Dexter Gordon: Montmartre, Copenhagen, 1971

[@hannejeppesen2887]

I'm from Denmark, grew up about 30 miles south of Copenhagen (Koege) I was a teen-ager in the early to mid sixties. Loved jazz, my friends and I would take the train or bus to Copenhagen to visit Montmatre. Dexter was one of our favorites, and we were in Montmatre several times when he performed. Pure heaven if you love jazz. I knew Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen from a boarding school I went to when I was 16, his dad was the head master. I moved to the States in 67 (Ct and New York City) moved to San Francisco in 76, by then Dexter had moved back to the states and he performed at a Club in SF where I went to see him. Niels Henning performed at Yoshi's Oakland in 03 or 04 with Oscar Peterson, I went with friend, we thought it would be last chance to see Oscar Peterson, unfortunately it was last chance to see NHOP, since he passed away in the spring of 2005, very sad. Whenever I visited Denmark after I moved to the States my girl-friend and I would go to Montmatre and often Dexter was playing. I feel very privileged to have seen him live so many times, he was a giant, not only tall, but a musical giant.

[@thebreathalyzer]

Wonderful. NHØP one of my favorite jazz bassists ever. Not just for his amazing technique, but his TONE was huge and gorgeous! And he was an awesome soloist too.

[@mellismellis7765]

Never liked NHOP or Oscar P, sorry. Studied in Lund in about 1980-85 and heard them. Missed Ben Webster, did yuo see him in Copenhagen? Horace Parlan, Kenny Drew - they all lived there then. Had a nice time with old man Benny Carter!

[@rutgervangestel]

great story!!! thanks for sharing. huge fan of dexter!!!

[@hannejeppesen2887]

@@mellismellis7765 .Never saw Ben Webster live. Love his playing though, I think I saw Kenny Drew with Dexter Gordon in Copenhagen, have to go back to look at the dates, not sure.

[@Jazzmarcel]

I love dexter as mentioned in a comment but, I love Copenhagen too! Very laid back jazzy vibe there!

[@jackdejohnette2810]

When I listen to this I think that maybe Dexter is the greatest tenor sax player of all time. Such a rich tone, amazing articulation, beautiful phrasing and flowing lines, so soulful, man this is awesome.

[@mpcguy]

100% agree

[@tonytothe8544]

Preach!

Dont forget Coltrane!

[@taildragger53]

@ Coltrane learnt from Dexter.

@@taildragger53 Or from Bird?

[@TheSkipPruitt]

Dexter Gordon taught me how to play " My little Red Top" at Bakers Keyboard Lounge in Detroit around 1978, I'll never forget that!

[@jupitermoongauge4055]

This is my favourite film of a jazz performance ever. So much emotion, power and beauty in the music and a stunning visual document of a time and place

[@wilkintodd]

I am inspired by the clarity of his ideas and seemingly endless imagination combined with a full-bodied tone and swinging yet laid back time feel: just fantastic. Uncanny how his playing is always marked by exuberance and fearlessly confident exploration. Very few have achieved such great capacity. Gordon will forever remain one of the great embodiments of the jazz artist and standard-bearer of the tenor saxophone.

[@AnnetteApril]

On piano: Kenny Drew On bass: Niels Henning Ørsted Pedersen On drums: Makhaya Ntshoko In the audience: Ben Webster

[@ocnoreen]

Thanks for posting. This brings so many memories of Dex back at that time. I was working with him in the Canary Islands in 1970 and 1971. He would leave the gig and come back.

[@mrsaxx]

wow, have you some recordings?

[@andreasmeyermusicianactor788]

In this time I played in a bluesband and we have an warm-up act before Dexer Gordon. This was in a smal town in Sweden, Kristinehamn... Will never forget!

[@ocnoreen]

He and the other jazz greats knew how to build a tune and make it soar! That is what many miss today.

[@jangunnarolsen5946]

This is it to what it means to sing/swing a song! Dexter'n did it all the times and here all the other's did it too. I also visited Montmartre in the mid 60's, it was just GREAT!

[@9L252AL]

This just found its way to my feed. Awesome! MY WIN! You gotta love it! Gordon and Hank Mobley are my favorites.

[@perboysen]

I saw Dex in the late seventies at a tiny jazz club in Gothenburg, a Swedish city close to Kopenhagen, and he totally remade his concert into becoming a fun social game. Whenever he threw in a theme stolen from popular music, we (the audience) had to clap hands or shout to signal that we did recognize the sample. If we failed to detect a snatched phrase he kept repeating it like a broken record until we gave the signal. For each loop round, he made it easier to hear, gradually stripping off ornamentation and groove until the rhythm got close to a rigid marching drum. I remember that I found it amazing that the guy could still play while smiling that broadly :-)

[@hombrequemiralaluna]

You gotta love Dexter Gordon! No matter how crappy my day is, whenever I listen to him I automatically smile. BTW: The dude lighting up a cigarette at 5:15 is Mr. Ben Webster.

[@sketchedy]

Great video, love the way it begins, from warm-up to stage.

[@vieuxson]

thank a lot very rare and interesting video i love dexter a little hello from france

[@perchst]

Last night I wen´t to a jamsession the old Jazzhus Montmartre, which has been fully restored and is now a Jazzclub again (after more than 30 years). My head started to wander, and it was amazing to think about all the musical legends that used to perform in this room. Dexter Gordon, Ben Webster, Bill Evans, Sonny Rollins, NHØP, Bud Powell, Stuff Smith, Chet Baker, Jan Johansson and Stan Getz (just to name a few). I could almost feel the energy of this great musical past. Great stuff...

[@ocnoreen]

Dex was eclectic in his choice of tunes. Saw him many times in the States, including Hampton Hawes funeral. Dexter was a soulful cat.

[@storkonhudson]

thanks bro ... he lived and died there and was buried in Copenhagen, thank you .... a true master checking out a true master

[@perovaas]

Dexter was able to transform corny songs into something so jazzy! I think that he enjoyed it quite much. Great solo, as always...

[@alandouglas8044]

Brilliant.

[@uglymoon78]

Just great! Huge tone and sculpting his phrases so beautifully.

[@eddiemambo]

DAm what a great little spot to be in! Must have been so good to be there listening to the legend.... reminds me of the Vanguard

[@warrenrand3562]

i saw a youtube clip not long ago of jan garbarek at about 17 years old- he was playing one of the best dexter imitations ive heard.

[@juliolazzagonzalez]

27/2/1923 nace el saxofonista Dexter Gordon, indiscutiblemente uno de los mejores tenoristas del jazz, un músico de improvisación pura y un enorme gusto.

[@Arteeest]

this was perfect in every way

[@gustavosotomino]

who in the hell, can dislike this?

[@Kamoisabozz]

theres just something about dexters sound... my favorite saxophonist hands down

[@Jazzmarcel]

I’ve got to watch out, I have an addiction to dexter! I might slip into listening to him for months on end!

[@mysticgatherings]

An era of genius that brings a tear to my eye when I look at current reality and know we will never see this level again. Maybe a hundred from now it will rotate back around. Well. god for those of you reading this in 2112

[@RAZRMOTOV2]

Awesome story.... Yoshi's East was nice (SF I think) spent military time near there in late 80's...caught some gteat acts there... Thanks for sharing

[@ThomasSchoefer]

für mich bleibt er einer der allergrößten, und absoluten Favoriten!

[@NIGELpugh14]

One the the great masters at work!...what a tone...what an inspiration!x

[@alepatoyruyprado5694]

Wuaw, ver esto es un verdadero lujo, muchas gracias por el video.

[@perchst]

Wow. That´s so f..cking intense. I wish I had been around Montmartre to hear theese great gigs, but I didn´t arrive in Copenhagen before 1980....And on earth for that matter. Now Copenhagen only has the local legends playing their stuff.

[@mikael119977]

Dexter Gordon hes the man. One of Coltranes biggest inspirational source.

[@tatianagomez119]

Hace poco tiempo q te escucho pero reconosco q ni bien escuche como tocas el hermoso saxófon y con esos sonidos que me hace extremeser la piel me enamoraste me encanta como tocabas el saxó con tanta pasion te amooooooooooo Dexter Gordon

[@eddiemambo]

WHAT PASSION & LONGING.. WOW ! A True Artist Till The End Of Time .. Wish i would Have seen Him at The Vanguard Dam It

[@DavesTrumpet]

YES! Many thanks for posting this. I have many of the live recordings on CD but have never actually seen the footage. Thank you!

[@jazzer102]

Been listening to Dexter for years, only really started digging youtube recently, and man this video rocks! quality, shame not whole tune.

[@juwayable]

According to the book "Montmartre" by Frank Büchmann-Møller and Henrik Wolsgaard-Iversen Dexter Gordon played several times in 1971 with Kenny Drew, Niels Henning Ørsted Pedersen and a drummer called Jual Curtis. As the bassplayer easily can be recognized I imagine it must be this trio.

[@jupitermoongauge4055]

This is my favourite film of a

[@flemmingpetersen4031]

Those were the days my friend…….ja tak det blev til mange sitore oplevelser med Dex in “those days” En meget stor tak. til. Herluf Kamp-Larsen for alle de miange koryfæer han fik hertil. RIP

[@udomatthiasdrums5322]

still love his sound!!

[@SakiJune]

I am crying.

[@olebirgerpedersen]

So wonderful to see him live. We had so many good times together. 😊 But why cut it off before the other play their solos ???

[@jazzuffe]

Fantastic Tube-link.

[@latinkeys1]

Thanks for posting! Totally awesome artistry!

[@GradyNicholsFan]

...wow. This is amazing. What I would give to have been there! That's like Utopia for we jazz musicians.

[@number11369]

WE NEED THE FULL SET

[@tackyacky]

there's a lot of "more difficult" music out there-- technically-- but Gordon is au naturel, smooth ... this is beautiful!!

[@newsmanbluesman]

@DexterGordonWebsite And people, people - the embouchure! The bite that brings in this mans notes, free of vibrato, of artifact, and, rather than almost-flat, the top-form Dexter borders on sharpness of pitch! Thus the work he puts on a held note hurts you more - has more emotional impact. Mr Gordon when he lets it fall finds a hook in the difference between A 442, and 440. Before he's bent a note. The greatest non-singing vocalist in jazz - really, in music. Dexter Gordon.

[@MrJeanPhilippe007]

I have that song under the name of "Boston Bernie" but a friend told me that this is "Those Were the Days".... I like that song so much that I transcribed Dex's solo on the album!

[@Nashy30]

This is the best video on youtube!

[@Swingthatmusic.]

Great video!!Thanks for uploading

[@H0E0M0G14]

I live in copenhagen, and we have two streets called "Dexter Gordons Gade" and "Ben Websters Gade". I now walk around knowing that it's too goddamn late for these adventures. God fucking damn it! We do still have a lot of good jazz, though... still, god fucking damn Gade = street

[@MattLeGroulx]

wow, thanks for sharing this with us!

[@francescafagnano]

marvelous .an incredibille jazz atmosphere .today we forget the reel jazz feeling .

[@user-ig7nq7pc7k]

Yes sir! I own this video and always thought that was him. I heard he used to check out other players a lot, drop in at this club. Schweet!

[@DexterGordonOfficial]

Piano: Kenny Drew Bass: Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen Drums: Mikaya Nshoko

[@mpcguy]

man dex is cool. there is some pretty good stuf on youtube, some real crap as well but has to be one of the quintessential jazz clips on the tube, rreally makes me feel as though is was there you can almost smell dex in theis vid. fantastic!!!!!!

[@eddiemambo]

WOOW.. Art Expression At Its Highest Levels DAM IT ! Nothing on the Planet like Old Time JAZZ... NOthinG..

[@PabloVestory]

Wow.. thanks for postting

[@guzmanbatista67]

MAGIC!

[@alasmusic1850]

sublime

[@oregonbobv]

I was fortunate to see Dexter at the village Vanguard around this time when I was still in highschool I never heard of him at th etime but he was really good.

[@Sylfeden]

The pianist is Kenny Drew, the bassist is Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen and I believe the drummer is Makaya Ntshoko? Also, Ben Webster is in the audience! :o)

[@perchst]

@cooperdelcaballo Kenny Drew - he and Niels Henning Ørsted Pedersen (bass) was part af the house orchestra at the Jazzhus Montmartre in the late 60´s / early 70´s.

[@CrandMackerel]

How to Create Art Out of Cheese 101 Dex was a master at taking an innocuous pop tune and making it something else ENTIRELY.

[@jazz1bro]

What a great cat! I remembered him reaching into his pocket and throwing out"Space Dust or glitter" on we the audience. That was funny and he would act like he had received some liquid refreshment earlier or something a bit stronger. All the while playing impeccably. I wondered if it was an act.

[@krzywho1989]

Dexter is my absolute role-model. Hope I learn to play 1/1000 of what he can.

[@GiorgiIssakadze]

Pure genius! ❤❤❤❤❤

[@billystrayhornsghost]

Dex knows how to groove.

[@eddiemambo]

5 Star Video Pure Art On Art

[@jpFentress]

I love the Trane but wow, one has to dig the Dex. Straight up really fine.

[@DexterGordonOfficial]

I'm quite sure it is, given it's a Jazz club in Copenhagen, Denmark. Acting up in a good way, however. Dexter lived in Copenhagen for some time and was deeply embraced there.

[@mikefarmer7238]

Looks like Kenny Drew on piano who did many gigs with Dex.

[@mitsubishi777]

@TheFlutevisions You're right! I've bought his album "Ballads".

[@2802jazzkai]

@aklamotte Niels Henning on bass. NHOP = Niels Henning Ørsted Peder, Kenny Drew on drums. Drummer ?? Al "Toot" Heath - or something like that. Yes it is for sure Ben W. in the audience. He lived in Copenhagen at that time. He is burried in Copenhagen "Assistens Kirkegaard" - not far from the grave of Hans Christian Andersen. I may have answered befor in another way - but I am new at this, Sincerely yours Kai.

[@aaronmccoy5524]

That tone.

[@helluvagun]

So fucking great!

[@blackandtanful]

７０年代ﾃﾞﾝﾏｰｸ､ﾓﾝﾏﾙﾄﾙでやっと安らぎを得たﾃﾞｸｽﾀｰ･ｺﾞｰﾄﾞﾝが映像から見て取れるネ!～ｹﾆｰﾄﾞﾘｭｰもﾍﾟﾃﾞﾙｾﾝもいる!GOOD演奏 #jazzm

[@scomdnz9]

wat a life to live!!!

[@DexterGordonOfficial]

Actually, they are saying "oooooohh". As in "yeah, the man himself here!!".

[@deejayhenke]

love the sweatdrop at 8:22 :D dex was the man

[@ayadal]

I would love to have this transcribed...but looks like Im gonna have to learn this by ear.....

[@thedingalingz]

the old monmartre in copenhagen...jazz capital no 1

[@zzzeio]

esto es una joya!!!

[@PeekaPeep]

LTD'S IN DA HOUSE, LOL! Man, if I ever finally do decide to take up the tenor sax at some point in my life (I'm 27 as of now), believe me HE'LL BE THE REASON FOR IT!!! I mean let's face it, nobody really plays like that anymore. Takes quite a bit of living to get a sound like that... >;-)

[@LobsterAlliance]

Man I was just there watching Kurt Rosenwinkel a couple of weeks ago. Looks a bit more mordern now :) , but fun to see some old footage

[@aaronamccoy]

this makes me wanna pracitce my tenor with a cold tall beer

[@OLugs]

Couldn't be from the MID-70's because this film was recorded in 1971.

[@jazzzzdude]

This is great. 1971 though, wonder why it isn't in colour!

[@maidoodesu]

これ最高やね !

[@domval91]

this is called 'those were the days"... it's an 70"s english pop song

[@mauri190753]

yeah!!!!!

[@nisuperman]

Please someone would post " Isn't she lovely? " played by Gordon. Thanks a lot

[@olavbe3134]

Dexter was among two three jazzmusicians afterr ww 2 that found the right notes, the others searched for them all their lives, with little sucess Olav bøe norway

[@vincegueorguiev4577]

man was swingin' like crazy, so behind the beat. anyone the name of this by any chance

[@porterhall27]

the tune? Those Where The Days

[@jazzmunky]

Delicious diminished scale at the beginning! Yum!

[@slidedad57]

It is "Those Were The Days," which was a hit song for singer Mary Hopkins around this same time.