Gemcitabine and Docetaxel in Treating Patients With Persistent, Recurrent, or Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck * Metastatic, persistent, or recurrent disease * Measurable disease, defined as ≥ 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion ≥ 20 mm by conventional techniques OR ≥ 10 mm by spiral CT scan * Must have had definitive surgery and/or radiation therapy AND received at least 1, but no more than 2, chemotherapy regimens, either given as primary therapy or adjuvant therapy before or after surgery and/or radiotherapy * No active or prior CNS metastasis PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age * 18 and over Performance status * SWOG 0-2 Life expectancy * At least 12 weeks Hematopoietic * Granulocyte count \> 1,500/mm\^3 * Hemoglobin ≥ 8 g/dL * Platelet count \> 100,000/mm\^3 Hepatic * Bilirubin normal * Meets 1 of the following criteria: * Alkaline phosphatase (AP) normal AND AST or ALT ≤ 5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * AP ≤ 2.5 times ULN AND AST or ALT ≤ 1.5 times ULN * AP ≤ 5 times ULN AND AST or ALT normal Renal * Creatinine \< 1.5 mg/dL Other * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for ≥ 3 months after completion of study treatment * No peripheral neuropathy ≥ grade 2 * No active infection requiring systemic therapy * No other malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix or any other site * No history of severe hypersensitivity reaction to study drugs or other drugs formulated with polysorbate 80 * No other serious condition that would preclude study treatment PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy * Not specified Chemotherapy * See Disease Characteristics * No prior taxane or gemcitabine * At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy and recovered Endocrine therapy * Not specified Radiotherapy * See Disease Characteristics * At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered Surgery * See Disease Characteristics Other * No other concurrent therapy for this disease