Go!

1	Cheese Cake 6:34
2	I Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry 5:23
3	Second Balcony Jump 7:06
4	Love For Sale 7:37
5	Where Are You? 5:20
6	Three O'Clock In The Morning 5:42

Barnes & Noble

By 1962 terrific tenor players were swarming the scene -- Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane, in particular -- but when it came to playing meat-and-potatoes bebop, veteran saxophonist Dexter Gordon was still the man. GO! and its great sister session recorded two days later, A SWINGIN AFFAIR, are all the evidence needed to prove that Gordon had nothing to fear from his younger competition. The balance of rhythmic gutsiness and melodic ingenuity that was Gordon's trademark is here in spades, as is his hefty, expressive tenor tone. On ballads "Where Are You," "I Guess I'll Hang My Tears Up to Dry," and driving bop romps "Cheese Cake," "Second Balcony Jump," the saxophonist is in total command and positively riveting. But kudos must also go to the exceptionally alert rhythm section: drummer Billy Higgins, bassist Butch Warren, and Sonny Clark, Gordon's favorite pianist. Steve Futterman

All Music Guide

From the first moments when Dexter Gordon sails into the opening song full of brightness and confidence, it is obvious that Go! is going to be one of those albums where everything just seems to come together magically. A stellar quartet including the stylish pianist Sonny Clark, the agile drummer Billy Higgins, and the solid yet flexible bassist Butch Warren are absolutely crucial in making this album work, but it is still Gordon who shines. Whether he is dropping quotes into "Three O'Clock in the Morning" or running around with spritely bop phrases in "Cheese Cake," the album pops and crackles with energy and exuberance. Beautiful ballads like "I Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry" metamorphosize that energy into emotion and passion, but you can still see it there nonetheless. Gordon had many high points in his five decade-long career, but this is certainly the peak of it all. ~ Stacia Proefrock, All Music Guide