I was unfamiliar with Moten Swing until I helped promote a concert that Dexter Gordon did with the Lincoln Jazz Society in 1977. During his sound check, Dexter played this. His band, pianist George Cables, bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Eddie Gladden, didn't know the tune, so Dexter counted it off, started playing the melody and shouted the changes out the corner of his mouth and back over his shoulder a chord at a time as each chord came up in the tune. His band had it cold by the end of the first chorus. Dexter's soundcheck is still the best rendition I've heard of this.
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Last update: Monday, October 29, 2001 at 12:50 PM.