Garbanzo Toons

Relief

There are blogs I have to read every day for insight into what's really going on in the world. One of the best is Melanie Phillips. Usually it's depressing reading because the growing and accepted anti-semitism in England does not bode well for Jews, Christians, or the west. Don't forget what happened the last time virulent anti-semitism of that magnitude was allowed to take hold in Europe. I'll keep on reading her though. She reports on important events and trends, and she's a fine writer.

Tonight's cure for depression is, Dexter Gordon - Manhattan Symphonie. I'm listening to side 2 right now . . . oh yeah, it's a record, you know, vinyl; flat, black, and circular. When this was recorded (in 1977, I believe, I could search the web and find out exactly, but it's not that important right now) Dexter Gordon had just returned from a lengthy self-imposed European exile and was treated as an elder-jazz-statesman. He deserved it.

He's backed by George Cables on piano, Rufus Reid on bass, and Eddie Gladden on drums; all young guys, but man, they can play. The four of them coalesce nicely as a group. This album, along with "Homecoming", which features the severely underrated Woody Shaw on Trumpet (also on vinyl, but I may get the CD some day as it has some of those treasured "unreleased bonus tracks") are my favorites from this period in Dexter Gordon's recording career.

Labels: anti-semitism, Dexter Gordon, Melanie Phillips

posted by Harry @ 8:03 PM