Dexter Gordon on "Love for Sale"

In continuing the series of "most-transcribed tenor solos of all time," here's Dexter Gordon's solo on "Love for Sale" from Go (1962). Billy Higgins's drum groove that sets up the tune and Sonny Clark's light comping are incredible; actually, Billy Higgins's sounds incredible on this entire record, especially the cymbals at the beginning of "I Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry." Cymbals have rarely ever sounded as good. And, of course, Dexter is in great shape on this record. For saxophiles out there, I've heard that this recording was made when Dexter was still playing a Conn tenor. If you listen to Our Man in Paris (1963), he's playing a Selmer Mark VI, which is also a fine saxophone, but his tone is slightly different—it's missing some of the fat Conn sound. Enjoy!

 

***The wide lip trill in mm.123-4 can be done by fingering an Eb without LH3 (ring finger) and forcefully holding the note with an exaggerated vibrato.

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