Dexter Gordon: A Night In Tunisia

Discouraged by the palpable lack of appreciation throughout the first twenty years of his career, Dexter Gordon relocated to Europe from 1962-1976. Even though he was still under contract with Blue Note and returned to the States for sessions and occasional gigs, Gordon appeared both fulfilled and re-energized by the European scene in the 1960s and recorded some of his finest live music at the Montmartre Club in Copenhagenhandfuls of which have been released on disc.

Dexter was certainly not the only American in Europe during these years, and its the reunion of Dexter Gordon with fellow expat Bud Powell (from their classic bop session seventeen years earlier) and famed American swing-to-bop drummer Kenny Clarke that combine to form one of Gordons finest studio efforts during his decade-and-a-half in Europe. A super relaxed solo-break begins Gordons improvisation over this bebop staple, but this serene atmosphere doesnt last long. In the blink of an eye, Dexter has committed to one of his more heated improvisationscomplete with repetitive Coltrane-esque yelps that make us wonder if what were hearing is stemming from a place of joy or ferocity, or perhaps a bit of both. Challenging and entirely musically rewarding, Our Man in Paris comprises an albums worth of fascinating listening.