Jodi – Dexter Gordon
This rich, emotional ballad shows Dexter Gordon's writing at its very finest.
- Recording: Dexter Gordon - The Resurgence Of Dexter Gordon
- Recorded on: October 13, 1960
- Label: Jazzland (JLP 29)
- Concert Key: E-flat
- Style: Ballad
- Tenor Sax - Dexter Gordon
- Piano - Dolo Coker
- Bass - Charles Green
- Drums - Larance Marable
Don Sickler: "Dexter recorded two versions of this beautiful ballad. Our lead sheet is drawn primarily from the first recording, "The Resurgence of Dexter Gordon", except that the Coda comes from Dexter's Blue Note recording, "Clubhouse." Dexter Gordon is one of our greatest ballad interpreters. Since I know of no Dexter Gordon manuscript for this ballad, I've tried to preserve what I feel is his melody as he performs it, in our lead sheet. Try to listen to his two recordings to get more insight into how he varies and expands on the melody."
Dexter's 1960 recording was his return to recording and to the jazz world after a five year absence. The 1950s had been a rough decade for Dexter. He spent two years in prison, starting in 1952, for drug possession. Shortly after Dexter's release, tenor saxophonist Wardell Gray was found dead. Dexter and Wardell had been important tenor sax partners since their 1947 hit The Chase. They recorded together again, in a live concert presentation on February 2, 1952. This, along with a June 9 session with Wardell, were Dexter's last recordings before being incarcerated.
Dexter made three recordings in 1955, but nothing else until he was again paroled in 1960. Fortunately, Cannonball Adderley, A&R chief of Jazzland Records (Orrin Keepnews' subsidiary label to Riverside Records), produced the "Resurgence" session.
In 1961, Dexter started recording for Blue Note Records. You can read more about his life and Blue Note recordings on jazzleadsheets.com by checking out his 1962 recordings of Soy Califa and McSplivens and his 1965 recordings of Clubhouse and Le Coiffeur.
Vocalist/lyricist Rachel Gould wrote a lyric to Jodi. Hear her sing it and get the lead sheet to Please, Let Me Share This With You.
Drummer Billy Higgins talks with engineer Rudy Van Gelder and Don Sickler about Dexter Gordon and his earlier (1962) recordings with Dexter Soy Califa and McSplivens on our YouTube Channel.
Dexter made three recordings in 1955, but nothing else until he was again paroled in 1960. Fortunately, Cannonball Adderley, A&R chief of Jazzland Records (Orrin Keepnews' subsidiary label to Riverside Records), produced the "Resurgence" session.
In 1961, Dexter started recording for Blue Note Records. You can read more about his life and Blue Note recordings on jazzleadsheets.com by checking out his 1962 recordings of Soy Califa and McSplivens and his 1965 recordings of Clubhouse and Le Coiffeur.
Vocalist/lyricist Rachel Gould wrote a lyric to Jodi. Hear her sing it and get the lead sheet to Please, Let Me Share This With You.
Drummer Billy Higgins talks with engineer Rudy Van Gelder and Don Sickler about Dexter Gordon and his earlier (1962) recordings with Dexter Soy Califa and McSplivens on our YouTube Channel.
- Recording: Dexter Gordon - Clubhouse
- Recorded on: May 27, 1965
- Label: Blue Note (LT 989)
- Concert Key: E-flat
- Style: Ballad
- Trumpet - Freddie Hubbard
- Tenor Sax - Dexter Gordon
- Piano - Barry Harris
- Bass - Bob Cranshaw
- Drums - Billy Higgins
Compared to the first recording, this version of Jodi is slower but more embellished. Dexter plays the melody more freely; the slower tempo gives him more space to explore the notes of the melody and their relationship to the changes. Pianist Barry Harris's comping is more active and linear, with a lot of chromatic passing tones and even some fast runs.
"Clubhouse" was recorded at the legendary Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs.
Dexter's 1960 recording was his return to recording and to the jazz world after a five year absence. The 1950s had been a rough decade for Dexter. He spent two years in prison, starting in 1952, for drug possession. Shortly after Dexter's release, tenor saxophonist Wardell Gray was found dead. Dexter and Wardell had been important tenor sax partners since their 1947 hit The Chase. They recorded together again, in a live concert presentation on February 2, 1952. This, along with a June 9 session with Wardell, were Dexter's last recordings before being incarcerated.
Dexter made three recordings in 1955, but nothing else until he was again paroled in 1960. Fortunately, Cannonball Adderley, A&R chief of Jazzland Records (Orrin Keepnews' subsidiary label to Riverside Records), produced the "Resurgence" session.
In 1961, Dexter started recording for Blue Note Records. You can read more about his life and Blue Note recordings on jazzleadsheets.com by checking out his 1962 recordings of Soy Califa and McSplivens and his 1965 recordings of Clubhouse and Le Coiffeur..
Vocalist/lyricist Rachel Gould wrote a lyric to Jodi. Hear her sing it and get the lead sheet to Please, Let Me Share This With You.
Drummer Billy Higgins talks with engineer Rudy Van Gelder and Don Sickler about Dexter Gordon and his earlier (1962) recordings with Dexter Soy Califa and McSplivens on our YouTube Channel.
Dexter's 1960 recording was his return to recording and to the jazz world after a five year absence. The 1950s had been a rough decade for Dexter. He spent two years in prison, starting in 1952, for drug possession. Shortly after Dexter's release, tenor saxophonist Wardell Gray was found dead. Dexter and Wardell had been important tenor sax partners since their 1947 hit The Chase. They recorded together again, in a live concert presentation on February 2, 1952. This, along with a June 9 session with Wardell, were Dexter's last recordings before being incarcerated.
Dexter made three recordings in 1955, but nothing else until he was again paroled in 1960. Fortunately, Cannonball Adderley, A&R chief of Jazzland Records (Orrin Keepnews' subsidiary label to Riverside Records), produced the "Resurgence" session.
In 1961, Dexter started recording for Blue Note Records. You can read more about his life and Blue Note recordings on jazzleadsheets.com by checking out his 1962 recordings of Soy Califa and McSplivens and his 1965 recordings of Clubhouse and Le Coiffeur..
Vocalist/lyricist Rachel Gould wrote a lyric to Jodi. Hear her sing it and get the lead sheet to Please, Let Me Share This With You.
Drummer Billy Higgins talks with engineer Rudy Van Gelder and Don Sickler about Dexter Gordon and his earlier (1962) recordings with Dexter Soy Califa and McSplivens on our YouTube Channel.
Dexter Gordon
February 27, 1923 – April 25, 1990
Tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon was born in Los Angeles, CA. In his last year of high school, he received a call from alto saxophonist Marshall Royal asking him to join the Lionel Hampton big band. This led to Dexter's first recording, with the Hampton band, on December 21, 1941. In 1944, after a few weeks with the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra and working and recording with Louis Armstrong's orchestra, Dexter joined Billy Eckstine and recorded with Eckstine's legendary band of soon-to-be jazz superstars that included Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Stitt, Gene Ammons, Leo Parker, Art Blakey, Sarah Vaughan, arranger Tadd Dameron and others, on September 5, 1944. Read more...