Gordon, Dexter

Gordon, Dexter

▪ American musician
in full  Dexter Keith Gordon 
born Feb. 27, 1923, Los Angeles, Calif., U.S.
died April 25, 1990, Philadelphia, Pa.

      American bop (bebop) tenor saxophonist.

      As a youth Gordon played the clarinet and alto saxophone, but the improvising of Lester Young (Young, Lester) inspired him to play the tenor saxophone exclusively. He gained early experience in bands led by Louis Armstrong (Armstrong, Louis), Lionel Hampton (Hampton, Lionel), Billy Eckstine (Eckstine, Billy), and alto saxophonist Charlie Parker (Parker, Charlie), who also influenced Gordon's music. A big-toned, exultant, lyrical soloist, he became known for epic mock-battles with fellow tenor saxophonist Wardell Gray during the late 1940s. While serving a prison term for narcotics-related charges he made his acting debut in the film Unchained (1955).

      After his release he composed for and played and acted in a Los Angeles production of Jack Gelber's play The Connection (1960) in the early 1960s and recorded albums such as Go! and A Swingin' Affair that are usually considered his major works. He then lived in Europe (1962–76), recording and touring frequently, though rarely to America. His acting role as a self-destructive bebop saxophonist in the 1986 film Round Midnight won him an Academy Award nomination; he also appeared in the film Awakenings (1990).

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  • Gordon, Dexter (Keith) — born Feb. 27, 1923, Los Angeles, Calif., U.S. died April 25, 1990, Philadelphia, Pa. U.S. tenor saxophonist, one of the most influential saxophonists in modern jazz. Gordon played in the big bands of Lionel Hampton and Billy Eckstine in the early …   Universalium

  • Gordon, Dexter (Keith) — (27 feb. 1923, Los Ángeles, Cal., EE.UU.–25 abr. 1990, Filadelfia, Pa.). Saxofonista tenor estadounidense, uno de los más influyentes del jazz moderno. Gordon tocó en las grandes orquestas de Lionel Hampton y Billy Eckstine a principios de la… …   Enciclopedia Universal

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  • Dexter Gordon — live in Amsterdam (1980) Dexter Gordon (* 27. Februar 1923 in Los Angeles, Kalifornien; † 25. April 1990 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) war ein amerikanischer Tenorsaxophonist. Inhaltsver …   Deutsch Wikipedia

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