Getz, Dexter Gordon, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Wallace Roney, Jonas Hellborg, Joe Henderson, Andrew Hill, Terumasa Hino, Allan Holdsworth, Hank Jones, Charles Lloyd, Michael Mantler, Ray Manzarek, Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, John McLaughlin, Jackie McLean, Marcus Miller, Mulgrew Miller, Grachan Moncur III, Jaco Pastorius, Michel Petrucciani, Pop Workshop, Public Image Limited, Don Pullen, Sam Rivers, Sonny Rollins, Wallace Roney, Travis Shook, McCoy Tyner, Sadao Watanabe and Weather Report. In 1969, Tony Williams formed a trio, the Tony Williams Lifetime, with John McLaughlin on guitar and Larry Young on organ.

Grover Washington

On December 17, 1999, Grover Washington, Jr. died aged 56. He was musician (saxophone), composer and arranger, considered to be one of the founders of the smooth jazz genre. Some of his most popular works feature his own compositions and covers of “Mister Magic”, “Take Five”, “Soulful Strut”, “Reed Seed”, “Black Frost”, “Winelight”, “Inner City Blues” and “The Best is Yet to Come”.  In his career he has performed and recorded with many famous musicians, including Kathleen Battle, Kenny Burrell, Hank Crawford, Charles Earland, Dexter Gordon, Urbie Green, Eddie Henderson, Masaru Imada, Boogaloo Joe Jones, Idris Muhammad, Gerry Mulligan, Don Sebesky, Johnny “Hammond” Smith, Melvin Sparks, Leon Spencer, Mal Waldron, Randy Weston, Bill Withers and Patti LaBelle.