SophisticatedGiantpresentsthelifeandlegacyoftenorsaxophonistDexterGordon(1923-1990),oneofthemajorinnovatorsofmodernjazz.Inacontextofbiography,history,andmemoir,MaxineGordonhascompletedthebookthatherlatehusbandbegan,weavinghis“solo“turnswithhervoiceandachorusofvoicesfrompastandpresent.Readinglikeajazzcomposition,theblendofresearch,anecdote,andaselectionofDexter’spersonallettersreflectshiscolorfullifeandlegendarytimes.ItisclearwhythecelebratedtrumpetgeniusDizzyGillespiesaidtoDexter,“Man,yououghttoleaveyourkarmatoscience.“DexterGordontheiconistheDexterbelovedandcelebratedonalbums,onfilm,andinjazzlore--eveninastreetnamedforhiminCopenhagen.Butthisimageofthecooljazzmanfailstocometotermswiththemultidimensionalmanfullofhumorandwisdom,afigurewhostruggledtoreconcilebeingbothacreativeoutsiderwhobroketherulesandacomfortinginsiderwhowasason,father,husband,andworldcitizen.ThisessentialbookisanattempttofillinthegapscreatedbyourmisperceptionsaswellasthegapsleftbyDexterhimself.
