Dexter Gordon/Go (1962) -- I guess i'll hang my tears out to dry

This is a Fantastic cd!

From the first moments when Dexter Gordon sails into the opening song full of brightness and confidence, it is obvious that Go is going to be one of those albums where everything just seems to come together magically. A stellar quartet including the stylish pianist Sonny Clark, the agile drummer Billy Higgins, and the solid yet flexible bassist Butch Warren are absolutely crucial in making this album work, but it is still Gordon who shines. Whether he is dropping quotes into "Three O'Clock in the Morning" or running around with spritely bop phrases in "Cheese Cake," the album pops and crackles with energy and exuberance. Beautiful ballads like "I Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry" metamorphosize that energy into emotion and passion, but you can still see it there nonetheless. Gordon had many high points in his five decade-long career, but this is certainly the peak of it all.

Dexter Gordon? I'll be checking out more of his music.

ShawnJoust,
Thanks for joining in here, you are VERY welcome!!!! The more the merrier!!!!!
Let us know what kind of system you have (sorry IF I missed that somewhere) and what kind of music you like and recommend.
God Bless,
Wayne

Hank Mobley/Soul Station (1960) -- If I should lose you

Often overlooked, perhaps because he wasn't a great innovator in jazz but merely a stellar performer, tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley was at the peak of his powers on Soul Station. Recorded with a superstar quartet including Art Blakey on drums, Paul Chambers on bass, and Wynton Kelly on piano, it was the first album since Mobley's 1955 debut to feature him as a leader without any other accompanying horns. The clean, uncomplicated sound that resulted from that grouping helps make it the best among his albums and a peak moment during a particularly strong period in his career. Mobley has no problem running the show here, and he does it without being flashy or burying the strong work of his sidemen. The solidness of his technique means that he can handle material that is occasionally rhythmically intricate, while still maintaining the kind of easy roundness and warmth displayed by the best players of the swing era. Two carefully chosen standards, "Remember" and "If I Should Lose You," help to reinforce that impression by casting an eye back to the classic jazz era. They bookend four Mobley originals that, in contrast, reflect the best of small-group composition with their lightness and tight dynamics. Overall, this is a stellar set from one of the more underrated musicians of the bop era.

Eric Dolphy/Out to Lunch (1964) -- Straight up and down

Out to Lunch stands as Eric Dolphy's magnum opus, an absolute pinnacle of avant-garde jazz in any form or era. Its rhythmic complexity was perhaps unrivaled since Dave Brubeck's Time Out, and its five Dolphy originals -- the jarring Monk tribute "Hat and Beard," the aptly titled "Something Sweet, Something Tender," the weirdly jaunty flute showcase "Gazzelloni," the militaristic title track, the drunken lurch of "Straight Up and Down" -- were a perfect balance of structured frameworks, carefully calibrated timbres, and generous individual freedom.

Jeff Coffin/Commonality (1999) -- Espoo You

If you are searching for the next upcoming original saxophonist in modern jazz, Coffin may be your man. He plays alto and tenor in a manner very reminiscent of a young Sonny Rollins; savvy, brawny, unabashed, and fearless. Four of the nine cuts are with sax-bass-drums, again evoking favorable comparison to the legendary hard bop-edged Rollins-Wilbur Ware-Elvin Jones triad. Trumpeter Rod McGaha is on the other five, and he adds a lot -- his saucy Don Cherry-like smeared solos and pungent harmonic lines run in tandem with Coffin, making a formidable team and an arresting sound. The trio takes on some stiff challenges: a moderate New Orleans shuffle ("First Comes Last"), a fanfare intro to head noddin' bluesy swing to free boppin' title track, and a sweet and sour blues ("Espoo You"). The finale is a hymnal reverent "Prayer" with jingle bell threads woven throughout. But "Angle of Response" is a lengthy barnburner, a modal bassline in five and four beats alternately providing the foundation for Coffin to play alto and tenor simultaneously.