Considered one of the first bebop tenorsaxophonists, Dexter Gordon (1923-1990)possessed a very distinctive and profound sound.Some of the best-remembered moments of hissuperlative career were his tenor battles withfellow tenor saxophonist Wardell Gray from 1947to 1952 and his leading role as an actor in the film‘Round Midnight in 1986, for which he received anAcademy Award nomination for Best Actor. After aperiod of his life, in the early 1950s, when he wasdeeply submerged in a chronic drug addiction,Dexter was miraculously able to reignite his careerin the latter part of 1955. After several years ofbeing out of the spotlight, he resurfaced on the BigApple-based Bethlehem label with Daddy Playsthe Horn. Joining him are Kenny Drew on piano,Leroy Vinnegar on bass, and Lawrence Marable ondrums. This was Gordon’s first collaboration withDrew (1928-1991), with whom he’d work and recordintensively throughout the 1960s and 1970s afterboth musicians settled in Europe.

• 1. Daddy Plays the Horn
• 2. Confirmation
• 3. Darn That Dream
• 4. Ernie's Tune
• 5. Number Four
• 6. Autumn In New York
• 7. You Can Depend On Me
• 8. Smile