The Best of Louis Jordan cover

The Best of Louis Jordan

Released

Louis Jordan was one of the biggest stars of the late 1940s, ruling the R&B charts with his sharp, observational lyrics and crying alto sax solos, all backed by his high-energy jump blues band, the Tympany Five. This 1975 compilation gathers basically every track for which he’s best known, including “Caldonia,” “Ain’t Nobody Here But Us Chickens,” “Five Guys Named Moe,” “Let The Good Times Roll,” “What’s The Use Of Getting Sober (When You’re Gonna Get Drunk Again),” and more, including the calypso novelty “Run Joe” and the narrative epic “Saturday Night Fish Fry.” Jordan’s songs offered affectionate and humorous commentary on urban Black life, and his band blended jazz and blues in a way that was a strong influence on early rock ’n’ rollers, Chuck Berry in particular.

Phil Freeman

Suggestions
Ella at Duke’s Place cover

Ella at Duke’s Place

Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald
Up Jumped the Devil cover

Up Jumped the Devil

Ken Colyer's Jazzmen
At Newport (Live) cover

At Newport (Live)

Teddy Wilson, Gerry Mulligan
John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman cover

John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman

John Coltrane, Johnny Hartman
Hamp & Getz cover

Hamp & Getz

Lionel Hampton, Stan Getz
Mercy, Mercy cover

Mercy, Mercy

Buddy Rich