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The Best of Louis Jordan
"The Best of Louis Jordan"
Louis Jordan, 1975

     Nobody captured the spirit of jump blues and early R&B better than Louis Jordan. Written off in his day as a novelty artist (and a black novelty artist at that--which didn't help), he never got the mainstream respect as more serious straight ahead jazz performers like Louis Armstrong and Nat King Cole. It's true that humor drives his music, but within that humor Jordan found the perfect compliment to his upbeat swing style. What really sets Jordan apart from other novelty artists were those undercurrents in his songs that perfectly mirrored 1940's society and culture. Songs like "Saturday Night Fish Fry" and "Let the Good Times Roll," in a way, deal with post war anxiety release and economic prosperity. Then there is "Beans and Corn Bread" which is an astute and witty race relations fable. "Five Guys Named Moe" was even the basis for a musical loosely based on Jordan's life. As early as 1981, artists like Joe Jackson, with the disc "Jumpin' Jive" were paying homage to Jordan's musical mastery. Nowadays, when you listen to the retro-swing bands, it's easy to hear Jordan's influence in their music. We could write volumes on Jordan's talents and influence, but we would rather let his music speak for itself.
 
 

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