Dexter Gordon's rendition of "Doxy" on his 1967 album Both Sides of Midnight is an extended exploration of Sonny Rollins's beloved composition. Performed in B-flat major with a compact 16-bar AABA form at 142 BPM, the tune is based on the chord changes of "Ja-Da." Gordon stretches out for eight swinging choruses on tenor saxophone, building his solo with the architectural logic and wit that defined his improvisational style. Kenny Drew contributes three piano choruses, his playing complementing Gordon's approach with a more harmonically dense conception. The track was recorded live at the Montmartre Jazzhus in Copenhagen during the height of Gordon's European residency. "Doxy" had become a jazz standard by this point, but Gordon brings his own distinctive personality to the material, peppering his solo with quotations and rhythmic surprises. The extended format allows listeners to hear Gordon develop ideas over multiple choruses, a hallmark of his live performances that studio recordings sometimes truncated. The rhythm section, featuring Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, provides a buoyant foundation that encourages the soloists to take creative risks. Both Sides of Midnight captures the easy confidence of a master saxophonist performing in his adopted artistic home.
