A Letter to Dexter
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox album
| name = A Letter to Dexter
| type = Album
| artist = George Cables
| cover = A Letter to Dexter.jpg
| released = 2006
| recorded = May 25, 2004
| venue =
| studio = Avatar Studios, NYC
| genre = Jazz
| length = 67:28
| label = Kind of Blue
KOB 10006
| producer = David Baker, Suzanne Severini
| chronology = George Cables
| prev_title = Looking for the Light
| prev_year = 2003
| next_title = You Don't Know Me
| next_year = 2007
}}
A Letter to Dexter is an album by pianist George Cables, performing tunes associated with saxophonist Dexter Gordon, that was recorded in 2004 and released by the Kind of Blue label in 2006.[https://www.kindofbluerecords.com/george-cables-trio-a-letter-to-dexter Kind of Blue: album details], accessed March 8, 2019[http://www.jazzlists.com/SJ_George_Cables.htm Jazzlists: George Cables discography], accessed March 8, 2019
Reception
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1Score = {{rating|3.5|5}}
| rev2 = All About Jazz
|rev3 = The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings
|rev3score = {{Rating|4|4}} {{cite book |last1=Cook |first1=Richard |authorlink1=Richard Cook (journalist) |last2=Morton |first2=Brian |authorlink2=Brian Morton (Scottish writer) |title=The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings |year=2008 |edition=9th |publisher=Penguin |isbn=978-0-141-03401-0 |page=215}}
}}
The AllMusic review by Rick Anderson said "Pianist George Cables, who spent some of his formative years accompanying saxophone great Dexter Gordon, pays tribute to the man with a nicely varied collection of tunes written by or associated with Gordon, A Letter to Dexter ... Cables has a decorous and romantic playing style, and combined with a rhythm section as mighty as this one, the results should be magnificent. And so they are, at least most of the time. Unfortunately, there are occasional moments when the rhythmic thread is lost and the groove falters. This usually happens during piano solos ... But most of the album is a delight ... Recommended.".{{AllMusic|first=Rick |last=Anderson |class=album |id=mw0000567866 |title= George Cables: A Letter to Dexter – Review |accessdate=March 8, 2019}}
On All About Jazz, Chris May stated "There's nothing revolutionary here, but some mighty fine music and enough good vibes to make you feel happier with the world (for a while, anyway)".May, C. [https://www.allaboutjazz.com/a-letter-to-dexter-george-cables-kind-of-blue-records-review-by-chris-may.php All About Jazz Review] accessed March 8, 2019
Track listing
All compositions by Dexter Gordon except where noted
- "Catalonian Nights" – 7:07
- "Three O'Clock in the Morning" (Julián Robledo) – 5:38
- "Cheese Cake" – 5:09
- "Polka Dots And Moonbeams" (Jimmy Van Heusen, Johnny Burke) – 8:13
- "Tanya" (Donald Byrd) – 7:53
- "Fried Bananas" – 4:55
- "Body and Soul" (Johnny Green, Edward Heyman, Robert Sour, Frank Eyton) — 8:06
- "I Told You So" (George Cables) – 4:56
- "Who Can I Turn To?" (Anthony Newley, Leslie Bricusse) – 8:20
- "LTD (Long Tall Dexter)" – 5:35
- "'Round About Midnight" (Thelonious Monk, Cootie Williams, Bernie Hanighen) – 4:29
Personnel
- George Cables – piano
- Rufus Reid - bass (tracks 1-10)
- Victor Lewis – drums (tracks 1-10)
References
{{reflist}}
{{George Cables}}
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