February 27: Jazz legend Dexter Gordon was born in 1923

dexter gordon 1948
Photo: © Herman Leonard Photography, LLC

The top tenor saxophonist to emerge during the bop era and possessor of his own distinctive sound, Gordon sometimes was long-winded and quoted excessively from other songs, but he created a large body of superior work and could battle nearly anyone successfully at a jam session.
~Scott Yanow (allmusic.com)

Jazz to me is a living music. It’s a music that since its beginning has expressed the feelings, the dreams, hopes, of the people.
~Dexter Gordon

Dexter Gordon concert, Denmark, Aug 5, 1967:

If you can’t play the blues… you might as well hang it up.
~Dexter Gordon

Jazz to me is a living music. It’s a music that since its beginning has expressed the feelings, the dreams, hopes, of the people.
~Dexter Gordon

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