Louis Jordan Music

Charles Thompson was a contemporary of Jelly Roll Morton and James P. Johnson, and was one of the leading figues of the second generation of St. Louis ragtime pianists.

This album, made up of live recordings from the early 1960s, finds Thompson in reasonable form, playing some of his best known pieces plus a few standards. His powers had declined a little from his 1948-49 American Music recordings, but he was still able to play in an entertaining fashion. Many of the performances are rather short, but these are historic recordings by a little known but important figue in ragtime.

Delmark is to be commended for this release: let's hope they re-issue the rest of the Euphonic back catalogue. Anyone interested in ragtime and early jazz should consider buying this CD.

These are the earliest recordings of Louis Jordan (aside from an extremely rare cut with Charlie Gaines and fellow jazz comedy King Louis Armstrong in 1932) that shows you the beginning of the career of the super-lunatic madman supreme of jazz and R&B.

"I Can't Dance Gor Ants in My Pants" (1934) is no realtion to the James Brown tune of forty years later (although JB cites LJ as an influence), but it is a funny precursor to rap and sets the blueprint for LJ's funny tales mixed with his sax appeal and jazz boogie beat. "Rusty Hinge," a 1937 lead vocal when LJ was with the Chick Webb Orchestra, was probably the first recording of LJ showing his chops as a serious singer.

The set is marred with terrible tunes by a lead "vocalist" named Rodney Sturgis who has since faded to deserved obscurity. Plus, there are a few false starts with Jordan's attemtps at jazz comedy (such as "Barnacle Bill the Sailor" and "Three Littel Squirrels") that shows that he had some ways to go in forming his distinct style.

"Keep a Knockin" (1941) is the original version of the tune made famous by Jordan fan Little Richard some 14 years later. "Swinging in the Coconut Trees" is a really rocking and funny instrumental and "June teenth Jaamboree" is a rare commic look at the Black celebration of the freeing of the slaves that was only celebrated in texas at the time.

If you love Louis Jordan, be warned that you have to wade through some clunckers in the midst of the good stuff, but at least you'll see where it all began.

Well, Louis Jordan is one of the true pioneers in music. This nice packed cd tell you his story through the early 30's - the times when he raised. Here you can find his first record for long associated Decca - "Honey at the Bee Ball" which was recorded in 1938. At that time his band was called Elks Rendezvous. You can also check out the first songs by his Tympany Five (which were formed in 1939). If you like blues and swing you'll love Louis Jordan. He's a truly funny musician, but also know how to sing the blues ;) As all this was recorded long time ago some records were not hi-fi quality, but if you need to became familiar with a true spirit of joy - listen to this nice Album by a great Musician.

These selections are form the early phase of the career of Louis Jordan, the super-lunatic madman supreme of Jazz comedy and grandfather of soul.

He specialized in singing (and acting out) wildly comical stories about everyday African-American life in his times, as well as playing one of the meanest saxophones around. Knee-slapping as well as foot-patting.

In this set of recordings, it shows him struggling to find his winning formula. Most of the tunes here are hit-or miss, undistiunguished, standard small combo jazz of the era, although instrumentals like "Pintetop's Boogie Woogie" and "saxa Woogie" are not bad and listenable. But we catch a few glimpses of the audio-cartoon insanity that was to come.

"Somebody Done Hoodooed the HooDoo Man" is as fall down-on the floor funny as his more famous records. Here he sings about a voodoo con-artist "selling jive" to his gullible customers. In "De Laff's On You," we hear the foundation of his "Jafakean" accent tunes with a West-Indian theme, which endeared (rather than offended) Carribean fans of Jordan.

"Do You Call That a Buddy" is a mildly amusing blues about a "friend" who sneaks off with Jordan's lover, but not as hilarious as the stuff that was to come. "How I Love My Teacher," is a moderately funny tale about a "strapping boy" who falls in love with his teacher.

Jordanites who love the belly-laugh and foot-stomping inducing "Saturday Night Fish Fry," "Beans and Cornbread" brand of Jordanism should be warned that this is largely of historical interest, but even they will be amused by some of this stuff. Buy it used and you'll do alright.

These selections are form the early phase of the career of Louis Jordan, the super-lunatic madman supreme of Jazz comedy and grandfather of soul.

He specialized in singing (and acting out) wildly comical stories about everyday African-American life in his times, as well as playing one of the meanest saxophones around. Knee-slapping as well as foot-patting.

In this set of recordings, it shows him struggling to find his winning formula. Most of the tunes here are hit-or miss, undistiunguished, standard small combo jazz of the era, although instrumentals like "Pintetop's Boogie Woogie" and "saxa Woogie" are not bad and listenable. But we catch a few glimpses of the audio-cartoon insanity that was to come.

"Somebody Done Hoodooed the HooDoo Man" is as fall down-on the floor funny as his more famous records. Here he sings about a voodoo con-artist "selling jive" to his gullible customers. In "De Laff's On You," we hear the foundation of his "Jafakean" accent tunes with a West-Indian theme, which endeared (rather than offended) Carribean fans of Jordan.

"Do You Call That a Buddy" is a mildly amusing blues about a "friend" who sneaks off with Jordan's lover, but not as hilarious as the stuff that was to come. "How I Love My Teacher," is a moderately funny tale about a "strapping boy" who falls in love with his teacher.

Jordanites who love the belly-laugh and foot-stomping inducing "Saturday Night Fish Fry," "Beans and Cornbread" brand of Jordanism should be warned that this is largely of historical interest, but even they will be amused by some of this stuff. Buy it used and you'll do alright.

Jazz collectors like myself, will be thrilled with the imported label CLASSICS which has released the cmplete Louis Jordan, this is one of many volumes available. In this CD are some of Jordan's classic songs, all jazz oriented with a touch of R&B. These sides will get you tappin' you're toes, heck I get up and do the lindy hop when ever I put this CD on. The whole Classics series on Louis Jordan is recommeded especially to jazz, vocal, and swing collectors. Aslo Classics is doing the same with Jack Teagarden, Cab Calloway and Fats Waller, all essentials...

A good one for Jordanites. Here, the super-lunatic madman supreme, master and jester of jive storytelling, and sultan of saxophonists prefected his style of comical jazz story-songs with swell saxophone serenades.

Some of these are the "V-Discs" that our man recorded for the soldiers during WW2, and are a tad more raunchy (though never openly profane or sexually explicit) than his standard fare. In "Deacon Jones" (loosely based on his hero Bert Williams' "Elder Eatmore Sermons,") the tale is told of a philandering preacher. "How High Am I" has LJ spinning comic tales of the results of drunkeness. "You Can't Get that No More" is timely comtemporary satire of rationing during WW2 and one of his most popular records "Caldonia Boogie" inspired both James Brown and Little Richard, and its not hard to see how!

Hear LJ in his glory years- get this set and laugh yourself merry.

A good one for Jordanites. Here, the super-lunatic madman supreme, master and jester of jive storytelling, and sultan of saxophonists prefected his style of comical jazz story-songs with swell saxophone serenades.

Some of these are the "V-Discs" that our man recorded for the soldiers during WW2, and are a tad more raunchy (though never openly profane or sexually explicit) than his standard fare. In "Deacon Jones" (loosely based on his hero Bert Williams' "Elder Eatmore Sermons,") the tale is told of a philandering preacher. "How High Am I" has LJ spinning comic tales of the results of drunkeness. "You Can't Get that No More" is timely comtemporary satire of rationing during WW2 and one of his most popular records "Caldonia Boogie" inspired both James Brown and Little Richard, and its not hard to see how!

Hear LJ in his glory years- get this set and laugh yourself merry.