Historically speaking, radio’s been both friend and foe to jazz listener sensibilities. Broadcasts from innumerable venues brought the music into countless homes and establishments. A large chunk of archival recordings are sourced from these classic concert documents. Where a complication lies is in the vagaries of the production customs that sometimes governed these broadcasts. Announcers intrude with regularity over the music (the insufferable Symphony Sid, anyone?). Station breaks edit solos and sets into commercial-friendly morsels. Coupled with the technological limitations of reel-to-reel tape the results can be checkered and sometimes downright vexing when it comes to what’s omitted or lost.
Witness the recent release of Coltrane’s Half Note Recordings from the spring of ’65. What’s there is incredible. But a pang of regret is practically inevitable when the purchaser realizes that nearly 35 minutes of the monumental title cut went unrecorded and the version of “Afro Blue” only survived in fragmentary form (a gaff repeated on Live in Seattle from months later, what’s with the reverse-kismet when it comes to Coltrane’s readings of Mongo Santamaria’s most famous tune?). The same sort of situation colors the music on Stella By Starlight, the latest and purportedly final installment in Steeplechase’s series of vintage Dexter Gordon broadcasts made by Danmarks Radio from the Montmarte Jazzhus, Copenhagen.
This sixth entry differs from the previous ones in a few notable respects. Firstly, there’s the presence of altoist Pony Poindexter in a second horn slot. Poindexter was on European tour at the start of 1966 and found time to sit in with Gordon’s working combo. Neither man was a stranger to two horn team-ups, Gordon locking congenial saxes with the likes of Wardell Gray, Gene Ammons and James Moody among a host of others over the course of his career. Mark Gardner’s exceptionally readable liners also make mention of an earlier meeting between the two in ’62 that included Billy Mitchell, Phil Woods, Gene Quill and Pepper Adams. Man, sign me up for a copy that one!
The program here focuses on three loquacious readings of standards. Solos are routinely lengthy and there are lots of them. Pianist Kenny Drew and bassist Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Gordon’s regular Montmarte confreres make up the rhythm section along with guest drummer Makaya Ntshoko, pinch hitting for Alex Riel who apparently had the night off. The title track commences in media res with the front men finishing the tail end of the theme statement. Gordon takes the floor early, holding forth with a robust extended foray as Drew comps somewhat reticently beneath him. Poindexter’s solo suffers from a somewhat shrill tonality in spots. But he surprises with a lively scat-sung rejoinder as follow-up. Drew and Pedersen have their respective says in succession next as Ntshoko keeps competent, if garden-variety time. A string of loose sax exchanges and final return to theme predictably signs the action off.
Occupying just over a third of an hour “Satin Doll” follows the same general template with minor deviations and includes another priceless Pedersen improvisation. “Round About Midnight” finds the band starting to gel in earnest and contains the finest playing by Poindexter of the date as he adjusts to the smoky ballad tempo of the piece. The tempered work of the rest of the band is gorgeously on target too, Ntshoko whose minimalist brushes add just the right amount of diaphanous texture. Gordon’s sensuous baritone inaugurates all but the title number with sultry spoken prefaces to further seduce the crowd. “Sonnymoon For Two” is present only as a maddeningly abbreviated half-minute taste, those misguided Danmarks engineers possibly fading out for what might have been station identification. Then again, beggars can’t be choosers as they say. And when it comes to recorded work Gordon’s certainly falls under the header “Finite Supply”. ~ Derek Taylor.
SteepleChase Records, SCCD 36036, 2005
Recorded 6th January, 1966 Live at "Montmartre Jazzhus", Copenhagen, Denmark
Personnel:
Dexter Gordon - Tenor & Soprano Saxophones
Pony Poindexter - Alto Saxophone, Vocals
Kenny Drew - Piano
Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen - Bass
Makaya Ntshoko - Drums
Tracks:
1. Stella By Starlight {Victor Young} (16:51)
2. Introduction (0:10)
3. Satin Doll {Duke Ellington} (20:05)
4. Introduction (0:15)
5. 'Round About Midnight {Thelonious Monk} (10:23)
6. Introduction (0:16)
7. Sonnymoon For Two [Fade-out] {Sonny Rollins} (0:30)
Credits:
Recording - Danmarks Radio
Sound Restoration - Nils Winther
Liner Notes - Mark Gardner
Producer - Nils Winther
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