Dexter Gordon

萨克斯风手 Dexter Gordon 纵横爵士乐坛超过半个世纪之久，而且即使不提他的音乐，足以令乐迷回味的传奇故事同样不胜枚举。举例说明，Gordon曾创下以爵士乐手身分入围奥斯卡金像奖最佳男主角的唯一范例〈他以西元1986年的电影「午夜时分」《'Round Midnight》入围〉。细心的乐迷也可以在西元1990年的电影「睡人」《Awakenings》中，发现Gordon扮演一位嗜眠性脑炎〈Encephalitis Epidemic〉病患，并且在电影中还秀了一小段爵士钢琴演奏。Gordon 的外表高大帅气，有个外号叫"Long Tall Dexter"，甚至也曾有许多朋友力邀他去当男模特儿。类似故事还有不少，但光是前面这几个例子，相信在爵士乐坛里应该是前无古人，而后大概也不会有来者的纪录了。 　　 在音乐上面，Dexter Gordon 同样有许多传奇故事，其中三进三出爵士乐坛的故事最令乐迷们津津乐道。Gordon 在四零年代出道，亮眼的外型与精采的咆勃爵士〈Bebop〉演奏技巧让他迅速窜红。当时纽约爵士夜店里常举办 Jam Session，而 Gordon 正是音乐擂台上的常胜军。他的必杀绝招姑且称为「乾坤大挪移」，就是在即兴演奏之外，常常吹到兴起便把其他经典乐曲里的句子挪来使用，这招总是让台下乐迷惊喜不已。不过 Gordon 也有毒品问题，他的第一次退隐就是因为吸毒导致郎当入狱之故。西元1960年，Gordon克服毒瘾后重出江湖，此时他与Blue Note Records签下了合约，随后留下了许多张专辑，而这些作品也是乐迷们最为熟悉的经典之作，包括名震天下的《Go!》。 　　 西元1962年，Dexter Gordon 决定到欧洲定居，而这一待便是十四年，直到西元1976年才回到祖国怀抱，这段期间 Gordon 在欧洲也留下了许多精采的录音。然而美国乐迷并没有忘记他，西元1976年 Gordon 回国后造成了大骚动，媒体大幅报导，乐迷也一路排队只为亲耳听到偶像久违的现场演奏。然而随后 Gordon 的健康亮起了红灯，于是再次选择了退隐。直到西元1986年从电影「午夜时分」再次出发，他的演奏功力因为健康因素自然无法与年轻时相提并论，但靠著让大家想像不到的演技却入围了奥斯卡，当然同样是震撼人心的精采复出。西元1990年，Grodon病逝于费城，结束了亮丽且完整的生命旅程。 这张《Go!》是戈登自己最钟意的录音，同时也是爵士史上萨克斯风最美丽音符的集合之一。因为本身顽固的个性，以及酗酒、咳药因素远赴欧洲一时间的戈登，再次回到他所熟悉的纽约，为Blue Note录下这张绝美录音。坚持Bebop风格的戈登在这张录音放慢速度，同时吹奏线条略显晕染，呈现他温柔叙事苗的功力。这次与他合作的是他熟悉的班底，彼此良好的默契没话说，整体节奏由戈登的之中音萨克斯风带领，他的吹奏掌握乐曲的表情，加上其他乐手精采的绿叶表现，愉悦的爵士气氛薰染耳膜。 听戈登的《Go!》，像是吃软糖般地，甜甜的味道带者柔软地触感，实在是难得的听觉经验。戈登个人演奏按巧的圆融程度在他为Blue Note留下的几张录音中，以《Go!》最为杰出。「Cheese Cake」是戈登为乐迷们带来的礼物，轻松诙谐的开场果真有如起士蛋糕在下午茶代表的悠闲时光。「I Guess I’ll Hang My Tears Out To Dry」中戈登以长音符的乐句将情感的弓弦拉到最满，饱涨的情绪在次中音萨克斯风间流窜，美到死的抒情叙事苗。「There O’Clock In The Morning」的前奏与校园钟声有所关连，熟悉的音符让人莞尔，戈登有点漫不经心的吹奏，似乎带点凉味。本专辑原始录制于1962年，此为1999年RVG Remastered版本。
by Scott Yanow
Dexter Gordon had such a colorful and eventful life (with three separate comebacks) that his story would make a great Hollywood movie. 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. His first important gig was with Lionel Hampton (1940-1943) although, due to Illinois Jacquet also being in the sax section, Gordon did not get any solos. In 1943, he did get to stretch out on a recording session with Nat King Cole. Short stints with Lee Young, the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra, and Louis Armstrongs big band preceded his move to New York in December 1944 and becoming part of Billy Eckstines Orchestra, trading off with Gene Ammons on Eckstines recording of Blowin the Blues Away. Gordon recorded with Dizzy Gillespie (Blue N Boogie) and as a leader for Savoy before returning to Los Angeles in the summer of 1946. He was a major part of the Central Avenue scene, trading off with Wardell Gray and Teddy Edwards in many legendary tenor battles; studio recordings of The Chase and The Duel helped to document the atmosphere of the period.
After 1952, drug problems resulted in some jail time and periods of inactivity during the 1950s (although Gordon did record two albums in 1955). By 1960, he was recovered and soon he was recording a consistently rewarding series of dates for Blue Note. Just when he was regaining his former popularity, in 1962 Gordon moved to Europe where he would stay until 1976. While on the continent, he was in peak form and Gordons many SteepleChase recordings rank with the finest work of his career. Gordon did return to the U.S. on an occasional basis, recording in 1965, 1969-1970, and 1972, but he was to an extent forgotten in his native land. It was therefore a major surprise that his return in 1976 was treated as a major media event. A great deal of interest was suddenly shown in the living legend with long lines of people waiting at clubs in order to see him. Gordon was signed to Columbia and remained a popular figure until his gradually worsening health made him semi-active by the early 80s. His third comeback occurred when he was picked to star in the motion picture Round Midnight and, even if his playing by then was past its prime, Gordons acting was quite realistic and touching. He was nominated for an Academy Award, four years before his death after a very full life. Most of Dexter Gordons recordings for Savoy, Dial, Bethlehem, Dootone, Jazzland, Blue Note, SteepleChase, Black Lion, Prestige, Columbia, Whos Who, Chiaroscuro, and Elektra Musician are currently available.