Gordon’s sojourn in Denmark (as well as Norway and Sweden) was a huge success. His playing, documented on several SteepleChase albums, was probably the best of his whole career. Still in his early forties, he was challenging himself every time he went on the bandstand, as these recordings attest. His tone had not darkened, as it did in his later years, and his technical command was at its height, spinning solos that seemingly could have gone on into infinity without missing a beat. His ideas are a lexicon of the tenor saxophone vocabulary, and was an inspiration to the Coltrane’s of this world as much as the Rollins’.

There are two groups here, both lifted by the sheer inventive force and mischievous humour of Gordon’s playing. In lesser musicians the odd quote from other songs can be a bit passé, Gordon took it to a level that is an art from in its own right. Bent Axen was Denmark’s leading hard bop pianist, very accomplished, and in tandem with NHØP, make a fine rhythmic pairing, while it is interesting to hear a young (19 years old) playing time with such authority on the last three tracks.

From the, yes, humorous introduction to ‘Thee O’Clock In The Morning,’ this is Gordon in full sail, four star stuff right through to ‘Stanley The Steamer.’