Dexter Gordon
Tenor Sax Solo on
For All We Know

About

Dexter Gordon's tenor saxophone solo is the first of two improvisations on this tender ballad performance of the J. Fred Coots standard. Taking one deeply expressive chorus of the 32-bar ABAC form in A-flat at a slow 58 BPM, Gordon reveals his gift for lyrical interpretation, his spacious phrasing and rich vibrato transforming the melody into something profoundly personal. The ballad tempo allows every note to resonate with intention, Gordon's characteristic behind-the-beat placement lending an air of unhurried reflection to the performance.

Dexter Gordon was 43 to 44 years old at the time.