Claus Waidtløw Tenor legacy – Celebrating Dexter Gordon 100 years.

Torsdag 16. marts 19:30, Bygningen i Vejle

 

For english version see below

Dexter Gordon 100 år – en hyldestkoncert

Når man først har fået jazzen under huden og begynder at grave lidt i det historiske, vil man støde på navnet Dexter Gordon. Dexter var afro-amerikaner og spillede tenorsaxofon, mens jazzen udviklede sig til en af sine mest elskede undergenrer, hardbop. Han var en mester på sit instrument, som han prægede op gennem 1950’erne til start 1960’erne. Det var dog svært at leve af jazzmusik i USA, og musikken blev ikke værdsat dengang – som eneste originale amerikanske kunstform. Samtidig var der en udpræget racisme i landet. Dexter valgte derfor at søge uden for landets grænser. Han kom til Danmark i 1962, hvor der var et sted i København, som hed Jazzhus Montmartre.

Her faldt Dexter til gennem ugelange gæstespil. Jazzfolk og publikum valfartede til stedet for at møde denne fantastiske amerikaner. Dexter bosatte sig i Valby og blev gennem 14 år en ledestjerne for danske jazzmusikere. I år er det Dexter Gordons 100-års fødselsdag, og det skal fejres!

Tenorsaxofonisten Claus Waidtløw har sammensat et repertoire af melodier, skrevet af Dexter Gordon som fx Cheese Cake, Fried Bananas og Soy Califa (jeg er kaliffen!) – en munter hilsen til amerikansk “jazz-adel”, som fx Duke Ellington, Count Basie, President Lester Young, King Oliver m.fl.

Endvidere har Waidtløw fundet melodier frem, som Dexter regelmæssigt spillede ved sine koncerter. Det hele bindes sammen af anekdoter, som Waidtløw har hørt fortalt i musikmiljøet.

Claus Waidtløw er en stjerne i dansk jazz. Han er ud over bandleader også en af Danmarks få rejsende gæstesolister i samme kategori som Svend Asmussen, Niels Henning Ørsted Pedersen (NHØP) og Jesper Thilo. Derfor har der været bud efter Waidtløw fra alle større, betydende danske orkestre samt big bands i Tyskland.

Som instrument-kollega med Dexter Gordon har Waidtløw et særdeles godt indblik i Dexters musikalske mesterskab.

Til fejringen har Waidtløw allieret sig med pianisten Jacob Christoffersen, som er fuldstændig fantastisk, og hvis forståelse og talent for hardbop er legendarisk. Ældre JIVE-gæster kan måske huske hans vidunderlige spil bag en anden amerikansk tenor gigant, Billy Harper i JIVEs daværende spillested, Paraplyen.

På bas er svenske Daniel Franck og på trommer Jeppe Gram. Begge er de store på den danske og skandinaviske jazzscene.

Denne fantastiske kvartet vil være i stand til at genskabe ånden i en Dexter Gordon koncert, som den mærkes her 33 år efter Dexters død i 1990.

Det bliver en fantastisk aften, hvor Dexters lys vil skinne over “Bygningen” hos JIVE. Du vil møde Dexter-anekdoter og ikke mindst vil du lytte til det, som vor mor kalder “rigtig jazz”, hardbop, den måske ypperste af jazzens undergenrer.

Line-up:
Daniel Franck – bas
Jeppe Gram – trommer
Jacob Christoffersen – piano
Claus Waidtløw – sax

Entre 160 kr. / medlemmer 120 kr. / unge-medlemmer 70 kr. + gebyr

 

English version

Dexter Gordon 100 years – a concert tribute

When you are getting to know jazz and begin to do some research into jazz history, you will eventually meet the name DEXTER GORDON. Dexter Gordon was an Afro-american tenor player. He is strongly connected to the hardbop genre. He was a master of the tenor saxophone, whose development he influenced through the 1950’s to the 1970’s.

In America living was tough even for a black master musician. The music and the musicians didn’t receive much recognition, even though jazz is the only real American contribution to music culture. Racism was very much part of society. That forced Dexter to try to emigrate to Europe. He settled in Copenhagen in 1962 during a time when the Jazzhouse Montmartre florished.

Dexter Gordon made this club his home during long engagements at the place. Danish musicians and the Danish audience flocked to the club. They could hardly believe that this wonderful musician played the club a lot of times. Dexter decided to make Valby in Copenhagen his home and during his 14-year stay in the city he was a leading figure in Danish jazz and his influence was immense in the development of jazz, an influence that has been passed on ever since. This year it is Dexter Gordon’s 100th birthday, and that must be celebrated.

The Danish tenor saxophone player, Claus Waidtløw, has formed a group to pay tribute to Dexter Gordon by playing Dexter compositions and songs connected to Dexter. You will hear Dexter originals such as Cheese Cake, Fried Bananas and Soy Califa (I’m the kalif of jazz), the latter being a friendly remark to the other royalty of jazz, eg. Duke Ellington, Count Basie, President Lester Young, King Oliver etc.

Furthermore Waidløw has managed to collect  some of the stories that cling to Dexter, which have circulated among Danish musicians, who used to play with or watch Dexter play.

Waidtløw is a Danish star musician. Besides being a band leader, he is also an international soloist, who can be heard with many big orchestras. Playing the same instrument as Dexter, Waidtløw has thoroughly  professional understanding of Dexter’s mastery of the instrument.

For this celebration and tribute Waidtløw has chosen a fabulous band consisting of pianist Jacob Christoffersen of international fame. On bass the Swedish top player Daniel Franck. On drums the recent Danish jazz award winner, Jeppe Gram. Together they form a really great band, that are fully capable of recreating (in their own way) a real Dexter Gordon concert. The spirit is there, Dexter will listen in from his place in jazz heaven. Everything is ready to make this a very memorable evening at JIVE in Vejle. This is the real thing!

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