Let the good times roll: the story of Louis Jordan and his music

Abstract

Jordan (1908-75) is the acknowledged father of rhythm and blues, the saxophonist and vocalist whose inventiveness acted as a bridge between jazz and rhythm and blues, paving the way for Chuck Berry, Ray Charles, James Brown, and countless others. As B. B. King recently put it: Louis Jordan was so far ahead of his time that what he was doing became the origins of rap. By combining the music of his rural African-American heritage with the sophisticated sounds of nightclub bands, Jordan produced a unique style. His inspired vocals, blending the humor and pathos of his upbringing, soon won him a huge following. Jordan and his Tympany Five made a string of best-selling records that included You Or Is You Ain't My Baby, Caldonia, and Choo Ch'Boogie. Posthumously, Jordan's name has reached a huge new audience via the long-running Broadway show Five Guys Named Moe. In this first biography of Jordan, John Chilton, with typical meticulousness, traces Jordan's life and career through archival material, recordings, and interviews. Jordan's fascinating story is documented with photographs, some never before published.

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