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Nosson Tzvi Finkel (Slabodka)

Nosson Tzvi Finkel (נתן צבי פינקל, Sephardic/Israeli: Natan Tzvi; נָטע הערש; 1849–1927) was an influential Lithuanian Jewish leader of Orthodox Judaism in Eastern Europe and founder of the Slabodka yeshiva, in the town of Sloboda Vilyampolskaya (now Vilijampolė, a suburb of Kaunas). He is also known by the Yiddish appellation der Alter ("the Elder") and as the Alter of Slabodka. Many of his pupils were to become major leaders of Orthodox Judaism in the USA and Israel.

Early years
Rabbi Finkel was born in 1849 to Reb Moshe Finkel and was orphaned at an early age, not much is known about his formative years. At a young age, he went to study at the Kelm Talmud Torah under Rabbi Simcha Zissel Ziv, "the Alter of Kelm."

Philosophical approach
Despite his influence, he was an intensely private person. Yet, he personally oversaw the complete student body of the yeshiva.

His motto was summed up in the words Gadlus HaAdam ("Greatness of Man"). He stressed the need for mussar (ethics), using works such as those of Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, polishing the character traits of his students so that they would aspire to become gedolim - "great ones" in all areas of both scholarship, and personal ethics.

He spent ten out of every twelve months with his students full-time, only returning to his wife for the Jewish holidays. He had special agents who would keep an eye out all over Europe for teenagers with an aptitude for both scholarship and leadership, recruiting them and bringing them back to Slobodka. He attained unusual success, and his students subsequently reflected that he was a master of the human psyche and knew just which psychological buttons to press to give direction to his students' lives.

He would monitor the extracurricular behavior of students, judging their character faults and strengths. He was responsible for deciding which boys would share rooms together, weighing the strengths of one against the other. Some were chosen to be his personal assistants. He stressed the importance of outer appearance and the need for neatness and cleanliness. He did not want the image of the poor, tattered, down-trodden yeshiva bochur (yeshiva student) to be associated with the alumni of his institution. The rabbinical and Talmudical graduates of the Slobodka Yeshiva tried to live up to a higher code of dress and deportment, to the point of being accused of being dandies.

He would send teams of his trained prized pupils to places that needed a boost in religious observance and learning of Torah. His own son, Eliezer Yehudah (Leizer Yudel) Finkel eventually became the head of the far older Mir yeshiva, eventually leading it all the way to Jerusalem where it is today the largest post-high school yeshiva in the world with thousands of students.

Opposition
His main opponents in the "yeshiva world" were first and foremost Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik and as a result the Brisk yeshivas, who were adamantly opposed to any changes in what they believed to be the time-tested ways of yeshiva education. To this day, the Brisk yeshivos, based mainly in Jerusalem today, do not teach mussar (ethics) as a separate curriculum, but focus on pure Talmud study.

Finkel's opponents argued that the pure focus on the Talmud would automatically create greatness in both scholarship and ethics. But Finkel believed that, while this might have been true in previous generations, the modern age was different. In his view, too many new enticing secular ideologies, such as Socialism and Zionism and the very real lure of atheism in universities, were becoming a replacement for traditional Judaism for many young Jews. He was determined to prove that what he had to offer was more appealing than anything the outside world could offer.

Land of Israel

Finkel staged one of the most dramatic moves in the history of yeshivos. In the 1920s he decided to create a branch of his yeshiva in the Land of Israel, together with the dean Rabbi Moshe Mordechai Epstein, setting it up in Hebron and sending waves of hand-picked students there, culminating with his own permanent aliyah, "going up", to the Holy Land two years before his passing. In the region of Palestine he founded his own institution in the town of Hebron called Knesses Yisroel - "Gathering of Israel", which moved to Jerusalem following the massacre of Jews during the 1929 Palestine riots in which many of the yeshiva students were murdered. This yeshiva today, Yeshivas Chevron in Jerusalem, has about a thousand students and is one of the most prestigious Lithuanian yeshivos in Israel.

Influence
During his lifetime, he molded many who would eventually become the heads (roshei yeshiva) of most of the so-called Lithuanian-style yeshivas that were established in the United States and Israel during the 20th century, and which continue to grow dramatically in the 21st century. Some of the more famous students are:
 * Rabbi Eliezer Yehuda Finkel (son of the Alter) of the Mirrer Yeshiva in Mir and Jerusalem, Israel
 * Rabbi Yitzchok Hutner of Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin of Brooklyn, New York
 * Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky of Yeshiva Torah Vodaas in Brooklyn, New York
 * Rabbi Avrohom Eliyahu Kaplan of Hildesheimer Rabbinical Seminary in Berlin, Germany
 * Rabbi Aharon Kotler, of Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, New Jersey
 * Rabbi Dovid Leibowitz of Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim: Rabbinical Seminary of America in Queens
 * Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchok Ruderman of Yeshivas Ner Yisroel in Baltimore, Maryland
 * Rabbi Yechezkel Sarna, head of Chevron Yeshiva, Jerusalem, Israel
 * Rabbi Isaac Sher, head of the Slabodka Yeshiva of Bnei Brak, Israel
 * Rabbi Yechiel Yaakov Weinberg of Hildesheimer Rabbinical Seminary in Berlin, Germany

The Alter did not author any books or essays personally, but some of his ethical discourses were published under the name Ohr HaTzafun - "The Hidden Light" (also meaning "The Light of the Hidden (One)"). The word Ha-Tz[a]-F[u]-N also being the four initials of his name, but not in order ("Hirsh-Tzvi-Finkel-Nota"). The title alludes to the hidden and mysterious nature of its subject, as he used to sign his name as Hatzafun.

title: Nosson Tzvi Finkel (Slabodka)


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The Color of Money

The Color of Money is a 1986 American sports drama film directed by Martin Scorsese. It is the sequel to the 1961 film The Hustler. Like the previous film, The Color of Money is based on the novel of the same name by Walter Tevis.

The film stars Paul Newman reprising his role as "Fast Eddie" Felson, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor. The film also stars Tom Cruise playing a pool hustler, and features Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as the girlfriend of Cruise's character.

The plot follows the trio as they hustle pool halls and make their way to a nine-ball tournament in Atlantic City.

The film received a generally positive critical response on its release, although some critics thought that the film was an inferior followup to The Hustler.

Plot
"Fast Eddie" has given up playing pool, and is now a successful liquor salesman in Chicago. However, he partners with pool players, including a hustler named Julian, who is outmatched at nine-ball by the young and charismatic Vincent. Recognizing Vincent's skill, and his girlfriend Carmen's inexperience at luring players to lose money, Eddie tells the couple of their excellent potential for hustling.

Carmen visits Eddie alone to inquire about his interest in Vincent. Finding him working at Child World, Eddie invites Vincent to leave the next day for six weeks of hustling on the road, culminating in a nine-ball tournament in Atlantic City. Manipulating Vincent's insecurities about Carmen and giving him a valuable Balabushka cue stick, Eddie persuades him to accept his offer. Eddie's abrupt departure upsets Julian, as well as Eddie's girlfriend, Janelle.

Vincent and Carmen hit the road with Eddie in his Cadillac, visiting a series of pool halls, with Eddie taking most of any winnings and absorbing losses. Eddie attempts to teach him the art of hustling, but Vincent balks at having to play below his ability. At a pool hall run by his old acquaintance, Orvis, Eddie becomes fed up with Vincent's arrogance, and leaves him. In Vincent's absence, Eddie reminds Carmen that they are partners with a mutual business interest in Vincent. Eddie returns to find Vincent grandstanding, beating the pool hall's best player but scaring off a wealthier. Eddie and Vincent talk frankly, agreeing that Vincent must curb his ego if they are to succeed.

Eddie and Carmen struggle to rein in Vincent's showboating. After a string of successful games, Vincent plays the famed Grady Seasons, but is directed by Eddie to the game to inflate the odds against Vincent in Atlantic City. Goaded by Grady, Vincent nearly fails to throw the game, and Eddie is inspired to play again. After some success, Eddie is beaten by Amos, a hustler. Humiliated, Eddie leaves Vincent and Carmen with enough money to make it to Atlantic City.

Eddie enters the Atlantic City tournament, in which he triumphs against Vincent. Vincent and Carmen surprise Eddie with $8,000; his "cut" of Vincent's winnings. Vincent says that he intentionally lost their match.

In his semifinal match, Eddie forfeits the game and returns Vincent's money. Determined to win legitimately, Eddie faces Vincent in a private match, declaring, "I'm back!"

Cast

 * Paul Newman as Eddie "Fast Eddie" Felson
 * Tom Cruise as Vincent Lauria
 * Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as Carmen
 * Helen Shaver as Janelle
 * John Turturro as Julian
 * Bill Cobbs as Orvis
 * Forest Whitaker as Amos
 * Keith McCready as Grady

Production

The Color of Money was released by Touchstone Pictures, after both 20th Century Fox and Columbia Pictures declined. The film was shot in 49 days with cinematographer Michael Ballhaus and a budget of $14.5 million. It is an adaptation of the 1984 novel of the same name by Walter Tevis, and was written by Richard Price. Although it features some characters from the novel, it was not written to be a sequel. A screenplay was written by Tevis, but the filmmakers decided not to use it. Jean-Pierre Léaud was briefly considered for the role of Vincent. It was shot in and around Chicago, with much of the filming taking place in pool and billiard halls, rather than in built sets. The film was edited by Thelma Schoonmaker, who used closeup shots of pool balls being played, as well as wider visuals of the players, to get across the visual of a pool hall.

Director Martin Scorsese cited the influence of techniques and lighting in the 1947 Powell-Pressburger film, Black Narcissus, when making The Color of Money. In particular, he stated that the extreme closeups of Tom Cruise around the pool table were inspired by those of the nuns in that film. Paul Newman said that the best advice he was given by Scorsese was to "try not to be funny". Cruise performed most of his own pool shots. An exception was a over two balls to  another. Scorsese believed that Cruise could learn the shot, but that it would take too long, so the shot was performed for him by professional player, Mike Sigel. Cruise mentioned that, to prepare for the role, he bought a pool table for his apartment and practiced for hours on end. Standing in for the valuable Balabushka cue in the movie is a Joss J-18 (which became the Joss 10-N7), made to resemble a classic Balabushka.

Sigel was a technical director, and he and fellow player, Ewa Mataya Laurance, served as technical consultants and shot performers in the film. Absent from the film is the character, Minnesota Fats, played by Jackie Gleason in The Hustler. Newman said that he had wanted the character to appear, but that none of the attempts to include him fit well into the story that was being written. According to Scorsese, Gleason apparently agreed with Newman's opinion that Minnesota Fats was not essential to the film's story. Scorsese said that Gleason was presented with a draft of the script that had Fats worked into the narrative, but after reading it, Gleason declined to reprise the role because he felt that the character seemed to have been added as "an afterthought".

Release
The Color of Money had its world premiere at the Ziegfeld Theater in New York City October 8, 1986. The film went into wide release in the United States October 17, 1986. The American release was limited to select theaters throughout the country, with the film opening in more theaters during the next four weeks of its initial release. After its run, the film grossed $52,293,982 domestically. The film was released on DVD January 3, 2000, and on Blu-ray June 5, 2012.

Critical response

The Color of Money received a generally positive critical response on its release, although some critics thought that the film was an inferior followup to The Hustler. Based on 48 reviews collected by Rotten Tomatoes, the film received an 88% approval rating from critics, with an average score of 7.10/10. The site's consensus reads: "That it's inferior to the original goes without saying, but Paul Newman and Tom Cruise are a joy to watch, and Martin Scorsese's direction is typically superb." Review aggregator website Metacritic reported a weighted average score of 77 out of 100, based on 17 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B−" on a scale of A+ to F.

The film was praised for the major cast. Vincent Canby, writing for The New York Times, commented on the "three fully realized" main characters, and that the journey with them throughout the film is "most satisfying". Canby, however, also commented that it "lacks in narrative shapeliness", before giving the film 9 out of 10.

Sheila Benson of the Los Angeles Times called these characters an "electrifying unholy trio", and praised the metaphors between hustling and pool.

Miami Herald writer Bill Cosford, however, commented that "whatever Scorsese and Price have to say about these marvelous characters, it is not anything interesting".

Tom Hutchingson of Radio Times said that Newman "deserved" to win an Oscar for his performance.

Reviewers compared The Color of Money with other Scorsese films. Jason Bailey, writing for Flavorwire, described the film as only "mid-level" for the director, but that it was so "overpowering ... jazzy and boisterous" that he could not help but enjoy.

The Chicago Tribune Gene Siskel commented that the "grit is gone", for Scorsese was not backed up by a veteran contributor, as in his other works.

People commented that the film benefited from the cast of characters, and Scorsese's choice of actors.

Accolades
For The Color of Money, Newman received the Academy Award for Best Actor, his first Academy Award and his seventh nomination.

Soundtrack
The soundtrack album of the motion picture was released by MCA Records in 1986. Robbie Robertson produced the score for the film.

Track listing:

 * 1) "Who Owns This Place?" (Don Henley/Danny Kortchmar/J.D. Souther) – Don Henley (4:55)
 * 2) "It's in the Way That You Use It" (Eric Clapton/Robbie Robertson) – Eric Clapton (4:00)
 * 3) "Let Yourself in for It" (Robert Palmer) – Robert Palmer (5:20)
 * 4) "Don't Tell Me Nothin'" (Willie Dixon) – Willie Dixon (4:42)
 * 5) "Two Brothers and a Stranger" (Mark Knopfler) – Mark Knopfler (2:42)
 * 6) "Standing on the Edge of Love" (Jerry Lynn Williams) – B.B. King (3:59)
 * 7) "Modern Blues" (Robbie Robertson) – Robbie Robertson (2:57)
 * 8) "Werewolves of London" (L. Marinell/Waddy Wachtel/Warren Zevon) – Warren Zevon (3:24)
 * 9) "My Baby's in Love with Another Guy" (H. Brightman/L. Lucie) – Robert Palmer (2:30)
 * 10) "The Main Title" (Robbie Robertson) – Robbie Robertson (2:46)

Legacy
A line in the film spoken by Tom Cruise — "In here? Doom" — inspired the title of the popular 1993 video game, Doom.

The 1996 nine-ball challenge match between Efren Reyes and Earl Strickland was named "The Color of Money" in honor of the film. The second challenge, which took place in 2001, was titled "The Color of Money II".

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: The Color of Money


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New Kids on the Block

New Kids on the Block (also initialized as NKOTB) is an American boy band from Dorchester, Massachusetts. The band consists of brothers Jonathan and Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood. New Kids on the Block enjoyed success in the late 1980s and early 1990s and have sold more than 80 million records worldwide, and are often credited for paving the way for future boy bands such as Take That, Backstreet Boys and NSYNC. They won two American Music Awards in 1990 for Favorite Pop/Rock Band, Duo, or Group and Favorite Pop/Rock Album. In 1991, they performed the halftime show at Super Bowl XXV, a first for a popular music group.

Formed in 1984, New Kids on the Block achieved stardom in 1989, an achievement listed as number 16 on Rolling Stone's "Top 25 Teen Idol Breakout Moments". The group disbanded in 1994. In 2007, the group reunited to record an album and mount a concert tour in 2008. Since then the group has released two more studio albums and have continued to tour.

The group received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2014.

1984–1985: Early career
In the early 1980s, Maurice Starr discovered pop/R&B quintet New Edition, and guided their early success. After breaking ties with them, Starr and his business partner, Mary Alford, sought to create a white counterpart act. Fifteen-year-old Donnie Wahlberg impressed Starr and Alford with his rapping skills, becoming the group's first member. He was initially joined by his younger brother Mark, who left the group after only a few months. Donnie then recruited his school friends Jamie Kelly, Jordan Knight and Danny Wood to join the group; Knight was followed into the group by his older brother Jonathan Knight, while Kelly left the group early on.

When a search was made to find a Michael Jackson-esque singer to replace Kelly, Starr recruited 12-year-old Joey McIntyre, who initially struggled to fit in with the group. With the final lineup in place, Starr rehearsed the boys after school and on weekends, and eventually secured the group a recording contract at Columbia Records.

Originally, the group was called Nynuk (pronounced "na-nook"). Nikki Van Noy, author of the group's official biography, wrote in 2012 that the name Nynuk is "meaningless", although a 1989 article by Rolling Stone suggested a possible connection to Nanook of the North. Columbia demanded Starr change the name of the group. Subsequently, they settled on New Kids on the Block, after a rap song that Donnie Wahlberg had written and arranged for their first album. The group was signed to Columbia's black music division and originally marketed to black audiences.

1986–1987: New Kids on the Block (debut album)
In April 1986, Columbia Records released the group's self-titled debut album. The album, almost exclusively written and produced by Maurice Starr, featured mid-1980s bubblegum pop material. The first single, "Be My Girl", received minor airplay around the group's native Boston but failed to capture nationwide attention. The album's second single, "Stop It Girl", fared even worse. The New Kids went on tour around the New England states, singing wherever Starr could book them: in bars, school dances, and clubs. Nevertheless, Starr remained diligent and persuaded the label to allow the group to record a second album.

1988–1989: Hangin' Tough
After the failure of the first album, Starr had the group back in the studio for most of 1987 and 1988 recording their second album. Dissatisfied with the excessively bubblegum sound of their first album, the group wanted to have more input on their look, direction and song material. As a result, Wahlberg, Wood and Jordan Knight received associate producer credit on the final product. The album, Hangin' Tough, was released to modest fanfare in September. The album's first single was "Please Don't Go Girl", a ballad released in the spring of 1988. Failure seemed destined a second time when the song became another that went unnoticed by the listening public, and Columbia Records made plans to drop the New Kids from the label. At the eleventh hour, however, a pop radio station in Florida began playing the song. Scoring listener approval, it soon became the most requested song on their play list. When Columbia caught wind of the positive response, they decided to keep the group on its roster and put more effort into promoting the single. Columbia decided to re-shoot a music video for "Please Don't Go Girl", hiring director Doug Nichol, and sent the video to thousands of radio stations across the country to show the group's visual appeal. National attention soon followed and "Please Don't Go Girl" eventually climbed to No. 10 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles Chart—becoming the group's first hit.

In the meantime, the group began making national televised appearances on such music programs as Showtime at the Apollo and Soul Train. Producer Maurice Starr then held auditions to secure a band of musicians suitable for touring with the New Kids, approving musical director and keyboardist Greg McPherson, bassist David Dyson, keyboardist Yasko Kubota, guitarist Nerida Rojas, and drummer Derrick Antunes. The New Kids later landed a spot as an opening act for fellow teen-pop act Tiffany on the U.S. leg of her concert tour. Sales of Hangin' Tough steadily increased as the group's national attention slowly rose. At year's end, the album's second single, "You Got It (The Right Stuff)", was released. The song was given a huge boost when MTV took notice of the group and began playing the video in regular rotation, including an appearance on Club MTV. By early 1989, it cracked the top five. The New Kids hit pay dirt with their next single, "I'll Be Loving You (Forever)", which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart in June. The group had been scheduled to open for Tiffany once again on a second tour, but their sudden popularity caused a reversal, and she wound up opening for them (although the two acts were technically billed as "co-headliners").

More top five singles from Hangin' Tough followed into the summer and fall, including the title track and "Cover Girl". Columbia Records also released the single "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)" (a cover of The Delfonics' classic hit), from the group's previously overlooked debut album. The song went No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles on the strength of the group's popularity and effectively jump-started the sales of that album as well. By the end of 1989, Hangin' Tough had climbed to number one on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart and had gone eight-times platinum. They subsequently became the first 'teen' act to garner five top ten hits from a single album.

Meanwhile, a top ten charting holiday album, Merry, Merry Christmas, was released in the fall—spawning another top 10 hit, "This One's for the Children", and going double platinum in the U.S. The proceeds were donated to United Cerebral Palsy, the New Kids' favorite charitable cause. Hangin' Tough would go on to spend 132 weeks on the chart, and in January 1990, the album won two American Music Awards for "Best Pop/Rock Album" and "Best Pop/Rock Group". With the success of "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind)", "Cover Girl", and "This One's For the Children", the group pulled off a rare feat of having three singles on the Billboard Hot 100 at the same time, but each from a different album.

Columbia Music Video also released a home video, Hangin' Tough, a documentary on the band directed by Doug Nichol and produced by Bryan Johnson that included their four hit music videos and a live concert recorded during their 1989 tour. It achieved massive sales, earning a Grammy Award for Best Long Form Music Video nomination, and was one of the biggest selling music videos of all time.

The then governor of Massachusetts, Michael Dukakis, declared April 24, 1989 to be "New Kids on the Block Day".

1990–1993: Step by Step and lip syncing allegations
By early 1990, New Kids on the Block had become one of the most popular acts in the United States. That May, they followed up Hangin' Tough with Step by Step, for which just over half of the songs were cowritten and produced by the members themselves. The first single, the title track, hit number one on the Hot 100 Singles Chart and became their biggest-selling single. It was followed up with their ninth consecutive top-ten single, "Tonight". The group was achieving significant international success, as well: "Let's Try It Again" hit No. 8 on the UK singles chart, while "Baby I Believe in You" went to number one in Japan. The album was eventually certified triple platinum, selling close to 20 million copies worldwide. By late 1990, David Dyson assumed the role of musical director.

The group performed an estimated two hundred concerts a year, with an extravagant worldwide concert tour that summer called The Magic Summer Tour, sponsored by Coke. The tour ultimately grossed $74 million ($133 million adjusted for inflation), making them the top-grossing touring act in the country at the time and one of the highest-grossing concert tours of the decade, with overall attendance of 3.2 million people. Their 1990 pay-per-view special broke records at the time. During this time, NKOTB licensed merchandise flooded the market, including lunch boxes, buttons, t-shirts, comic books (published by Harvey Comics), and dolls. They inspired a Saturday morning cartoon, developed by the Pangea Corporation and animated by DIC Entertainment. In 1991, sales of the group's merchandise was estimated at US$400 million.

New Kids on the Block's official fan club had a membership of over 200,000 and was one of the largest in the United States. The official NKOTB hotline, 1-900-909-5KIDs, received approximately 100,000 calls per week. In 1991, the group topped Forbes' list of highest paid entertainers, ahead of Michael Jackson, Madonna, Prince and Bill Cosby. At year's end, Columbia released No More Games/The Remix Album, a compilation of remixes of the group's biggest hits. It produced two singles, "Call It What You Want (The C&C Pump-It Mix)" (UK #12) and "Games (The New Kids Get Hard Mix)" (UK #14), for which videos were also released.

The group released no new material in 1991, and instead toured throughout Europe and Asia. That summer, Wood and Wahlberg cowrote and produced the debut album from Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, headed by Mark Wahlberg, Donnie's brother and a former New Kid. Mark Wahlberg's album, which would end up going platinum, scored a number-one hit with "Good Vibrations".

In early 1992, the group released the stand-alone single "If You Go Away", the only new track on the compilation H.I.T.S.. The song peaked at No. 16 on the US charts and No. 9 in the UK. Meanwhile, as the music industry was still reeling from the Milli Vanilli lip-syncing scandal, NKOTB found themselves accused of lip-syncing by Gregory McPherson. Credited as an associate producer and string arranger on the Step by Step album and a music teacher at Berklee College of Music, McPherson alleged that Maurice Starr sang the vocals while the group lip-synced to pre-recorded vocals during their live performances. McPherson also filed a breach of contract and creative infringement lawsuit against Starr.

The group immediately responded to the allegations and interrupted the Australian leg of their tour to fly to Los Angeles to perform live on The Arsenio Hall Show. After performing a medley of their previous hits and their new single, the group (along with Starr) was interviewed by Hall. The group admitted to singing with a backing track during live performances and also admitted that Starr sang harmony on some background vocals.

On February 10, 1992, the New Kids filed a defamation lawsuit against McPherson regarding his lip-syncing allegations. In April 1992, McPherson dropped his suit against Starr and released a statement recanting his previous allegations stating, "[The New Kids] did sing lead on their vocals".

By the time the lip-syncing allegations surfaced, the group was starting to experience a backlash. Despite their success, the group was regularly dismissed by critics for their attempts to promote themselves as an urban act and their practice of using backing vocals for live performances. The group's record sales also began to decline due to a shift in musical tastes to gangsta rap and grunge music.

1993–1995: Face the Music and split
In 1993, after having split from Maurice Starr, the group shortened their name to the initialism NKOTB. In January 1994, their fourth studio album, Face the Music, was released. Their first studio album in close to four years, Face the Music was a musical departure from the group's previous efforts. Nearly all the songs were written and/or co-produced by the group. In spite of some positive critical reception, the album failed to live up to commercial expectation. The album's final single to chart was "Dirty Dawg" (which featured a rap cameo by Nice & Smooth), peaking at No. 66 on the Billboard Hot 100. The follow-up single, "Never Let You Go", failed to chart in the U.S., but did reach No. 42 in the UK Singles Chart and No. 18 in the Canadian charts.

NKOTB went on tour to support the album, playing smaller venues such as clubs and theaters, as opposed to the arenas and stadiums they were once accustomed to. After experiencing increased panic attacks and anxiety, Jonathan Knight left the band. Shortly thereafter, the remaining four decided to officially disband the group.

After the group's split, most of the group members started families and began to venture into other avenues. Jonathan Knight and Danny Wood maintained low profiles, while the other three continued their careers individually. Wahlberg, in particular, followed the lead of his younger brother, Mark Wahlberg, and started an acting career. McIntyre and Jordan Knight recorded solo albums in 1999. In 1999, MTV attempted to reunite the group and get them to perform on that year's VMAs. All of the members were on board for the project, except Jonathan. Without him, the performance did not happen. In 2004, Aamer Haleem, host of VH1's Bands Reunited, also attempted to convince each of the members of New Kids on the Block to reunite for a one-night performance for the show. This time Jonathan agreed. However, McIntyre, Wahlberg, and Wood all declined. While Wood and Wahlberg declined on-camera interviews, McIntyre cited that the only way he would perform with the band was if the group would make the decision to reunite permanently.

2008–2012: Reunion, The Block and NKOTBSB
In April 2008, after months of speculation, Wahlberg confirmed to CNN that the group had reunited with plans to record new material and to stage a tour. The following month, the group released their first single since reuniting, "Summertime". The cover of the single featured the name "New Kids on the Block", re-lengthened from the initials NKOTB.

On August 12, 2008, they released their second single, "Single", featuring R&B singer Ne-Yo, followed by the release of the group's first studio album in fourteen years, The Block. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Pop Albums Chart and No. 2 on the Billboard 200 in September 2008. It was certified Gold in October 2008, in Canada.

The group's reunion tour, New Kids on the Block: Live, began at Toronto's Air Canada Centre on September 18, 2008. They toured the US with Natasha Bedingfield and Lady Gaga as supporting acts. There were 48 total concerts scheduled for Canada and the United States, nine in the United Kingdom, one in Ireland, one in France, one in Amsterdam, Netherlands and two in Germany. A NKOTB-sponsored "theme" concert cruise (for their fans) departed from Miami, Florida and traveled to the Bahamas from May 15–18, 2009. The group also announced the Full Service Tour for 2009, featuring Jesse McCartney and Jabbawockeez.

Group member Jordan Knight announced a new concert cruise for 2010. After the tour, each member took a break on doing other endeavors. McIntyre recorded a few songs written and produced by fellow musicians such as himself, Drew Ryan Scott from boy band After Romeo, Brent Paschke, and Gabe Lopez. Wahlberg worked on his own music as well, releasing a single called "I Got It" featuring Aubrey O'Day (formerly from Danity Kane) and "Rise and Grind" featuring Roscoe Umali.

On Friday, August 13, 2010, tickets went on sale for the third annual NKOTB cruise which would take place aboard the Carnival Destiny, leaving from Miami, FL on Thursday, May 12, 2011, to Nassau and Half Moon Cay, Bahamas and returning to Miami, FL on Monday, May 16, 2011. Once again, the cruise sold out the same day it went on sale, with thousands of fans on a 'waitlist' standing by for any openings on the boat due to cancellations.

On August 18, 2010, an 'unofficial' announcement was made that NKOTB and the Backstreet Boys would be touring together in 2011 after the successful surprise collaboration performance at Radio City Music Hall on June 19, 2010. On October 8, 2010, Brian Littrell, a member of the Backstreet Boys, gave the tour a 78% chance of happening. He also stated that he and Wahlberg had been working on songs together.

On November 3, 2010, an official announcement was made that NKOTB and BSB would be touring together in the summer of 2011 along with Jordin Sparks and Ashlyne Huff. In May 2011, Matthew Morrison confirmed during an interview on talk show Chelsea Lately that he would also be joining the tour. The NKOTBSB Tour began on May 25, 2011, and ended in June 2012. They also released a compilation album NKOTBSB which included 2 new songs.

On June 22, 2012, NKOTB was among 24 celebrities selected by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for 2013.

McIntyre stated during Summer Mixtape Festival that they were making a new album and unlike their previous album The Block, there will be no collaboration on it.

2013–2023: 10, Thankful, and Battle of Boston with New Edition
On January 22, 2013, the group appeared on The View and announced that they were going to release a new single titled "Remix (I Like The)" on January 28 and a new album titled 10 on April 2, 2013, via Kobalt Label Services. During the show, they also announced that they were going to tour North America with 98 Degrees and Boyz II Men as their opening acts in summer 2013. 10 was released on April 2, 2013, and received mixed to positive reviews from music critics. The group appeared on various television series to promote the album including The Today Show, The View, and an iHeartRadio concert release party. The album made its debut at number 6 on the Billboard 200 chart marking their 5th top 10 studio album in the US. The group, along with Boyz II Men performed on the Boston Strong telethon on May 30, 2013.

On February 3, 2014, the band announced their European Tour 2014. The official website described the tour: 'Kicking-off at the Annex in Stockholm on May 6 and culminating at Clyde Auditorium in Glasgow on June 1, the shows will take place at some of the most intimate venues across Europe, giving our fans a rare opportunity to get up-close-and-personal with the band.' Following the tour the group met up in New York to embark on the 6th annual NKOTB Cruise. Also, in the Spring of 2014 they announced a limited engagement in Las Vegas. The show entitled New Kids On The Block After Dark ran for 4 consecutive nights from July 10–13, 2014 at The AXIS at Planet Hollywood.

On October 9, 2014, the group received their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In January 2015, the group announced they would be embarking on a summer tour called The Main Event, with TLC and Nelly. They also starred on Pop's Rock This Boat: New Kids on the Block, a reality television series featuring the band on a cruise to Bermuda. The show was renewed for a second season the following year.

The group played themselves on an episode of the second season of Fuller House entitled, "New Kids in the House", where they performed multiple songs including "The Right Stuff" and "Please Don't Go Girl" as well as singing Happy Birthday to DJ Tanner in the show. The episode was released on December 9, 2016.

In November 2016, the group announced a new tour called The Total Package Tour with Paula Abdul & Boyz II Men. The 44-city North American tour spanned May 12 through July 16 and marked Abdul's first tour in more than 20 years. In March 2017 during an appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden they performed the new single "One More Night" from the EP Thankful, which was released on May 12 to coincide with the start of the tour.

In December 2017, they released an expanded version of the EP entitled Thankful (Unwrapped), now including the Target-only track "We Were Here" (featuring DMX) as well as three newly recorded holiday songs, their first new material of holiday music in 28 years. Additionally, they announced a short-film documentary filmed during their summer tour will be released on December 9.

In October 2018, New Kids announced their MixTape Tour, which would include 1980s and 1990s stars such as Salt-N-Pepa, Naughty by Nature, Debbie Gibson, and Tiffany. It was to run from May 2, 2019, in Cincinnati, Ohio, through July 14 in Hollywood, Florida. On December 13, 2018, New Kids announced they would perform at Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve 2019 in Times Square.

On March 2, 2019, New Kids released a new music video "Boys in the Band (Boy Band Anthem)", which included cameos from Lance Bass, Debbie Gibson, Naughty by Nature, as well as Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, and Ronnie DeVoe of New Edition. It also included shout outs and easter eggs to several boy bands throughout the years: The Osmonds, Jackson 5, New Edition, Boyz II Men, Bell Biv DeVoe, Backstreet Boys, B2K, 98°, LFO, Menudo, JLS, O-Town, BTS, NSYNC, One Direction, Take That, and Westlife, as well as New Kids themselves.

On May 2, 2019, the Mixtape Tour began in Cincinnati, Ohio, with New Kids as the headliners. Other performers on the tour include Salt-N-Pepa, Debbie Gibson, Tiffany, and Naughty by Nature. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, NKOTB released the single "House Party" which peaked at number five on Billboard's Digital Songs chart. The song featured Naughty by Nature, Boyz II Men, Big Freedia and Jordin Sparks. On August 6, 2021, New Kids on the Block played a concert at Fenway Park in Boston with special guest Bell Biv Devoe and surprise guest D-Nice, as well as Joey's son Griffin McIntyre.

On March 3, 2022, NKOTB uploaded the music video "Bring Back the Time", which features Salt-N-Pepa, Rick Astley, and En Vogue. Directed by John Asher, the video parodies 1980s music videos such as Journey's "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)", Devo's "Whip It", A Flock of Seagulls' "I Ran (So Far Away)", Talking Heads' "Once in a Lifetime", Twisted Sister's "We're Not Gonna Take It", Robert Palmer's "Addicted to Love", Billy Idol's "Flesh for Fantasy", Madonna's "Vogue", Duran Duran's "Rio", Toni Basil's "Mickey", Art of Noise featuring Max Headroom's "Paranoimia", and Michael Jackson's "Beat It".

2024-present: Still Kids and Magic Summer Tour
In March 2024, the group announced that their eighth album, Still Kids, would be released on May 17, 2024. The album is the group's first in eleven years and was preceded by the first single and music video for "Kids" on March 5, 2024. The group, along with opening acts Paula Abdul and DJ Jazzy Jeff, will embark on the NKOTB Magic Summer 2024 Tour in June 2024.

Current

 * Jordan Knight – primary lead vocals, background vocals (1984–present)
 * Donnie Wahlberg – tertiary lead vocals, rapping, background vocals (1984–present)
 * Joey McIntyre – co-secondary lead vocals, background vocals (1985–present)
 * Danny Wood – tertiary lead vocals, background vocals (1984–present)
 * Jonathan Knight – tertiary lead vocals, background vocals (1984–present)

Former

 * Jamie Kelly (1984)
 * Mark Wahlberg (1984)

Studio albums

 * New Kids on the Block (1986)
 * Hangin' Tough (1988)
 * Merry, Merry Christmas (1989)
 * Step by Step (1990)
 * Face the Music (1994)
 * The Block (2008)
 * 10 (2013)
 * Still Kids (2024)

Videos
Hangin' Tough (1989)

Step by Step (1990)

TV Specials
New Kids on The Block: Live from New York: A 1990 PPV special filmed at Nassau Coliseum on November 21st and 22nd, 1990 during the No More Games Tour.

Another No More Games Tour PPV special was filmed in Providence, Rhode Island on December 6th and 7th, 1990.

New Kids on The Block: Magic Summer Tour (1990) A PPV special filmed during NKOTB's 1990 Magic Summer Tour in St. Petersburg, Florida.

New Kids on The Block At Disney MGM Studios: Wildest Dreams (1991) A concert special filmed at Walt Disney World's Disney MGM Studios and features New Kids on The Block as they explore their dreams. Jon dreams about being a movie star, Joey dreams about doing song and dance, Jordan dreams about playing 1 on 1 basketball with NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Danny dreams about being strong and healthy, and Donnie dreams about being a stuntman.

Headlining

 * Hangin' Tough Tour (1988)
 * Sold Out Tour (1989-90)
 * The Magic Summer Tour (1990)
 * No More Games Tour (1990-92)
 * Face the Music Tour (1994)
 * New Kids on the Block Live (2008–09)
 * Full Service Tour (2009)
 * Casi-No Tour (2010)
 * South America and Mexico Tour (2012)
 * An Intimate Evening with New Kids on the Block (2014)
 * The Magic Summer Tour (2024)

Co-headlining

 * NKOTBSB Tour (with Backstreet Boys) (2011–12)
 * The Package Tour (with 98 Degrees and Boyz II Men) (2013)
 * The Main Event (with TLC and Nelly) (2015)
 * Total Package Tour (with Boyz II Men and Paula Abdul) (2017)
 * Mixtape Tour (with Salt-N-Pepa, Naughty by Nature, Tiffany and Debbie Gibson) (2019)
 * Mixtape Tour (with Salt-N-Pepa, Rick Astley, and En Vogue) (2022)

title: New Kids on the Block


text:
Dexter Gordon

Dexter Gordon (February 27, 1923 – April 25, 1990) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, composer, and bandleader. He was among the most influential early bebop musicians. Gordon's height was 6 ft, so he was also known as "Long Tall Dexter" and "Sophisticated Giant". His studio and performance career spanned more than 40 years.

Gordon's sound was commonly characterized as being "large" and spacious and he had a tendency to play behind the beat. He inserted musical quotes into his solos, with sources as diverse as "Happy Birthday" and well-known melodies from the operas of Wagner. Quoting from various musical sources is not unusual in jazz improvisation, but Gordon did it frequently enough to make it a hallmark of his style. One of his major influences was Lester Young. Gordon, in turn, was an early influence on John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins. Rollins and Coltrane then influenced Gordon's playing as he explored hard bop and modal playing during the 1960s.

Gordon had a genial and humorous stage presence. He was an advocate of playing to communicate with the audience, which was his musical approach as well. One of his idiosyncratic rituals was to recite lyrics from each ballad before playing it.

A photograph by Herman Leonard of Gordon taking a smoke break at the Royal Roost in 1948 is one of the iconic images in jazz photography. Cigarettes were a recurring theme on covers of Gordon's albums.

Gordon was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performance in the Bertrand Tavernier film Round Midnight (Warner Bros, 1986), and he won a Grammy for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Soloist, for the soundtrack album The Other Side of Round Midnight (Blue Note Records, 1986). He also had a cameo role in the 1990 film Awakenings. In 2018, Gordon's album Go (Blue Note, 1962) was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

Early life
Dexter Keith Gordon was born on February 27, 1923, in Los Angeles, California. His father, Frank Gordon, one of the first African American medical doctors in Los Angeles, arrived in 1918 after graduating from Howard University Medical School in Washington, D.C. Among his patients were Duke Ellington and Lionel Hampton. Dexter's mother, Gwendolyn Baker, was the daughter of Captain Edward Lee Baker, Jr. one of the five African American Medal of Honor recipients in the Spanish–American War.

Gordon began his study of music with the clarinet at age 13, then switched to the alto saxophone at 15, and finally to the tenor saxophone at 17. He studied with multi-instrumentalist Lloyd Reese while attending Thomas Jefferson High School, and studied with the school’s band director, Sam Browne. While still at school, he played in bands with such contemporaries as Chico Hamilton and Buddy Collette.

Between December 1940 and 1943, Gordon was a member of Lionel Hampton's band, playing in a saxophone section alongside Illinois Jacquet and Marshal Royal. During 1944 he was featured in the Fletcher Henderson band, followed by the Louis Armstrong band, before joining Billy Eckstine. The 1942–44 musicians' strike curtailed the recording of the Hampton, Henderson, and Armstrong bands; however, they were recorded on V-Discs produced by the Army for broadcast and distribution among overseas troops. In 1943, he was featured, alongside Harry "Sweets" Edison, in recordings under Nat Cole for a small label not affected by the strike.

Bebop era recordings
By late 1944, Gordon was resident in New York, a regular at bebop jam sessions, and a featured soloist in the Billy Eckstine big band ("If That's The Way You Feel", "I Want To Talk About You", "Blowin' the Blues Away", "Opus X", "I'll Wait And Pray", "The Real Thing Happened To Me", "Lonesome Lover Blues", "I Love the Rhythm in a Riff"). During early 1945 he was featured on recordings by Dizzy Gillespie (Blue 'n' Boogie, Groovin' High) and Charles Thompson (Takin' Off, If I Had You, 20th Century Blues, The Street Beat). In late 1945 he was recording under his own name for the Savoy label. His Savoy recordings during 1945-46 included Blow Mr. Dexter, Dexter's Deck, Dexter's Minor Mad, Long Tall Dexter, Dexter Rides Again, I Can't Escape From You,and Dexter Digs In. He returned to Los Angeles in late 1946 and in 1947 was leading sessions for Ross Russell's Dial label (Mischievous Lady, Lullaby in Rhythm, The Chase, Iridescence, It's the Talk of the Town, Bikini, A Ghost of a Chance, Sweet and Lovely). After his return to Los Angeles, he became known for his saxophone duels with fellow tenorman Wardell Gray, which were a popular concert attraction documented in recordings made between 1947 and 1952 (The Hunt, Move, The Chase, The Steeplechase). The Hunt gained literary fame from its mention in Jack Kerouac's On The Road, which also contains descriptions of wild tenormen jamming in Los Angeles. Cherokee, Byas a Drink, and Disorder at the Border are other live recordings of the Gray/Gordon duo from the same concert (all issued on the album The Hunt in 1977). In December 1947, Gordon recorded again with the Savoy label (Settin' the Pace, So Easy, Dexter's Riff, Dextrose, Dexter's Mood, Index, Dextivity, Wee Dot, Lion Roars). Through the mid-to-late 1940s he continued to work as a sideman on sessions led by Russell Jacquet, Benny Carter, Ben Webster, Ralph Burns, Jimmy Rushing, Helen Humes, Gerry Mulligan, Wynonie Harris, Leo Parker, and Tadd Dameron.

The 1950s
During the 1950s, Gordon's recorded output and live appearances declined as heroin addiction and legal troubles took their toll. Gordon made a concert appearance with Wardell Gray in February 1952 (The Chase, The Steeplechase, Take the A Train, Robbins Nest, Stardust) and appeared as a sideman in a session led by Gray in June 1952 (The Rubiyat, Jungle Jungle Jump, Citizen's Bop, My Kinda Love). After an incarceration at Chino Prison from 1953 to 1955, he recorded the albums Daddy Plays the Horn and Dexter Blows Hot and Cool in 1955 and played as a sideman on the Stan Levey album, This Time the Drum's on Me. The latter part of the decade saw him in and out of prison until his final release from Folsom Prison in 1959. He was one of the initial sax players for the Onzy Matthews big band in 1959, along with Curtis Amy. Gordon continued to champion Matthews' band after he left Los Angeles for New York, but left for Europe before getting a chance to record with that band. He recorded The Resurgence of Dexter Gordon in 1960. His recordings from the mid-1950s onward document a meander into a smooth West Coast style that lacked the impact of his bebop era recordings or his subsequent Blue Note recordings.

The decade saw Gordon's first entry into the world of drama. He appeared as a member (uncredited) of Art Hazzard's band in the film Young Man with a Horn (1950). He appeared in an uncredited and overdubbed role as a member of a prison band in the movie Unchained, filmed inside Chino. Gordon was a saxophonist performing Freddie Redd's music for the Los Angeles production of Jack Gelber's play The Connection in 1960, replacing Jackie McLean. He contributed two compositions, Ernie's Tune and I Want More to the score and later recorded them for his album Dexter Calling....

New York renaissance
Gordon signed to Blue Note in 1961. He initially commuted from Los Angeles to New York to record, but took up residence when he regained the cabaret card that allowed him to perform where alcohol was served. The Jazz Gallery hosted his first New York performance in twelve years. The Blue Note association was to produce a steady flow of albums for several years, some of which gained iconic status. His New York renaissance was marked by Doin' Allright, Dexter Calling..., Go!, and A Swingin' Affair. The first two were recorded over three days in May 1961 with Freddie Hubbard, Horace Parlan, Kenny Drew, Paul Chambers, George Tucker, Al Harewood, and Philly Joe Jones. The last two were recorded in August 1962, with a rhythm section that featured Blue Note regulars Sonny Clark, Butch Warren and Billy Higgins. Of the two Go! was an expressed favorite. The albums showed his assimilation of the hard bop and modal styles that had developed during his years on the west coast, and the influence of John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins, whom he had influenced before. The stay in New York turned out to be short lived, as Gordon got offers for engagements in England, then Europe, that resulted in a fourteen-year stay. Soon after recording A Swingin' Affair, he left the United States.

Years in Europe
Over the next 14 years in Europe, living mainly in Paris and Copenhagen, Gordon played regularly with fellow expatriates or visiting players, such as Bud Powell, Ben Webster, Freddie Hubbard, Bobby Hutcherson, Kenny Drew, Horace Parlan and Billy Higgins. Blue Note's Francis Wolff supervised Gordon's later sessions for the label on his visits to Europe. The pairing of Gordon with Drew turned out to be one of the classic matchups between a horn player and a pianist, much like Miles Davis with Red Garland or John Coltrane with McCoy Tyner.

From this period came Our Man in Paris, One Flight Up, Gettin' Around, and Clubhouse. Our Man in Paris was a Blue Note session recorded in Paris in 1963 with backup consisting of pianist Powell, drummer Kenny Clarke, and French bassist Pierre Michelot. One Flight Up, recorded in Paris in 1964 with trumpeter Donald Byrd, pianist Kenny Drew, drummer Art Taylor, and Danish bassist Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, features an extended solo by Gordon on the track "Tanya".

Gordon also visited the US occasionally for further recording dates. Gettin' Around was recorded for Blue Note during a visit in May 1965, as was the album Clubhouse which remained unreleased until 1979.

Gordon found Europe in the 1960s a much easier place to live, saying that he experienced less racism and greater respect for jazz musicians. He also stated that on his visits to the US in the late 1960s and early 1970s, he found the political and social strife disturbing. While in Copenhagen, Gordon and Drew's trio appeared onscreen in Ole Ege's theatrically released hardcore pornographic film Pornografi – en musical (1971), for which they composed and performed the score.

He switched from Blue Note to Prestige Records (1965–73). For the label, he recorded bop albums like The Tower of Power! and More Power! (1969) with James Moody, Barry Harris, Buster Williams, and Albert "Tootie" Heath; The Panther! (1970) with Tommy Flanagan, Larry Ridley, and Alan Dawson; The Jumpin' Blues (1970) with Wynton Kelly, Sam Jones, and Roy Brooks; The Chase! (1970) with Gene Ammons, Jodie Christian, John Young, Cleveland Eaton, Rufus Reid, Wilbur Campbell, Steve McCall, and Vi Redd; and Tangerine (1972) with Thad Jones, Freddie Hubbard, and Hank Jones. Some of the Prestige albums were recorded during visits back to North America while he was still living in Europe; others were made in Europe, including live sets from the Montreux Jazz Festival.

In addition to the recordings Gordon did under his American label contracts, live recordings by European labels and live video from his European period have been released. In 1975 Dexter Gordon signed an exclusive recording contract with Danish label SteepleChase and recorded some of his most inspired sessions like The Apartment (1974), More Than You Know (1975), Stable mates, Swiss Nights vol. 1, 2 and 3, Something Different, Lullaby For A Monster, and not least Biting The Apple, recorded during his homecoming trip to New York, featuring Barry Harris, Sam Jones and Al Foster. The album received the Grand Prix De Jazz in Montreux Switzerland 1977. SteepleChase released live dates from his mid-1960s tenure at the Jazzhus Montmartre in Copenhagen. The video was released under the Jazz Icons series.

Homecoming
Gordon returned to the United States for good in 1976. He recorded "Biting The Apple" for SteepleChase during his homecoming, an album featuring pianist Barry Harris, bassist Sam Jones, and drummer Al Foster. In 1977 the album received the Grand Prix de Disques at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. He appeared with Woody Shaw, Ronnie Mathews, Stafford James, and Louis Hayes, for a gig at the Village Vanguard in New York that was dubbed his "homecoming." It was recorded and released by Columbia Records under that title. He observed: "There was so much love and elation; sometimes it was a little eerie at the Vanguard. After the last set they'd turn on the lights and nobody would move." In addition to the Homecoming album, a series of live albums was released by Blue Note from his stands at Keystone Korner in San Francisco during 1978 and 1979. They featured Gordon, George Cables, Rufus Reid, and Eddie Gladden. He recorded the studio albums Sophisticated Giant with an eleven piece big band in 1977 and Manhattan Symphonie with the Live at Keystone Corner crew in 1978. The sensation of Gordon's return, and the continued efforts of Art Blakey through 1970s and early 1980s, have been credited with reviving interest in swinging, melodic, acoustically-based classic jazz sounds after the Fusion jazz era that saw an emphasis on electronic sounds and contemporary pop influences.

Musician Emeritus
In 1978 and 1980, Gordon was the DownBeat Musician of the Year, and in 1980 he was inducted into the Jazz Hall of Fame. The US Government honored him with a Congressional Commendation, a Dexter Gordon Day in Washington DC, and a National Endowment for the Arts award for Lifetime Achievement. In 1986, he was named a member and officer of the French Order of Arts and Letters by the Ministry of Culture in France.

During the 1980s, Gordon, a life-long smoker, was weakened by emphysema. He remained a popular attraction at concerts and festivals, although his live appearances and recording dates would soon become infrequent.

Gordon starred in the 1986 movie Round Midnight as "Dale Turner", an expatriate jazz musician in Paris during the late 1950s based loosely on Lester Young and Bud Powell. That portrayal earned him a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Actor. In addition, he had a non-speaking role as a piano-playing hospital inmate in the 1990 film Awakenings, which was posthumously released. Before that last film was released, he made a guest appearance on the Michael Mann series Crime Story.

Soundtrack performances from Round Midnight were released as the albums Round Midnight and The Other Side of Round Midnight, featuring original music by Herbie Hancock as well as playing by Gordon. The latter was the last recording released under Gordon's name. He was a sideman on Tony Bennett's 1987 album, Berlin.

Death
Gordon died of kidney failure and smoking-related cancer of the larynx in Philadelphia, on April 25, 1990, at the age of 67.

Family
Gordon's maternal grandfather was Captain Edward L. Baker, who received the Medal of Honor during the Spanish–American War, while serving with the 10th Cavalry Regiment (also known as the Buffalo Soldiers).

Gordon's father, Dr. Frank Gordon, M.D., was one of the first prominent African-American physicians and a graduate of Howard University.

When he lived in Denmark, Gordon became friends with the family of the future Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich, and subsequently became Lars's godfather.

Gordon was married three times and had five children: daughters Robin and Deirdre and sons Mikael, Benjamin, and Woody Louis Armstrong Shaw.

Instruments and mouthpieces
The earliest photographs of Gordon as a player show him with a Conn 30M "Connqueror" and an Otto Link mouthpiece. Later he adopted the standard Conn tenor, the 10M. In a 1962 interview with the British journalist Les Tomkins, he did not refer to the specific model of mouthpiece but stated that it was made for him personally. He stated that it was stolen around 1952. In the Tomkins interview he referred to his mouthpiece as a small-chambered piece with a 5* (.085" under the Otto Link system) tip opening. He bought a Selmer Mark VI from Ben Webster after he lost his 10M during the trip to Paris. In a DownBeat magazine interview from 1977, he referred to his current mouthpiece as an Otto Link model with a #8 (.110" under the Otto Link system) tip opening.

As a leader

 * Dexter Rides Again (1947 78 album; Savoy MG 12130, 1992; SV-120, 2010)
 * The Hunt with Wardell Gray (1947 78 album; Savoy SJL 2222, 1977)
 * Dexter Gordon – The Chase with Wardell Gray (Dial Records, 1947, re-released as Spotlite (E) SPJ 130)
 * Dexter Gordon – Move! (Dial Records, 1947, re-released as Spotlite (E) SPJ 133)
 * The Duel with Teddy Edwards (Dial, Spotlite, 1947)
 * Dexter Gordon On Dial, The Complete Sessions – The Chase (compilation, Spotlite (E) SPJ 130 CD)
 * Dexter Gordon – Long Tall Dexter (Savoy SJL 2211, 1976, compilation of 1940s Savoy tracks, previously released and unreleased)
 * Dexter Gordon: Settin' the Pace (Savoy SVY 17027, compilation of 1940s Savoy studio tracks, including alternate takes)
 * Dexter's Mood (Cool & Blue [Switzerland] C&B CD-114, 1994, compilation of Dial and Savoy studio tracks)
 * The Wardell Gray Memorial, Volume 2 (live jam, Move) (Prestige, PRLP 7009, 1983; CD, OJC 051, 1992)
 * The Chase and The Steeplechase, with Wardell Gray, Paul Quinichette (1952, Decca; Universal Distribution CD 9061, 2003)
 * Daddy Plays the Horn (Bethlehem 1955)
 * Dexter Blows Hot and Cool (Dootone 1955)
 * The Resurgence of Dexter Gordon (Jazzland, 1960)
 * Doin' Allright (Blue Note, 1961)
 * Dexter Calling... (Blue Note, 1961)
 * Landslide (Blue Note, 1961–62 [1980])
 * Go! (Blue Note 1962)
 * A Swingin' Affair (Blue Note, 1962)
 * Our Man in Paris (Blue Note, 1963, with Bud Powell, Pierre Michelot, Kenny Clarke)
 * One Flight Up (Blue Note, 1964)
 * Cheese Cake (SteepleChase, 1979 [1964])
 * King Neptune (SteepleChase, 1979 [1964])
 * I Want More (SteepleChase, 1980 [1964])
 * Love for Sale (SteepleChase, 1982 [1964])
 * It's You or No One (SteepleChase, 1983 [1964])
 * Billie's Bounce (SteepleChase, 1983 [1964])
 * Gettin' Around (Blue Note 1965)
 * Clubhouse (Blue Note, 1979 [1965])
 * Wee Dot (SteepleChase, 2003 [1965])
 * Loose Walk (SteepleChase, 2004 [1965])
 * Misty (SteepleChase, 2004 [1965])
 * Heartaches (SteepleChase, 2004 [1965])
 * Ladybird (SteepleChase, 2005 [1965])
 * Stella by Starlight (SteepleChase, 2005 [1966])
 * The Squirrel (Blue Note, 2001 [1967])
 * Satin Doll (SteepleChase, 2012 [1967])
 * Both Sides of Midnight (Black Lion, 1988 [1967])
 * Body and Soul (Black Lion, 1988 [1967])
 * Take The "A" Train (Black Lion, 1989 [1967])
 * After Hours (SteepleChase, 1986, [1969])
 * After Midnight (SteepleChase, 1986, [1969])
 * Live at the Amsterdam Paradiso (Catfish, 1971 [1969])
 * A Day in Copenhagen (MPS, 1969) – with Slide Hampton
 * The Tower of Power! (Prestige, 1969) – with James Moody
 * More Power! (Prestige, 1969)
 * L.T.D. Live At The Left Bank (Prestige, 2001 [1969])
 * XXL Live At The Left Bank (Prestige, 2002 [1969])
 * Some Other Spring (Sonet, 1970) – with Karin Krog
 * Dexter Gordon with Junior Mance at Montreux (Prestige, 1970, with Junior Mance)
 * The Panther! (Prestige, 1970, with Tommy Flanagan and Alan Dawson. Prestige Records)
 * Live At The Both/And Club, San Francisco (BPM BPE-6101, 1970, with George Duke and Donald Garrett and Oliver Johnson)
 * The Chase! (Prestige, 1970, with Gene Ammons)
 * The Jumpin' Blues (Prestige, 1970, with Wynton Kelly)
 * Those Were The Days (Moon, 1995 [1967–71])
 * The Shadow Of Your Smile (Steeplechase SCCD-31206 1971)
 * Tangerine (Prestige, 1975 [1972])
 * Ca'Purange (Prestige, 1972, with Thad Jones, Hank Jones, Stanley Clarke and Louis Hayes)
 * Generation (Prestige, 1972, with Freddie Hubbard, Cedar Walton and others)
 * Afterhours/The Great Pescara Jam Sessions Vol 1&2 (Ports Song, 1973, with Eric Ineke)
 * Blues à la Suisse (Prestige, 1973)
 * The Montmartre Collection Vol.II - Blues Walk (Black Lion Records, 1974)
 * Candlelight Lady (SteepleChase, 2014 [1974])
 * The Apartment (SteepleChase, 1974)
 * The Rainbow People (Steeplechase, 2002 [1974], with Benny Bailey)
 * Round Midnight (SteepleChase, 1991 [1974], with Benny Bailey)
 * Revelation (SteepleChase, 1995 [1974], with Benny Bailey)
 * More Than You Know (SteepleChase, 1975) with Orchestra arranged and conducted by Palle Mikkelborg
 * Stable Mable (SteepleChase, 1975)
 * Something Different (SteepleChase, 1975)
 * Bouncin' with Dex (SteepleChase, 1975)
 * Swiss Nights Vol. 1 (SteepleChase, 1976 [1975])
 * Swiss Nights Vol. 2 (SteepleChase, 1978 [1975])
 * Swiss Nights Vol. 3 (SteepleChase, 1979 [1975])
 * Live In Chateauvallon (Elemental, 11/8/78 [2020)
 * Lullaby for a Monster (SteepleChase, 1981 [1976])
 * True Blue (Xanadu, 1976, with Al Cohn)
 * Silver Blue (Xanadu, 1976, with Al Cohn)
 * Biting the Apple (SteepleChase, 1976)
 * Homecoming: Live at the Village Vanguard (Columbia, 1976, with Woody Shaw, Ronnie Mathews, Stafford James, Louis Hayes)
 * Jazz Classics (Aurophon, 1977, with Lionel Hampton, Bucky Pizzarelli, Hank Jones, George Duvivier, Candido Camero, Oliver Jackson)
 * Sophisticated Giant (Columbia, 1977, with 11-piece big-band including Woody Shaw, Slide Hampton, Bobby Hutcherson, and Benny Bailey)
 * Manhattan Symphonie (Columbia, 1978, with Rufus Reid – bass, Eddie Gladden – percussion, and George Cables – keyboard)
 * Great Encounters (Columbia, 1979)
 * Live at Carnegie Hall (Columbia, 1998 [1978], 2 tracks with Johnny Griffin)
 * North Sea Jazz Legendary Concerts (North Sea Jazz, 1979)
 * Nights at the Keystone, Volumes 1-3 (1979, Blue Note; CD release 1990)
 * The Montmartre Collection Vol.I (Black Lion Records, 1981)
 * Gotham City (Columbia, 1981, with Woody Shaw, Cedar Walton, George Benson, Percy Heath, Art Blakey)
 * American Classic (Elektra/Musician, 1982, featuring Grover Washington Jr. and Shirley Scott)
 * The Other Side of Round Midnight (Blue Note, 1986)

As sideman
With Gene Ammons
 * The Chase! (Prestige, 1970)
 * Gene Ammons and Friends at Montreux (Prestige, 1973)

With Louis Armstrong
 * Dexter Gordon, Vol. 1 Young Dex 1941-1944 (Masters Of Jazz MJCD 112)
 * Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra 1944-1945 (Blue Ace BA 3603)
 * Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra (AFRS One Night Stand 240) (V-Disc, 1944)
 * Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra (AFRS One Night Stand 253) (V-Disc, 1944)
 * Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra (AFRS One Night Stand 267) (V-Disc, 1944)
 * Louis Armstrong New Orleans Masters, Vol. 2 (Swing House (E) SWH 44)
 * Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra (AFRS Spotlight Bands 382) (V-Disc, 1944)
 * Louis Armstrong – Chronological Study (MCA Decca 3063 72)
 * Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra (AFRS Spotlight Bands 444) (V-Disc, 1944)
 * Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra (AFRS Spotlight Bands 465) (V-Disc, 1944)
 * Various Artists, Louis, Pops And Tram (IAJRC 21) (off V-Disc, 1944)
 * Louis Armstrong Armed Forces Radio Service 1943/44 (Duke (It) D 1021)

With Benny Carter
 * The Fabulous Benny Carter (1946, Audio Lab AL 1505)
 * Benny Carter And His Orchestra (AFRS Jubilee 246) (V-Disc, 1947)
 * Various Artists – Jazz Off The Air, Vol. 3 (Spotlite (E) SPJ 147) (off V-Disc 1947)

With Billy Eckstine
 * The Chronological Billy Eckstine and His Orchestra, 1944-1945 (CD, Classic Records [France], 1997)
 * Billy Eckstine, The Legendary Big Band (SVY 17125)

With Dizzy Gillespie
 * Dexter Gordon, Vol. 2 Young Dex 1944-1946 (Masters Of Jazz MJCD 128)
 * Dizzy Gillespie – Groovin' High (Savoy MG 12020, 1992; SV 152, 2010)

With Lionel Hampton
 * Dexter Gordon, Vol. 1 Young Dex 1941-1944 (Masters Of Jazz MJCD 112)
 * Lionel Hampton, Vol. 1: 1941-1942 (Coral (G) COPS 7185)
 * Decca Jazz Heritage Series DL-79244

With Herbie Hancock
 * Takin' Off (Blue Note, 1962)
 * Round Midnight (1986), Columbia Records

With Fletcher Henderson
 * Fletcher Henderson And His Orchestra (AFRS Jubilee 76), (V-Disc, 1944)
 * Fletcher Henderson And His Orchestra (AFRS Jubilee 77), (V-Disc, 1944)

With Helen Humes
 * Various Artists – Black California (Savoy SJL 2215)
 * Helen Humes – Be-Baba-Leba 1942-52 (Whiskey, Women And... Gene Norman "Just Jazz" concert, February 2, 1952, KM 701)
 * Helen Humes – New Million Dollar Secret (Whiskey, Women And... Gene Norman "Just Jazz" concert, February 2, 1952, KM 707)

With Jackie McLean
 * The Meeting (SteepleChase, 1974)
 * The Source (SteepleChase, 1974)

With Gerry Mulligan
 * Gerry Mulligan – Capitol Jazz Classics, Vol. 4: Walking Shoes (Capitol M 11029)
 * Classic Capitol Jazz Sessions (Mosaic MQ19-170)

With Leo Parker
 * The Be Bop Boys (Savoy SJL 2225)
 * Leo Parker – Birth Of Bop, Vol. 1 (Savoy XP 8060)

With Pony Poindexter
 * Pony's Express (Epic, 1962)
 * Stella By Starlight (co leader) (SteepleChase 1966)

With Jimmy Rushing
 * Jimmy Rushing/Don Redman/Russell Jacquet/Joe Thomas – Big Little Bands (1946, Onyx ORI 220)
 * Black California, Vol. 2: Anthology (1946, Savoy SJL 2242)

With others
 * Rob Agerbeek, All Souls (Dexterity, 1972, with Eric Ineke and others)
 * Tony Bennett, Berlin (Columbia, 1987)
 * Ralph Burns, Various Artists – OKeh Jazz (Epic EG 37315)
 * Nat King Cole, Nat King Cole Meets The Master Saxes 1943 (Phoenix Jazz LP 5)
 * Tadd Dameron, Tadd Dameron/Babs Gonzales/Dizzy Gillespie – Capitol Jazz Classics, Vol. 13: Strictly Bebop (Capitol M 11059)
 * Booker Ervin, Setting the Pace (Prestige, 1965)
 * Lowell Fulson, Lowell Fulson (Swing Time 320)
 * Wynonie Harris, Wynonie Harris – Love Is Like Rain / Your Money Don't Mean A Thing (Come Live With Me Baby) (King 4217)
 * Philly Joe Jones, Philly Mignon (Galaxy, 1977)
 * Stan Levey, Stan Levey – This Time The Drum's On Me (Bethlehem BCP 37)
 * Charlie Parker, Charlie Parker – Every Bit Of It 1945 (Spotlite (E) SPJ 150D)
 * Les Thompson, Les Thompson – Gene Norman Presents Just Jazz (RCA Victor LPM 3102)
 * Ben Webster, Ben Webster Nonet (1945, Jazz Archives JA 35)

title: Dexter Gordon


text:
Constitution of China (disambiguation)

Constitution of China may refer to:

 * Constitution of the People's Republic of China (1982)
 * 1954 Constitution of the People's Republic of China
 * 1975 Constitution of the People's Republic of China
 * 1978 Constitution of the People's Republic of China
 * Constitution of the Republic of China (1947)
 * Provisional Constitution of the Republic of China (1912)
 * 1923 Constitution of the Republic of China
 * Provisional Constitution of the Political Tutelage Period (1931)
 * Temporary Provisions against the Communist Rebellion (1948, suspension of most articles of the 1947 constitution)
 * Additional Articles of the Constitution of the Republic of China (1991, amended version of the 1947 constitution)
 * Constitution of Qing
 * Principles of the Constitution (1908)
 * Nineteen Creeds (1911)

title: Constitution of China (disambiguation)