Dexter Gordon (1923 - 1990) was a giant in every respect. Both his height and his playing exuded authority. He had the power to draw conclusions amid many musical impressions and, carefree of other people's opinions, said/played things as they were. He was one of the first tenor saxophonists to play modern jazz after the big band style, making him a source of inspiration for many. On July 15, 1979, he joined North Sea Jazz with his accompanying trio consisting of pianist Kirk Lightsey, bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Eddie Gladden. On this album you can hear their performances of 'It's You Or No One' and 'More Than You Know'. In addition, the album contains a recording of the tenor battle held later that evening during 'Flying Home' with Hank Jones on piano, Gene Ramsey on bass and Gus Johnson on drums, in addition to Dexter Budd Johnson, Illinois Jacquet, Arnett Cobb and Buddy Tate sound on sax. After the Ella Fitzgerald album this is the second release of the North Sea Jazz Concert Series presented at the end of last year by Bertus Distribution, in collaboration with NTR, AVROTROS and MOJO. It's a new vinyl series consisting of live recordings of legendary artists through the decades made at the renowned North Sea Jazz Festival. The North Sea Jazz Concert Series will include officially licensed releases that will be released as standard on 180-gram white vinyl in a sleeve of heavy paper and printed on reversed board. The records will be captured in mainly black-and-white artwork by Hans Pol in his signature style of the festival with inspiration from the covers of classic older jazz releases from the Blue Note label, for example. The liner notes are written by journalist and jazz expert Jeroen de Valk. For all recordings it's a first time ever release on vinyl!
John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie (1917 - 1993) was a legendary trumpeter, composer, and bandleader. Gillespie was praised worldwide for his trumpet playing, using not just any trumpet, but one with a bell bent at a 45-degree angle. The unique shape of the instrument, according to his autobiography, was not intentional but the result of an accident. Fortunately, Gillespie liked the altered sound, and this unique shape and sound became the artist's trademark. Gillespie began playing the trumpet at the age of 13 and formed his first big band in 1937 with Teddy Hill (1909 - 1978). Later, Dizzy Gillespie led his own big band from 1946 to 1950, making pioneering contributions to the jazz world. Gillespie was a versatile musician, known not only as a memorable trumpeter but also as a fantastic pianist and trombonist. He even made an unsuccessful bid for the presidency. In the 80s, Dizzy Gillespie gave some beautiful and unforgettable peformances at North Sea Jazz, and thanks to Bertus Distribution, NTR, AVROTROS, and MOJO, this legendary concert is now available on LP! Dizzy Gillespie is one of the LPs that is part of the North Sea Jazz Concert Series. Other concerts in this series feature artists like Dizzy Gillespie, Ray Charles, Dexter Gordon, and Jan Akkerman. The North Sea Jazz Concert Series will include officially licensed releases that will be released as standard on 180-gram white vinyl in a sleeve of heavy paper and printed on reversed board. The records will be captured in mainly black-and-white artwork by Hans Pol in his signature style of the festival with inspiration from the covers of classic older jazz releases from the Blue Note label, for example. The liner notes are written by journalist and jazz expert Jeroen de Valk
Buddy Rich (1917 - 1987) was described and announced around the world as 'The World's Greatest Drummer.' Rich is still considered one of the most legendary drummers of all time. A master of his instrument, his technique, energy, and speed were praised globally. The jazz drummer and bandleader began his drumming career as a child. When Rich was 18 months old, he started playing the instrument and later performed as a child, becoming known as 'Traps the Drum Wonder.' Buddy Rich always sought to surpass himself; the next show was always better than the previous one. Nothing could hinder this goalnot even a broken arm or a heart attack could stop Rich from giving a better performance than the last. In 1978, Buddy Rich and his 14-piece big band played a spectacular show, and thanks to Bertus Distribution, NTR, AVROTROS, and MOJO, this legendary concert is now available on LP! Buddy Rich is one of the LPs that is part of the North Sea Jazz Concert Series. Other concerts in this series feature artists like Dizzy Gillespie, Ray Charles, Dexter Gordon, and Jan Akkerman. The North Sea Jazz Concert Series will include officially licensed releases that will be released as standard on 180-gram white vinyl in a sleeve of heavy paper and printed on reversed board. The records will be captured in mainly black-and-white artwork by Hans Pol in his signature style of the festival with inspiration from the covers of classic older jazz releases from the Blue Note label, for example. The liner notes are written by journalist and jazz expert Jeroen de Valk.
Limited, HQ 180gr, White Colored Vinyl. BERTUS DISTRIBUTION INTRODUCES NORTH SEA JAZZ CONCERT SERIES Bertus Distribution, in collaboration with NTR, AVROTROS and MOJO, presents a new vinyl series consisting of live recordings of legendary artists through the decades made at the renowned North Sea Jazz Festival. The North Sea Jazz Concert Series will include officially licensed releases that will be released as standard on 180-gram white vinyl in a sleeve of heavy paper printed on reversed board. The records will be captured in mainly black-and-white artwork by Hans Pol in his signature style of the festival with inspiration from the covers of classic older jazz releases from the Blue Note label, for example. The liner notes are written by journalist and jazz expert Jeroen de Valk. For the first release in this series, the honour is given to one of the most famous jazz singers ever, Ella Fitzgerald. On Friday 13 July 1979, she gave a raucous and peerless performance at the festival then still held in The Hague. The "First Lady Of Song" worked her way with verve through standards like 'There Will Never Be Another You', 'Satin Doll', 'Round Midnight' and 'Mr Paganini'. Her accompanists that night were Paul Smith on piano, Keter Betts on bass and Mickey Roker on drums; a trio line-up with the power of a big band. Future releases will include NSJ recordings by such notables as Dizzy Gillespie, Buddy Rich, Ray Charles, Dexter Gordon and Jan Akkerman. It will be a long-running series with the aim of releasing the most extraordinary NSJ performances on vinyl. The first edition of the North Sea Jazz Festival took place in 1976 at The Hague's Nederlands Congresgebouw with some 9,000 visitors. In the first year, jazz legends such as Sarah Vaughan, Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie and Stan Getz performed alongside a host of artists from the Dutch avant-garde. The festival, officially NN North Sea Jazz since 2018, has now developed into a major international event that is also known beyond the Dutch borders as an event where jazz from the past, present and future merges with other genres such as blues, soul, funk, hiphop, pop and more. Over the years, it has grown to fifteen venues, around thirteen hundred musicians and an annual audience of between eight-five and ninety thousand. Since 2006, the festival has been held in new wider venue, namely Rotterdam Ahoy.
