Sophisticated Giants: In Conversation with Maxine Gordon
29th June 2022
This special edition of ‘On The Bookcase’ is a live recording of the inspirational Maxine Gordon, in conversation with Fiona Ross during the ‘Sophisticated Giants’ event held on June 4th, 2022 at Jazz Cafe Posk, London to celebrate her incredible work. The event was a rare UK visit from Maxine Gordon and an opportunity for a Q&A couldn’t be missed! The first part of the event was dedicated to her award-winning book ‘Sophisticated Giant’ and her life with Dexter Gordon, with a special set of his music performed by an incredible line up of saxophonists Tony Kofi and rising stars Emma Rawicz and Hannah Horton. The second part of the evening with pianist Wendy Kirkland, vocalist Vimala Rowe and trombonist Laura Impallomeni, explored the rarely heard music of Shirley Scott, Velma Middleton, Melba Liston, Maxine Sullivan, the focus of Maxine’s next book, Jazz Quartette. Photo by Bob Barkany
You can listen here
Maxine Gordon is an award-winning Arts Advocate, Jazz Historian, Archivist, Scholar, Manager & Producer and Legend. Author of Sophisticated Giant: The Life and Legacy of Dexter Gordon, (which was awarded Book of the Year by the Jazz Journalist Association) and forthcoming book, Jazz Quartette: Shirley Scott, Velma Middleton, Melba Liston, Maxine Sullivan. Maxine is the President of The Dexter Gordon Society, consultant at the Bronx Music Heritage Centre, Jazz Researcher at the Bronx African American History Project, archivist for The Dexter Gordon Collections, Library of Congress and so much more…