Tim Hagans / Dexter Gordon

Tim Hagans "First Jazz" 

Well, time flies but some stars remains..

This guy above I think is the one out of the Question that changed Jazzhistory in Malmö.

I remember him very well. He came from USA and he had playing with Stan Kentons Big Band.. Was it a rumor or was it the real facts?

In the beginning everybody wanted to listen to his way of playing. I remember him as a shy and a little "bohemian" guy that didn´t say that much. He almost joined every gig in Malmö in those days. But on the stage he was just outstanding. I believed he went to Copenhagen for joining DR Big Band for a while. It was long ago I heard anything lately of him.

No one was near his talent. The discussions went high.... Either you loved his way of playing or you didn´t. Nothing in between mattered. To me at that time I found him intresting and talented, but not "my bag". But this guy also became an "institution" . After a while you got to know his style very well. He also became a great influence for all the guys in Tolvan (12:an) Big Band. Bigger than the leader himself  (Helge Albin) I would say.

Well, I round up an finish this little journey and sojourn of memories in the world of nostalgia of jazzmusic in Malmö with one of the greatest all time in my point of veiw.

 

Mr. LTD (Long Tall Dexter)

 

Dexter Gordon as I would say, he was one of the first pioneers of the American JazzStars that came to Scandinavia and espescially Denmark in Copenhagen to live there. I think his successfulness and prosperity in Denmark was like a magnet to those jazzcats that stayed in Denmark and to those that I have mentioned earlier. He played very often at "Jazzhus Montmartre" in Copenhagen and did just a few gigs in Malmö.

In those days I found him very much associated with Montmartre in Copenhagen. He performed at least 2 or 3 nights there, so often that you sometimes wondered if he "lived" at the club..

 

Dexter Gordon - tenor sax
Sonny Clark - piano
Butch Warren - bass
Billy Higgins - drums

Today I realize what a great Jazzcat he really was and to me his records and playing is just outstanding! 

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RIP Mr Gordon!

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I am not sure, but this above could be

1971 with Kenny Drew piano, Niels Henning Ørsted Pedersen bass and a drummer called Jual Curtis. At the "old"

Jazzhus Montmatre in Copenhagen.

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Dexter Gordon Quartet- Georgia On My Mind.
From album- "Biting the Apple".
Dexter Gordon- Tenor Sax.
Barry Harris- Piano.
Sam Jones- Bass.
Al Foster- Drums.

P.S : Please, Check also older articles in my blogg.