Dexter Gordon's last performance in Copenhagen came at Jazzhus Montmartre on February 2, 1983. Twenty-five days later, he celebrated his 60th birthday at New York's Village Vanguard. That night, he gave up the road and decided to settle down with his manager, Maxine Gordon, seeking a "normal life." This was followed by his starring role in Bertrand Tavernier's film Round Midnight. Other than his soundtrack recordings for Columbia, a guest turn on Tony Bennett's Bennett/Berlin and a live recording at the Chicago Jazz Festival in 1987, Gordon marshaled his energy to fight off serious illness in his final years. He died in April 1990 of kidney failure and cancer of the larynx after decades of smoking and being exposed to smoke-filled clubs.
His final Copenhagen performance featured four songs—lengthy versions of It's You or No One, Hanky Panky, More Than You Know and Back Stairs. The tenor saxophonist was backed by Kirk Lightsey (p), David Eubanks (b) and Eddie Gladden (d). Newly released by Denmark's Storyville Records, the music appears on Copenhagen Coda and is noteworthy for the emotional depth of Gordon's playing and long, sinewy streams of improvisation. Denmark held a special place in Gordon's heart after he spent 14 years living there, from 1962 to his move back to the U.S. in 1976 and subsequent signing with Columbia Records.
His move abroad was about being comfortable there as an artist. From my interview with Maxine Gordon, Dexter's widow and biographer...
JazzWax: Why exactly did Dexter decide to move to Europe?
Maxine Gordon: Dexter went to London first as a guest at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club. As he said, “I went for two weeks and when I looked up, it was 14 years later.” After his first gig in London, he went to Copenhagen. There, he soon realized that he had found a life where he could live comfortably and perform all over Europe. He often said that he would not have survived had he returned to the States then.
JW: Why?
MG: Dexter didn’t make a firm decision to move to Europe. But once he was there and working all the time, he stayed. When he settled in Copenhagen, he worked all the time and traveled throughout Europe easily, mostly by train. He felt comfortable in Europe most of the time. Of course, there was racism. But he felt that for the first time he was considered a celebrated artist. That gave him entry into a new world.
JW: What was the looming issue that kept him from returning at that point?
MG: Dexter felt that if he returned to the U.S. in the '60s, he would never have been able to work. He said that in Europe, it was a relief not to be looking over his shoulder all the time to see if the police were following him. He kept up with the civil rights movement in the U.S,. and, of course, you know he was a member of the Black Panther Party in Denmark.
In 1983, Gordon knew his appearance at Jazzhus Montmartre was his final performance, and his bandstand farewell reflected both jubilation (It's You or No One and Back Stairs) and a reverential somberness (Hanky Panky and More Than You Know). The Danes loved him back. For them, Gordon was a towering, handsome figure imbued with American confidence and daring. What's more, his presence and network attracted a long list of jazz greats to the city, and his long association with Copenhagen's Jazzhus Montmartre put the club on the map. Gordon and Copenhagen were partners in art, and he is still remembered fondly there today.
JazzWax tracks: You'll find Dexter Gordon's Copenhagen Coda (Storyville) on CD here and digitally here.
JazzWax clip: Here's a 17-minute Hanky Panky..
