When you talk about the birth of rock and roll, R&B or even rap, you’ve got to include alto saxist and singer Louis Jordan into the conversation. Throughout the 1940s and 60s, Jordan’s mix of rhythm, swing and humor influenced a wide swath of singers and musicians, up to and including tenor titan Sonny Rollins. This two disc, 52-song collection gives plenty of testimony as to why Jordan was dubbed “King of the Jukebox” as he had the inherent talent for playing material custom made for juke joint jumpin’.
He’s backed by various incarnations of his famed “Tympany Five”, which included at one time Wild Bill Davis, Josh Jackson/ts, Eddie Byrd/dr and Jesse Simpkins/b, while his “Orchestra” included the likes of Oliver Nelson/as, Davis, and Bill Jennings/eg. As far as the material, he jumps like Bob Beamon on “All Of Me” and is fun on the bluesy “Jordan For President”. He lays down with a patented Basie shuffle on “Slow Down” and bounces to the calypso on pieces lie “You Will Always Have A Friend”. Earthy R&B has swaying saxes on “If You’re So Smart, How Come You Ain’t Rich” and he preaches on “How Blue Can You Get” with a rapper’s pulse. He’s always in a jivey mood, as on the easy “Locked up and “Hurry Home”. His voice can also go bel canto as on an over the top “Whatever Lola Wants” and returns to his big hits in 1956 with exciting takes of “Ain’t Nobody Here But Us Chickens” and “Choo Choo Ch-Boogie”. By the end of the 50s, he was adapting to the new thing of “Rock and Roll” and sounds a bit like Bill Haley and the Comets on “Ella Mae” and strolls down the aisle on “Sweet Hunk of Junk”. This guy could jump the “Star Spangled Banner”!