Dexter Gordon - Both Sides Of Midnight

Dexter Gordon Both Sides Of Midnight on 180-gram LP from Black Lion/Oiriginal Recordings Group Music

Copenhagen barnburner: Document of 1967 club date Stands as Gordon's best-ever live album

Tantalizing audiophile restoration series resurrects U.K. label Black Lion: Mastered by Bernie Grundman with cutting by Chris Bellman and pressed at Pallas

Sound and engineering consultation by iconic engineer Steve Hoffman

Conceived, designed, and manufactured for collectors and enthusiasts: Vinyl jacket features exclusive art

Dexter Gordon recorded dozens of albums and played hundreds of live shows, but none better than what's captured on this 1967 date from a club date in Copenhagen. The hard-bop saxophonist blows nothing less than a 28-chorus solo without referencing one standard tune on an epic 12-bar rendition of "Sonnymoon for Two" and, for good measure, sails through an extended, calypso-themed version of Ben Tucker's "Devilette." Want sentimentality? No problem. Get lost on "Misty," on which pianist Kenny Drew and drummer Al Heath add their own signature strokes. What a set!

Originally released by the U.K. label Black Lion, an imprint that specialized in resurrecting rare gems from U.S. jazz and blues legends, Both Sides of Midnight marks Gordon's peak live recorded document and a can't-miss opportunity for collectors and enthusiasts to get closer to the man and his music. Helmed by ORG Music, this historical reissue is afforded the ultimate in audiophile production standards, resulting in sonics and presentation befitting the museum-like worth of this record's existence.

Mastered from the original master tapes at Bernie Grundman Studios, cut by Chris Bellman and pressed at Pallas, the 180-gram LP was curated by legendary engineer Steve Hoffman and eq'd by Grundman himself. A better team you cannot find; every step involved serious quality-control measures to guarantee gorgeous sound. The superb vinyl jacket features exclusive artwork. Indeed, this is what being a collector is all about. The title may not be as widely known as some of Gordon's other works, but this reissue preserves vital music that will be enjoyed by generations to come. Consider it a buried treasure that, miraculously, has resurfaced in better condition than that when it was originally made.

 

 

 

 

Side A

1. Devillette

2. For All We Know

Side B

1. Doxy

2. Sonnymoon for Two

Customer Reviews (5.00 Stars) 1 person(s) rated this product.

Just About Perfect posted on 10/26/2022 5 Stars Reviewer: Brian VanPelt Quiet vinyl, good recording. Very happy with this. This is on par with those Tone Poet releases. Pallas pressing. The music is very well recorded. Dexter's sax is sharply focused in the middle. The drums are incredibly well-captured, almost as if they have a space around them - their vividness is astonishing. The piano is in the right channel and sounds softened, like a Rudy van Gelder recording. The bass is deep, a little bloated and tubby, comes from somewhere in the back. The music stretches from left to right nicely. Overall, this is a pretty stunning release. This has the quality of a Tone Poet, but for about $9 less. In fact, go and check out ORG music, as they have a lot of albums of this quality, from a variety of musicians - all priced like this album.

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