Billboard : 11/24/1956
Score of 78

Gordon plays some top-flight, Lester Young-inspired tenor here, with a more robust sound than that of the master or most of his other disciples. It’s not too original, but it swings, and it should sell in respectable quantities. K. Drew is the good pianist, plus L. Vinnegar on bass and L. Marable on drums. Good demo; You Can Depend On Me.

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San Francisco Examiner
C.H. Garrigues : 01/27/1957

After several weeks of confining his attention almost exclusively to jazz of the new, modern, “quiet cook” variety, this reviewer has found an unexpected (and sometimes astonished) delight in in a handful of records – some new, some reissues – which go back a few years and, in doing so, demonstrate again how true it is that jazz is a continuous thing which, ever growing, ever changing, still manages to remain its own essential self.

…

Next in order is a curiously satisfactory LP from Bethlehem called Daddy Plays the Horn, featuring Dexter Gordon, Kenny Drew, Leroy Vinnegar and Larry Marable. I have never considered Gordon a master tenorman but he comes very near to achieving mastership here with a fine, spacious, reserved line which reminds you (even after hearing Parker) of Parker at his best. Some of the credit too goes to Drew, of course, but I am inclined to think that more goes to Vinnegar who seems to have a skill at organizing space which no other bassist of the day exceeds.

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Down Beat : 01/09/1957
Nat Hentoff : 2 stars

Daddy Plays the Horn (the cover is just as silly as the title) has tenor Gordon with a rhythm section of Kenny Drew, bassist Leroy Vinnegar, and drummer Larry Marable. The set is an a&r mistake. Gordon does not have the imaginative range and depth to sustain a 12″ LP as one major soloist. At least one more horn was very much needed. The rhythm section is fine, but pianist Drew is a soloist somewhat like Gordon – he says what he has to say well, but he’s limited in inventiveness.

To the credit of both are a funky blues-strength; a lean unsentimental virility; a powerful beat; a clear, strong sound. But without searching conception, these virtues are not enough over a long 12″ LP road.

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Liner Notes by Joseph P. Muranyi

Daddy Plays The Horn, besides being the name of one of the tunes in this album, stands for Dexter Gordon playing his tenor sax as if there were no tomorrow. Playing is not really the right word, as he does anything but dally; a sampling of any track on this record will prove that he means business.

The formula used on this date is rather simple; one swinging tenor blowing at length with a rhythm section that is a joy to hear. Happily, the formula works (after all, a “daddy-o” tenor like Dexter Gordon and a rhythm section that brings joy can’t go too far wrong).

Dexter Gordon, now in his mid-thirties, has already had a long career with such varied musical associates as Lionel Hampton, Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker and Billy Eckstine. When one hears his free-swinging, logical improvisations, it’s easy to understand why his tenor was used for this record date and why he has worked for the excellent but differently styled groups previously mentioned. On this record, as well as on other recent recordings, Dexter Gordon makes a major bid for the delayed recognition that should be his as the highly creative musician that he is.

Dexter matches lines on this record with the piano of Kenny Drew. Between the two of them they manage to build lean, long lines that are at the very heart of the type of musical improvisation that most people call jazz. Kenny’s jazz background consists primarily of playing with small modern groups where he can have room to improvise. He has played with bands headed by such names as Buddy DeFranco (with whom he achieved a good share of national fame), Milt Jackson, Stan Getz, Coleman Hawkins, Howard McGhee and Lester Young. His work here is again in the same small group context as most of his past activities have been.

Larry Marable playing drums and Leroy Vinnegar on bass round out the quartet. Except when they are given a chance to solo, their roles are seemingly more unobtrusive than that of the piano or tenor. However, it is the very fact that they are working in close coordination with each other (and with Kenny Drew when he is playing rhythm) that “feeds” Dexter and lets him go on with such ease.

Daddy Plays The Horn – This is a happy, twelve bar blues and it is taken at a comfortable but moving, medium tempo. After a brief and humorous introduction Dexter makes an extended and well developed statement in a happy mood. Kenny Drew continues in a similar vein and also at length. After a short bass solo it’s time to “go out” with the entry of Dexter. The feel of this track was considered so good and the name so appropriate that this album was named Daddy Plays the Horn.

Confirmation – Sandwiched between the same opening and closing line by Charlie Parker we find choruses by tenor, piano, bass; Dexter and Larry Marable also exchange some exciting fours. Note the clever stop-and-go introduction and coda.

Darn That Dream – This is one of the two ballads that Dexter does on this record. From Kenny Drew’s opening chords to Dexter’s last quiet note it’s quite obvious that all of these musicians are capable of variety in that they soften in feeling, slow down and make music in a tempo at which it is much harder to do so. This track is all Dexter’s.

Number Four – It’s interesting to conjecture if there is a number 1, 2, 3, 5, etc., or whether this is the only numbered opus of Dexter. (I’ll conjecture that it’s the latter.) With some of the names being given to original tunes today, it might be a better idea to just name the composer and the number of the composition. The music is within the 32 bar, medium up-tempo idiom and Dexter again carries the ball.

Autumn In New York – This is a lovely and lyrical version of the melody. Both Kenny Drew and Dexter here show a fine feeling and a great sensitivity to time.

You Can Depend On Me – On this track Dexter and company show their mighty command of the musical conjugation of the verb “to swing.” Kenny Drew and Dexter here seem to be greatly enjoying what they’re doing; I think it shows in their music.