Dexter Gordon - Body and Soul

I love this track (and I don't usually like jazz)

1:52 one of the best phrases ever played.

Beautiful composition 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

where is the quote at 7:05 from?

What kind of moron would thumb this down ?

Le chant de l'âme de Dexter d'une pureté totale...il me fait pleurer quand il joue çà...la version du film avec Herbie et John est bouleversante aussi

Killer Bass Tone

Don't forget, guys this is fairly "early" Dexter. Much more Lester Young in his playing. Later of he plays this tune completely differently, obviously influenced by the Coltrane recording. He even uses the Trane changes, tritone substitutions and stuff.But no one plays a ballad like Dexter. He doesn't have to play fast to carry a melody, even though he is a bebopper.

Early ? Lol its 64. Dexter was already out in the mid to late 40s.

He was like 40 or 41 when this was recorded

You're dead wrong.

kendric Baines yea , it’s early Dex. Late Dex begins from about 1975.

@Kirill Poudavoff Music yeah, its earlier than the 70s. But this wasn't his early years. By this time he was playing differently than his actual early years. When he was with fats navarro in the 40s was when that Lester, Coleman and Bird influence really stood out. His beat bounced more at that time (not discrediting his beat at this time, this is great too but its way more behind). As well as the difference in language.

This is some of the best Dexter I have ever heard. Beautiful, simply beautiful.

Me gusta su sonido y su estilo.

10m + Dukoff = 👌

Very underrated player . He played everything from bebop to ballad with deep soul and feeling what he does. Giant.

Bass Players standing on the little platform is funny..

tt intro ..... whoa

Ugh so gorgeous. Takes my breath away. The tempo kills me.

What year is this from?Is that his conn or mkVI?

1000 stars.

"Alright Now"!

This may be my favorite version of Body and Soul - _Hawkins and Dexter own version on the "The Panther" included. To me this is what a jazz ballad is all about (and a beautiful one at that). As a Dane, I was privileged to hear Dexter ever so often during the years he lived i Copenhagen. We almost took him for granted - and then one day, he was gone back to US.

The song begins on Ebm7, but that does not mean the key is in Eb minor. Eb is the 2 of Db, so the beginning, instead of starting on the tonic, starts with a 2-5-1 progression with the Bb7 as an extension of the predominant and the D7 as a substitution for the dominant 5 chord, Ab7. I hope that clears things up!

Anyone know when this was recorded?

Dexter Gordon (tenor sax, vocals) Tete Montoliu (piano) Benny Nielsen (bass) Alex Riel (drums)"Jazzhus Montmartre", Copenhagen, Denmark, June 25, 1964

Amazing!

Body and Soul will always hold a very, very special place in my heart, and this is my favorite rendition of it. Dexter, just so melodious and beautiful! And a shoutout to this great pianist too! I'd like to get his name if anyone knows it.

Sooo Sooooo Good. That's a lot of O's.

Long tall Dexter. That's what the ladies called him and why they loved him.

Dexter Gordon is the best tenor sax in jazz of all times. His playing is underrated, while Coltrane is overrated. His music has the real jazz feeling, each note is carefully played. Doesn't sound like EGO playing like many others sax players that seems that have a will to show virtuosity and technique.

two different styles-- two giants

I wouldn't say that Coltrane is overrated but, I really do enjoy the simplicity and beauty of Dexter's playing but I also love Coltrane's playing too. Two completely different players and awesome in their own way!

A bit too much of an edge here. Calm down, disagree, but not so venomously. I love both Trane and Dexter, and think Trane the overall leader among the 1950's and '60's players, but ye Gods we can argue without the vitriol, eh?

You tell em Weiner!

Can't believe that Coltrane, so beloved, is overrated. Love come from the heart, ratings from some colder place.

laid back...

Dexter's wholesome tone makes me feel wholesome inside :))

Maestro dexter,incomprendido,por el (grande (puyblico).por eso me gustas .Que el grande publico se valla.,no esta a tu altura.

A quien le hablas inconprendido?...

en realidad fue un hijo de la transición, de los primeros del Hard Bop. Ahhh y del verbo irse, vaYa va con Y. Lo otro, con LL es una especie de muro....

Esto si que es musica.

Some French guys in the band? Guy Pedersen on bass?

Dex had to move to Europe due to his heroin addiction. He got busted in America and lost his caberet card preventing him from working in NYC. So he moved to Europe (Copenhagen). He made a great record on Blue Note called "Coppin the Haven" on the "One Flight Up" LP released 1964. Highly recommended.

He was Molde (Norway) friend and play here 4 - 5 times <3

Anyone know where I can get a transcription of this solo?

uhhh... the recording. Use your ears bruh

That's not how Jazz is done. You clearly miss the point.You could of course use some software to transcribe it to paper and then play it (if you can!)A) That's painting by numbers.B) It wouldn't sound anything like it even if you COULD play it.Secret is...Learn your instrument...Learn the genre of jazz...practise for 300 years until you can:-Play your own version... Even Dexter Gordon couldn't play exactly THAT version ever again.He was creating as he played and unless it's recorded, as fortunately this was, it's lost FOR EVER when he's finished.He could however, create countless other versions and NO TWO would be the same!Ya gotta learn about jaazzzzzz, Man.

Well said..

Yeah but it's a very good starting point to imitate the great players of Jazz such as D.G., who themselves have built upon the previous generations and so forth.I'd say, pick something like a dozen solos you really like (such as this marvelous one), chronologically from all major periods and varying instruments (not necessarily only the one you play) and practice the hell out of them:- play them by ear only, theme included, make sure you can sing them by heart with and without the track before switching to your instrument. Imitate every little detail of the playing, that's where the mastery is (rhythm, articulation etc)- pay attention to the whole band, sing the roots and other important voices such as the thirds, sevenths etc, try to pick the pianist's or guitarist's voicings...- when that is done, practice the solo in all keys, with/without backing tracks; alternate between singing and playing to make sure you're always playing what you hear and not just some finger positions. You should definitely be able to voice every note you intend to play, with clarity.- finally, break down the solo into phrases and practice each one separately; find backing tracks for other songs and try to play the phrase everywhere your intuition says it could sound good. Tweak them, rhythmically and harmonically, using your creativity. Progressively you'll be able to hear them and your personal variations of them, at places where they "would not belong" theory-wise (that's when you will start playing a bit "outside")... All that in the 12 keys of course.Be patient, one solo could take 6 months to practice this way, even one year if you don't have much time. Practice a few ones at the same time, as well as other exercises, so that you don't get too bored. Keep a practice log, try to practice daily even if it's just 30 minutes. Guaranteed that within a few years you will be able to spontaneously hear beautiful phrases over most songs and use your creativity to produce your own unique version. There aren't that many chord changes actually, the ones most used will quickly get in your ear after a few standards.Long (and never-ending) journey but worth it. I don't recommend shortcuts such as getting a written transcription.

I would recommend Dexter to anyone beginning to transcribe solos. They are ver melodic, rather simple and amazing at the same time. I have about 50 Dexter solos transcriptions. I can play most of them, but not the real fast bop things. The solos is about understanding the lyrics of the player, not to copy. Well....in any case the worse that can happen if you copy Dexter enough is that you end sounding like "Dexter"...Would you change your personal style to sound like him?? I would of course.

Awesome

Who's on piano?

+Erik Johnson George Gruntz is on piano. (Guy Pedersen is on bass and Daniel Humair is on drums)

Straight from the heart. Amazing performance.

Straight from the heart indeed but assisted by a brain stunningly aware of harmony /chords. He really explores (d) the harmonic construction inside out to produce the colourful changes which he achieves.

Yes for sure ...

Great Dexter, great closing chorus.. haha (chestnuts roasting on an open fire?)... a jazz mind in search of tranquility and resolution... fantastic finale.

the camera angle is of tremendous help to the sax student who wishes to sound half as good as Dexter!

You'll be better if you use your ears rather than looking at his fingers

Jen ai la chair de poule.....

A great emotion.

Sax is Sex

+GreenTheater kkkkk great

GreenTheater no it is a musical instrument lol🤣

My Man ,Dex.

Love this version , hope  yall  will check  my  version   out  :-)

This is great Dexter even for Dexter who is always great. The very best.

Body & Soul .. Dexter..

Jesus. Transcribing immediately.

Wonderful. Simply

+pzcato Any update on that transcription, please?

+Wuhoo transcribe it yourself. it will be much more beneficial to you as a musician.

My favorite sax player ever. Thank you for sharing.

５：１４～５：２５ピアノアドリブがソウルフル

So beautiful. "They don't make 'em that way anymore". I heard Dexter many times when he lived in Copenhagen. He had presence!.

I have seen both guys play. Live Dec sound was great Live deeper Sonny was good Saw Dex. In 1976 Sonny 1985

Che imboccatura! Saxofonisti, osservate!!!

dexter gordonの出汁がようでとるなあ

❤️❤️❤️

Whos the piano player?

Very nice, and "true" Dexter . . . but I must confess that I prefer Sonny Stitt's rendition of "Body & Soul."

Sorry, but who cares? Stitt and Dexter were different but equally good players, be glad there are all these fantastic renditions to listen to.

@Barimainlylow I stated my preference. I never said that you -- or anyone else -- needed to care. What makes you think that I "care" that you don't care?I don't. 

+Anthony Hargis i appreciate ur comment dawg

WHAT MOUTHPIECE IS THAT?!

Wasn't he using a Dukoff Hollywood during this time?

You may very well be right about the Dukoff.

@Richard Goffin-Lecar Did most saxophone players play on otto link mouthpieces back then because it sure looks like an otto link

+chriss1152 Well it was popular back then.Im sure its popular even now

He played on a Conn 10M with a Dukoff Stubby mouthpiece up until the mid 60s. Killer setup; to me his sound was beyond anything with this combo. Unfortunately his horn and mp got stolen and he switched over to the typical Mark VI/Florida Link setup. Still got a great sound out of those two, but Dex sounds best with the Conn/Stubby

Gordon had movie star good looks.

Saxophone rocks!

Awesome! Here's my version:Body and Soul - Alto Sax

io ho un tema influenzato da Dexter Gordon (DALLE SUE GRANDI GRAVI NOTE)scritto da me...mi darebbe piacere se qualcuno si interessasse visita in google ... Sauro Giuliani ... anche Twtter...

Chi sei

Non.mi.ivii chiamate su hangout ma chi.e lei un musicista ?

sono un compositore con il computer una frana ciao

@Sauro Giuliani compositore di che

Che vuol dire paranormal spiritual

GRACIAS EXCELENTE OBRA!!!

having this song as my alarm makes waking up so much easier :)

christmas song quote at 6:00 mark - gotta love Dex

Meraviglioso, unicamente meraviglioso!!

At the ending cadenza part, is he referring to Four by Miles Davis?

The piano player sure loves his flatted 9ths.

I so wish I knew what that meant! LOL

It's a kind of chord. In the scale, in which the chord comes from, the 9th note is flat.

so does your mum

anyone know when and where this was recorded?

Suddenly The Christmas Song

and he also quoted "four" on 7:05  and "my foolish heart" at 7:12 

Dexter the King of Quotes

Or it could be said he is quoting Tadd Dameron's If you could see me now

Yeah, I love it when Dexter quotes.

Indeed. He is the king of quotes. These two ones are not so easy to identify. Nice tip, Shady!

@Bill Siggelkow Or he could be quoting Dizzy's Groovin High coda

the energy is coming only from the horn.the trio is either doing a heroin nod, or is just  a fucking boring backing unit  zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz (that's me nodding out)

Beautiful

5:50 Dex quotes his own rendition of the Christmas Song! Thanks for the post!

Dexter is a genius.

Love them both. The absolute best in their instruments... Awesome tune too :)

Ah yes, Bill Evans. I remember the first song that totally made me a fan of his; "Jesus' Last Balled" with Toots Thielemans. They both just float with this tune. youtube.com/watch?v=ToND0PqRrPE

Just wonderful... thanx for the link! (First heard it from Bill Evans Trio...can't get over it, never will) :)youtube.com/watch?v=FTlKzkdtW9I

YMRS is a very beautiful song and sounds deceptively easy...until the score is viewed :o)youtube.com/watch?v=E2T8fRxix2s

Lol very true about "you must believe in spring". And probably very wise to just "delete" the key signature for the singer to avoid confusion! Chord I(minor) is on the second bar and i think that this is the main key. Then modulates to relative major (proves me right). But then, ok, it changes constantly trying to get back "home". In the end, "home" (very last chord) becomes the minor key a semitone up. (LeGrand just changed moved his "home" in the process ;p)

Ha! Some tunes it's hard to agree on key quickly. Once when we were learning "You Must Believe In Spring" that was confusing. In some scores it's written without a key signature and loaded with accidentals so every new note was a surprise. I wrote it out with key signatures (it changes from2#s to 3bs halfway through) and it made sense key wise but still very busy. When the singer changed keys several times to find here range, we were reduced to just agreeing on the first chord ;o)

Exactly lol, happens to me too. Im just trying to be correct. Plus it's good to know that the "body and Soul" lyric is actually over a major chord. It has a positive end. He/she loves her/him regardless :)

Yes Karolos, you are correct. I've gotten into the habit of calling it Eb- on the bandstand. Many will say, "Huh" when you call it Db. Thanks;o)

The tune is actually written in Db major. Eb minor is just the 1st chord of the song.

personnel?

It's it concert Eb Minor. Gordon is playing in F minor since the tenor is a Bb pitched instrument; play concert "Eb" on the piano and the tenor plays a "F" note.

Anyone else notice how Body and Soul is in the Concert F scale ? or am i wrong ?

Coleman, as well as Young's smooth, buttery tone. Dex even emulated Trane's playing in his later years, like in his A Night in Tunisia recording.

Hahahahahahahahahahaha oh my gosh you're so right!!

2:32..haha..oopss!

Dexter Gordon is why the Saxophone was invented

so "disconnected" and meantime so into it ... wow ... love the approach

Agreed A+

REALLY GOOD (^_^)

Absolutely amazing.

I once saw Dexter--in 1977-- play a tune and quoted from about 20 others..ha ha... Went from quoting "'Over The Rainbow"' to "'Bewitched"' "'Alfie"' Christmas Song "' (as he does here) etc unbelievable. The man was just such a free bird and so sophisticated with it..I realised that quoting was his humorous forte.

Tony: Júpiter vol tocar-la !!

Cos i ànima.Immens Dexter Gordon !!

He was sooooo cool and so amazing.

I'm a saxophonist and I play quite often and even sometimes try to imitate his playing, but I cannot get the sheer smoothness of his playing down. I can reach the emotion but the smoothness is near impossible.