Coltrane Jazz Club to celebrate legacy of Dexter Gordon

WITH the objective of keeping Jazz music alive and to honour the life of a hero, Coltrane Jazz Club in collaboration with Strictly Jazz Forum presents a celebration of the life, music and legacy of Dexter Gordon.

Featuring the Ghana Jazz Collective made up of saxophonist Bernard Ayisa, keyboardist Victor Dey Jr., bassist Bright Osei, and drummer Frank Kissi, the upcoming event is planned to hold at 31 Klanaa Avenue, Adenta (opposite the Adenta Post Office) on Sunday, February 26.

The event which is expected to kick off at 6:00pm is in celebration of the centennial birthday of the legendary saxophonist Dexter Gordon.

Dexter Gordon who was born on February 27, 1923 and died on April 25, 1990, was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, composer, bandleader, and actor.

He was among the most influential early bebop musicians, which included other greats such as Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Bud Powell.  His studio and performance career spanned more than 40 years.

Gordon's sound was commonly characterised as being "large" and spacious and he had a tendency to play behind the beat. He was known for inserting musical quotes into his solos, with sources as diverse as "Happy Birthday" and well known melodies from the operas of Wagner.

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This is not unusual in jazz improvisation, but Gordon did it frequently enough to make it a hallmark of his style. One of his major influences was Lester Young. Gordon, in turn, was an early influence on John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins. Rollins and Coltrane then influenced Gordon's playing as he explored hard bop and modal playing during the 1960s.

Gordon was known for his genial and humorous stage presence. He was an advocate of playing to communicate with the audience, which was his musical approach as well.

A member of Coltrane Jazz Club, Yosef Kwame told Graphic Showbiz Gordon Dexter deserved the honour particularly for making Jazz an appealing genre for the masses.

“The name Gordon Dexter is arguably synonymous with Jazz so we are holding a concert in his honour and to preserve his legacy especially among the younger generation who do not know his works”, he said.