Louis Jordan

[Durium]

LOUIS JORDAN

Next month we'll celebrate Louis Jordan's 100th birthday !!

Let's have a party !!

Louis Jordan - Saturday Night Fish Fry

Keep swinging

Durium

[Big Beat Steve]

Yes - hats off to that seminal figure Louis Jordan. An influence in many ways.

Any Louis Jordan is fine.

But say, Durium, you mentioned those who claimed "Saturday Night Fish Fry" was the fist Rock'n'Roll record (Jim Dawson and Steve Propes, in fact ) but still there is no need for you to say you like the tune "anyway"?? Especially since you picked the cover of his 50s Mercury album cover (or the Bear Family reissue in your case) that came from a period when he clearly jumped on the R&B/R'n'R bandwagon to give his career some new impetus.

Louis Jordan was one of those who straddled the stylistic fence of swing, R&B and R'n'R without really altering his style all that much, and that's quite some tribute to his music.

[Durium]

Yes - hats off to that seminal figure Louis Jordan. An influence in many ways.

Any Louis Jordan is fine.

But say, Durium, you mentioned those who claimed "Saturday Night Fish Fry" was the fist Rock'n'Roll record (Jim Dawson and Steve Propes, in fact ) but still there is no need for you to say you like the tune "anyway"?? Especially since you picked the cover of his 50s Mercury album cover (or the Bear Family reissue in your case) that came from a period when he clearly jumped on the R&B/R'n'R bandwagon to give his career some new impetus.

Louis Jordan was one of those who straddled the stylistic fence of swing, R&B and R'n'R without really altering his style all that much, and that's quite some tribute to his music.

Thanks Big Beat Steve,

I fully agree ....... all Louis Jordan's are great to listen ( and dance) too ......

Louis Jordan - Saturday Night Fish Fry

Keep swinging

Durium

[Van Basten II]

He was an entertainer and made music that was fun to listen no matter if you were a "serious" or casual fan. Big fan of him.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

More than just fun, I think. Jordan was a pretty neat commentator on society; satire without unkindness. "Look, we're all human and this is what we're like; crazy ain't it?" To me, that is almost the ultimate value in music. (I should have more of it than I do.)

His songs did in the forties what Lieber & Stoller did with the Coasters in the fifties and sixties.

MG

[mikeweil]

I have that Bear Family box - lots of fun music inside, and very well played, too. Musicians like that are no longer around, I'm afraid ...

The box is still available, btw!

[BruceH]

I discovered Louis Jordan in my early 20's and have been a big fan ever since. I'd say he practically invented "jump blues." A sometimes inspired lyricist, too.

[mikeweil]

The box is still available, btw!

... and I should add, it's every bit as good as a Mosaic, production-wise!

[gmonahan]

The box is still available, btw!

... and I should add, it's every bit as good as a Mosaic, production-wise!

That it is. All of the Bear Family boxes are great productions. Not as easy to get 'em in the U.S. now that CDWolf has quit carrying them, though.

I agree with everybody else on this one--great box, great music. Love that Mercury cd too!

Greg Mo

[mikeweil]

There is a feature article on Jordan in the July 2008 issue of Germany's Fono Forum classical magazine,which features a few pages on jazz each month. I sense this will boost sales of the Bear Family box 'cause they recommended it, so consider an order now if you want it .....

[Big Beat Steve]

Retail price directly from Bear Family (as per their current mail order catalog): 141.62 euros (+ shipping, of course).

[BruceH]

Retail price directly from Bear Family (as per their current mail order catalog): 141.62 euros (+ shipping, of course).

So that's, what, like 1,000 dollars or more these days?

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

I did some very serious thinking abot the Bear Family box. Found it on Amazon UK for £121 with free post.

But I came to the conclusion that I simply didn't want to pay that much for a box of great CDs.

MG

[Big Beat Steve]

Yes, sounds like a lot of money by any standards.

But just for the record (i.e. vinyl ):

Louis Jordan's DECCA period has been reissued countless times and you can get most of it it (close to 100%, according to the L.J. discography by Danny Garcon and Jacques Lubin) on 5 or 6 MCA LP's (including those in the "Jazz Heritage" and French "Jazz Stars" series)And then there were 2 on the Swingtime label, 2 on Charly and 3 on Jukebox Lil, and that leaves the ground well covered.

Might be worht searching the secondhand bins for them. If they come up, the MCA LP's, in particular, are likely to be cheap. Also, I'd venture a guess that some of those reissues had been among the most thoughful compilations with the collector in mind, i.e. very little overlap, and the Jukebox Lil LP's, in particular, specifically sought out those tracks not included on the MCA reissues.

And though I am a bit wary of that label (because, as opposed to Fresh Sound, the DO take advantage of other collector reissue labels' previous efforts), in those CD times, I'd be very surprised if no Louis Jordan Proper box exists ANYWHERE ...

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Yes, sounds like a lot of money by any standards.

But just for the record (i.e. vinyl ):

Louis Jordan's DECCA period has been reissued countless times and you can get most of it it (close to 100%, according to the L.J. discography by Danny Garcon and Jacques Lubin) on 5 or 6 MCA LP's (including those in the "Jazz Heritage" and French "Jazz Stars" series)And then there were 2 on the Swingtime label, 2 on Charly and 3 on Jukebox Lil, and that leaves the ground well covered.

Might be worht searching the secondhand bins for them. If they come up, the MCA LP's, in particular, are likely to be cheap. Also, I'd venture a guess that some of those reissues had been among the most thoughful compilations with the collector in mind, i.e. very little overlap, and the Jukebox Lil LP's, in particular, specifically sought out those tracks not included on the MCA reissues.

And though I am a bit wary of that label (because, as opposed to Fresh Sound, the DO take advantage of other collector reissue labels' previous efforts), in those CD times, I'd be very surprised if no Louis Jordan Proper box exists ANYWHERE ...

You're certainly right - that's the way for me to go. I already have a couple of nice compilations of his Decca period, including a cheapo called "GI jive" which focuses mostly on 1941-44, which I prefer to the more popular style compilations, which only have hits (not that they're by any means bad, but including the less popular material rounds it off).

MG

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Just remembered Louis made an LP for Tangerine. Has any Tangerine material been made available since Ray Charles' death?

And what was that one like? If he had a bunch of Ray's band behind him, that might be rather special.

MG

[Big Beat Steve]

This was made in 1963-64.

Haven't heard it but since none of the more commonly available recording guides (AMG, Music Hound, Penguin, Third Ear, etc.) mention this recording (which has bern reissued at least once by EMi on vinyl) it cannot have been THAT essential. The lineup say it was L.J. on as & voc. acc. by tp/ as/ts/bs/p/2 el-g (!!)/e-b/dm

I must admit the thought of having an electric bass plodding away behind L.J. makes me wince.

In John Chilton's bio L.J. is quoted as complaining bitterly about the shoddy treatment he received from Ray Charles, stating he had ben made all sorts of promises but the record just never got any plugs from Ray's company, making him feel "he must have signed me as a tax deduction or something".

The book then says ""... was right in saying that there were plenty of good performances on the album, but as with other sides that Louis made in his recent past the material was not uniformly strong. ... his tone is not as quite as full as hitherto, but his fingers are as nimble as ever ... Most of the neat arrangements are by Ernie Freeman, they are contemporary examples of that period's studio music, redolent of quasi-rock drumming, electric bass figures and punchy brass interludes. ... It remains a good album but not a great one."

At any rate, the Pzazz record from the late 60s definitely is to avoid.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

This was made in 1963-64.

Haven't heard it but since none of the more commonly available recording guides (AMG, Music Hound, Penguin, Third Ear, etc.) mention this recording (which has bern reissued at least once by EMi on vinyl) it cannot have been THAT essential. The lineup say it was L.J. on as & voc. acc. by tp/ as/ts/bs/p/2 el-g (!!)/e-b/dm

I must admit the thought of having an electric bass plodding away behind L.J. makes me wince.

In John Chilton's bio L.J. is quoted as complaining bitterly about the shoddy treatment he received from Ray Charles, stating he had ben made all sorts of promises but the record just never got any plugs from Ray's company, making him feel "he must have signed me as a tax deduction or something".

The book then says ""... was right in saying that there were plenty of good performances on the album, but as with other sides that Louis made in his recent past the material was not uniformly strong. ... his tone is not as quite as full as hitherto, but his fingers are as nimble as ever ... Most of the neat arrangements are by Ernie Freeman, they are contemporary examples of that period's studio music, redolent of quasi-rock drumming, electric bass figures and punchy brass interludes. ... It remains a good album but not a great one."

At any rate, the Pzazz record from the late 60s definitely is to avoid.

Thanks Steve. Not another "My jug and I" then

MG

[BruceH]

As far as vinyl goes, I've got the MCA "Best of" double album, which has highlights of the Decca stuff, and two Charley's---one a single and the other a double album. There's overlap between the Charley's and the MCA/Decca, but I've never considered parting with any of them.

[gmonahan]

As far as vinyl goes, I've got the MCA "Best of" double album, which has highlights of the Decca stuff, and two Charley's---one a single and the other a double album. There's overlap between the Charley's and the MCA/Decca, but I've never considered parting with any of them.

I guess I should count myself "lucky" that I only really discovered LJ a couple of years ago. I traveled to Amsterdam last summer and was combing through a record store in the center (can't remember the name--sorry! Pretty big one), and there was the Bear Family box for around 81 euros. Even with a poor exchange rate (this was last summer) I snapped it up. It is one gorgeous production, but it is expensive as hell right now to order, especially on this side of the pond. If you CAN find it for a good price, though, it's a treasure.

Greg Mo

[mikeweil]

It's expensive even for German standards. I was lucky to get the last copy Zweitausendeins had in stock several years ago for around that price - I think it was in Deutschmarks what it is now in EURO!

[JSngry]

I just got to hear one side of a Tangerine 45, a thing called "Hardhead", and it is mighty fine. One of those stop/start b;lues things like Ray's "Greenbacks", with old-school macho, you're-my-woman-don't-give-me-any-mess lyrics deliviered with the unmistakable Jordan flair.

With the assistance of a fellow board member, I was able to get this personnel:

Wallace Davenport, Philip Guilbeau, Ray Copeland (tp) Henderson Chambers (tb) Hank Crawford (as) Don Wilkerson,

David "Fathead" Newman (ts) Leroy "Hog" Cooper (bar) Junior Mance (p) unknown el-g, el-b, Roy

Brooks or John Harris (d)

Los Angeles, Ca.. c. March/April 1962

If that sounds like it would make for a badass backing bad, well, yeah. It does. And it is.