Dexter Gordon-Our Man In Paris

Recorded in May of 1963, this is a pure bebop outing by Dexter Gordon during a time when many of his contemporaries had moved their artistic approach to a more avant garde or free jazz format. The participants are a significant part of the product, with Gordon on tenor, Bud Powell on piano, Pierre Michelot, bass, and Kenny Clarke, drums. All of the songs are stellar, but several stand out, including Broadway, which just swings, swings, swings. Gordon states the theme with distinct notes, unlike the blurred slides of Coltrane which were so influential at the time. Moreover, the rhythmic honking in his solo brings Sonny Rollins to mind. In fact, Gordon concludes his solo with a musical "holler" that seems to bridge the gap between the bebop tradition and the emerging "new music" style of Coltrane and Ornette Coleman. A Night in Tunisia is close to perfect, particularly Gordon's solo. Finally, this bright, happy record concludes with Bud Powell's rendition of Like Someone in Love which is the aural equivalent of a musical smile.