Hanah Jon Taylor, Sharel Cassity, Eric Koppa, Johannes Wallmann, Nick Moran, Matt Endres

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Paul S. Howell

Hanah Jon Taylor in front of Lake Monona.

As a part of a four-day residency in Madison, Maxine Gordon celebrates her new book on the life of her husband and jazz great Dexter Gordon. On this evening, Gordon will read excerpts from her book, Sophisticated Giant: The Life and Legacy of Dexter Gordon. UW Department of Afro-American Studies professor Ethelene Whitmire will also conduct an interview with Gordon, and the UW Blue Note Ensemble will provide musical accompaniment. Gordon will also be in attendance at a tribute concert with saxophonists Hanah Jon Taylor (pictured), Sharel Cassity and Eric Koppa at Friday, Nov. 1, at Cafe Coda (8 pm).

press release: Maxine Gordon, widow of legendary modern jazz saxophonist Dexter Gordon, is in the midst of a global tour to celebrate her new book, "Sophisticated Giant: The Life and Legacy of Dexter Gordon”.  She’ll be bringing her tour to the Greater Madison area during the week of October 28, 2019, as part of a 4-day residency.   Ms. Gordon’s book has received glowing reviews, e.g., from The New York Times, and received the 2019 "Book of the Year" award this past May from the national Jazz Journalists Association.

In addition to private sessions with students from the UW’s Odyssey Project, Madison East and Memorial High Schools, Sun Prairie High School, UW Continuing Education Division’s PLATO program, and the UW Afro-American Studies Department, Ms. Gordon will be appearing in four programs that are open to the public:

The New Breed Jam’s “Dexter Gordon Night,” with special guests Jonathan Hoel on tenor saxophone and Paul Dietrich on trumpet, performing music from Dexter’s repertoire, on Tuesday, October 29, 8:30-11:00pm, at North Street Cabaret, 610 North Street, $5.00 cover;

- “An Evening with Author Maxine Gordon & The UW Blue Note Ensemble,” a Wisconsin Book Festival event with Ms. Gordon reading excerpts from her book, an on-stage interview with her conducted by UW Afro-American Studies Professor Ethelene Whitmire, and musical interludes by the UW student ensemble that is exploring Dexter’s music this semester, on Thursday, October 31, 7:30 – 9:00pm, at Collins Recital Hall in the UW’s new Hamel Music Center, 740 University Avenue, Free admission;

- UW Mead Witter School of Music Jazz Area Masterclass, with Guest Speaker Maxine Gordon, led by professor and UW Jazz Studies Director Johannes Wallmann, on Friday, November 1, Noon – 1:30pm, 1321 Humanities Building, 455 North Park Street, Free admission; and

- “Dexter Gordon Tribute Concert,” with music from Dexter’s repertoire performed by three outstanding saxophonists – Hanah Jon Taylor, Sharel Cassity, and Eric Koppa –  accompanied by pianist and UW Jazz Studies Director Johannes Wallmann with fellow UW faculty members Nick Moran on bass and Matt Endres at the drums, on Friday, November 1, 8:00-11:00pm, at Café CODA, 1224 Williamson Street. Tickets: $15.00 in advance (via a Brown Paper Tickets site that will soon be up and running) and $20.00 at the door.

Ms. Gordon’s book will be on sale at the North Street Cabaret and Café CODA concerts and at the Wisconsin Book Festival event.  She will be on hand at these concerts and at the Book Festival event to greet fans and sign her book. 

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Maxine Gordon’s Madison area residency is co-sponsored by the Greater Madison Jazz Consortium, the Wisconsin Book Festival, the UW Afro-American Studies Department, and the UW’s Mead Witter School of Music, with additional support from Hotel Indigo.