Dexter Calling . . .
Dexter Gordon
Dexter Calling... is the second of Dexter Gordon's albums for Blue Note Records, recorded on May 9, 1961 — just three days after his label debut Doin' Allright — and released in 1962. It arrived at a pivotal moment in Gordon's career: after a turbulent decade marked by personal struggles with narcotics that had significantly curtailed his output, his 1961 signing to Blue Note represented a genuine renaissance. Where Doin' Allright featured a slightly different lineup, Dexter Calling finds Gordon leading a potent quartet of pianist Kenny Drew, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Philly Joe Jones — all recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. Three of the album's compositions — "Soul Sister," "I Want More," and "Ernie's Tune" — were pieces Gordon had written for the Los Angeles staging of Jack Gelber's Off-Broadway play The Connection, a work whose themes of addiction carried particular biographical resonance given the personal histories of both Gordon and Philly Joe Jones.
Musically, the album is a masterclass in hard bop confidence and range. It opens with the soulful hard bop gem "Soul Sister" before shifting into hard-charging territory on "Modal Mood" and "Clear the Dex," and closes with a warm, joyous reading of Charlie Chaplin's "Smile." Allmusic awarded the album four stars, calling it "a solidly swinging affair, yet constantly full of surprises," and praising the "excellent band, solid musicianship, and memorable music on every track." The album is considered one of the more essential recordings of Gordon's career and remains a cornerstone of the Blue Note hard bop catalog. A 2026 Tone Poet Vinyl Edition, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original analog master tapes and pressed on 180g vinyl, has brought renewed attention to the record.
Dexter Calling . . .
Dexter Gordon
Dexter Calling... is the second of Dexter Gordon's albums for Blue Note Records, recorded on May 9, 1961 — just three days after his label debut Doin' Allright — and released in 1962. It arrived at a pivotal moment in Gordon's career: after a turbulent decade marked by personal struggles with narcotics that had significantly curtailed his output, his 1961 signing to Blue Note represented a genuine renaissance. Where Doin' Allright featured a slightly different lineup, Dexter Calling finds Gordon leading a potent quartet of pianist Kenny Drew, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Philly Joe Jones — all recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. Three of the album's compositions — "Soul Sister," "I Want More," and "Ernie's Tune" — were pieces Gordon had written for the Los Angeles staging of Jack Gelber's Off-Broadway play The Connection, a work whose themes of addiction carried particular biographical resonance given the personal histories of both Gordon and Philly Joe Jones.
Musically, the album is a masterclass in hard bop confidence and range. It opens with the soulful hard bop gem "Soul Sister" before shifting into hard-charging territory on "Modal Mood" and "Clear the Dex," and closes with a warm, joyous reading of Charlie Chaplin's "Smile." Allmusic awarded the album four stars, calling it "a solidly swinging affair, yet constantly full of surprises," and praising the "excellent band, solid musicianship, and memorable music on every track." The album is considered one of the more essential recordings of Gordon's career and remains a cornerstone of the Blue Note hard bop catalog. A 2026 Tone Poet Vinyl Edition, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original analog master tapes and pressed on 180g vinyl, has brought renewed attention to the record.