Modern Art Orchestra’s Legendary Albums series presents the most important and unique albums of jazz history. By learning and playing these compositions and arrangements, the musicians are paying tribute to the jazz legends and are undergoing an intense process of musical improvement. The band absorbs the material of the original recordings, sticking to the arrangements, forms and compositional features. As improvisation is at the heart of jazz, solos are invented by the players at the moment. Due to the respect shown towards the original conceptions of the legendary composers and the level of craftsmanship known from Modern Art Orchestra, the Legendary Albums series both brings you the essence of jazz tradition and guarantees a fresh musical experience.

If ever the term ’iconic’ were true about a jazz musician, than it certainly can be applied to saxophone player Dexter Gordon (1923-1990), whose centenary we celebrate this year. He set out with the momentum of the first be-bop generation, grew up musically next to Billy Eckstine, nevertheless worked extensively with Lionel Hampton and Louis Armstrong. As far as influences on his sound are concerned, the name of Lester Young has to be mentioned as the most important one. Gordon played on the West Coast geographically and stylistically, while later he himself became a major idol of John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins. This is why he is often considered a major voice bridging eras and styles. During the years when so many jazz players of his generation got lost in Europe, he also lived and worked on this side of the Atlantic. This is why he was the most authentic choice to star in the leading role of the prize-winning movie by the French director Bernard Tavernier, Round Midnight (1986). The film elevated the status of the popular jazz celebrity to that of an eternal legend.

Members of MAO picked a record he made before he got lost, but long after he’d found his own voice. The saxophone player dominates this laid-back session as a leader and prime soloist, while playing cool behind the beat. It is Gordon’s trademark in his improvisation that he plays a lot around the melody and takes it away during the solo, but the listener never gets lost. There are four original compositions on the repertoire by the saxophonist, and one, Rhythm Mad could as well have been touched by the rockabilly craze of the day – though it never looses its laid-back swing groove. All the ballads, such as Cry Me a River, hardly known yet, are wonderful. From among the members of the back-up band the debut of pianist Carl Perkins is worth mentioning. MAO pianist Gábor Cseke is perfectly cast for this role, but all eyes and ears will be on Árpád Dennert, the saxophone soloist with a perfect feel for so many musical tastes.