Louis played the alto sax, sang novelty, songs, jump tunes, and calypso, and made sure everybody had a party.  He was rapping before rap had a name and was a major influences on artist such James Brown, Ray Charles, and B.B. King, and today’s neo-swing bands.

By the time of his death, Louis Jordan had been mostly forgotten.  In the 70’s, I heard a cover of his song, “Choo Choo Ch’boogie”, by Asleep At The Wheel. Then at a blues musician friend’s party I saw a vinyl collection of his greatest hits.  And great they were.  I had to know more about this artist.  Only one collection was available in the US, “Louis Jordan’s Greatest Hits” (MCA, and still available).  Hitting the specialty shops, I found collections on Swedish, French, and British labels.  In an effort to find out even more, I started an unofficial fan club and published an irregular newsletter, “The Caldonia Chronicles”.  I met fans from all over the world, satisfied my need for knowledge, and went to the Broadway premiere of  “Five Guys Named Moe”, a musical based on his work.  A web page seems to be the best way to keep spreading the word and learning more.  Let the good times roll.

Jukebox John