Louis Jordan

Louis Jordan

Source: Biography

Born on 8 July 1908 in Brinkley, Arkansas, bandleader, saxophonist and vocalist, Louis Jordan is a great match for the light green border above. Slipped right in there. Jordan is thought to have begun his recording career with the Jungle Band of Chick Webb on June 14, 1929, contributing alto sax and clarinet to 'Dog Bottom' in New York City, that issued with 'Jungle Mama':

'Dog Bottom'   Louis Jordan w Chick Webb   1929

Recorded 14 June 1929 in NYC   Issued on Brunswick 1235

Composition: Chick Webb

Jordan later performed with Webb's band at the Savoy Ballroom in 1936. Which was great until Jordan developed the notion that Ella Fitzgerald might leave Webb's orchestra to help him form his own band. Webb fired him for the attempt, after which Jordan put his band together himself to first record five titles on 20 December 1929: 'Toodle-Loo on Down', 'So Good', 'Away From You',  'Honey in the Bee Ball' and 'Barnacle Bill the Sailor' in December 20, 1938, with his Elks Rendez Vous Band. Vocalist on the first three titles was Rodney Sturgis, Jordan the two latter:

'Toodle-loo on Down'   Rodney Sturgis backed by the Elks Rendezvous Band

Recorded 20 Dec 1938 in NYC   Matrix 64823   Issued on Decca 7550

Composition: Rodney Sturgis

'Honey In the Bee Ball'   Louis Jordan & His Elks Rendezvous Band

Recorded 20 Dec 1938 in NYC   Matrix 64826   Issued on Decca 7556

Composition: Louis Jordan

'Barnacle Bill the Sailor'   Louis Jordan & His Elks Rendezvous Band

Recorded 20 Dec 1938 in NYC   Matrix 64827   Issued on Decca 7556

Composition: Louis Jordan

From thereon Jordan didn't miss a beat, enjoying a stellar career that rivaled the likes of Cab Calloway and Count Basie, largely with his career-long band, the Tympany Five. This band's six debut tracks were Jordan's second session as a leader on March 29, 1939, beginning with 'Flat Face' followed by 'Keep a Knockin'':

'Keep a Knocking But You Can't Come In'   Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five

Recorded 29 March 1939 in NYC   Matrix W65305-A   Issued on Decca 7609

Composition: Perry Bradford / J. Mayo Williams

Music VF has Jordan charting for the first times in 1942 with 'I'm Gonna Leave You on the Outskirts of Town' at #3 and 'What's the Use of Getting Sober' at #1 on Billboard's R&B. 'Is You Or Is You Ain't My Baby' issued in 1944 was his first title to sell a million copies. Besides recording, Jordan worked other other gigs like film in the forties.

'What's the Use of Getting Sober'   Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five

Recorded 21 July 1942 in NYC   Issued on Decca 8645

Composition: Busby Meyers

'Is You Or Is You Ain't My Baby'   Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five

Recorded 4 Oct 1943 in Los Angeles   Issued on Decca 8659   April 1944

Composition: Louis Jordan / Billy Austin

'Deacon Jones'   Louis Jordan   Film: 'Meet Miss Bobby Sox'   Released 12 Oct 1944

Composition: Hy Heath / Johnny Lange / Richard Loring

'Caldonia'   Louis Jordan   Film: 'Swing Parade of 1946'  Released 16 March 1946

Composition: Fleecie Moore

'Don't Worry 'Bout the Mule'   Louis Jordan   Film: 'Swing Parade of 1946'  Released 16 March 1946

Composition: Fleecie Moore / Charles Stewart / William Davis / Duke Groner

'Let the Good Times Roll'   Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five

Recorded 26 June 1946 in NYC   Issued on Decca 23741

Composition: Fleecie Moore / Sam Theard

'Wham, Sam!'   Louis Jordan   Film: 'Reet, Petite and Gone'  1947

Composition: Louis Jordan   Dancing:  Mabel Lee

'I Know What I've Got'   Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five

Recorded 7 Feb 1949 in Los Angeles   Issued on Decca 24815

Composition: Sid Robin

'Saturday Night Fish Fry Part 1'   Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five

Recorded 9 Aug 1949 in NYC   Issued on Decca 24725

Composition: Louis Jordan / Ellis Walsh

'Saturday Night Fish Fry Part 2'   Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five

Recorded 9 Aug 1949 in NYC   Issued on Decca 24725

Composition: Louis Jordan / Ellis Walsh

Jordan placed a total of 19 titles at the top of the charts throughout the forties to as late 1950 with 'Blue Light Boogie'.

'Blue Light Boogie Part 1'   Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five

Recorded 26 June 1950 in NYC   Issued on Decca 27114

Composition: Louis Jordan / Jesse Mae Robinson

'Blue Light Boogie Part 2'   Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five

Recorded 26 June 1950 in NYC   Issued on Decca 27114

Composition: Louis Jordan / Jesse Mae Robinson

'Tamburitza Boogie'   Louis Jordan w Wild Bill Davis at Hammond organ

Recorded 18 Aug 1950 in NYC   Issued on Decca 27203

Composition: Steve Crlenica / Vaughn Horton

'Whiskey Do Your Stuff'   Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five

Recorded Jan 1954 in NYC   Issued on Aladdin 3223

Composition: John Shifty Henry

'Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens'   Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five

Recorded 22 Oct 1956 in NYC   Issued on Mercury 71023

Original version recorded on 26 June 1946 in NYC   Issued on Decca 23741

Composition: John Whitney / Alex Cramer

'Saturday Night Fish Fry'   Louis Jordan   Television: 'The Beat'

Composition: Louis Jordan / Ellis Lawrence Walsh

Jordan participated in above 100 sessions as a leader into the seventies [Lord] until his death by heart attack on 4 February 1975.