Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five

Louis Jordan is another of the key figures in the development of rock and roll and R&B. He was a talented and colorful figure who was a saxophonist, songwriter, and bandleader. He has been credited with creating a style of music called “jump blues” which is the direct forerunner of R&B, the music which would later morph into rock and roll.

Jordan was born in Brinkley, Arkansas, in 1908. He studied clarinet and saxophone and while still in his teens, and in the Thirties, he was invited to join Chick Webb’s orchestra at New York’s Savoy ballroom. As Webb was physically disabled, Jordan took over the leader’s usual role of MC at shows. In 1938, Webb fired Jordan after he suspected Jordan of trying to take over control of the orchestra.

Jordan soon had a new band and a recording deal with Decca Records. The first recording session for his new band, which would later be dubbed, “The Tympany Five,” was in late 1938. His band contained an ever-changing lineup of sidemen that would accompany Jordan’s singing and saxophone on his Forties hits, “Five Guys Named More,” “Knock Me A Kiss,” “Caledonia,” and a song which some claim to be the first rock and roll recording, “Saturday Night Fish Fry.” Jordan’s recordings were raucous and often humorous, with a solid narrative structure. His songs celebrated good times, food, drinking, parties, and women.

Jordan became the most successful African-American bandleader in the country save Duke Ellington and Count Basie. He was one of the first African-American “crossover” artists as well. Unlike other African-American artists who were known only to African-American audiences, Jordan was very popular with white audiences, too.

Jordan’s best recordings can be found on the following collections: “The Best of Louis Jordan” (1975), “Louis Jordan’s Greatest Hits” (1980), and “Rock and Roll” (1989).

Anthony Braxton: Saxophone Improvisation

Anthony Braxton is among the most learned of jazz musicians and is currently a professor of music at Wesleyan University in Connecticut. He is also a jazz composer, saxophonist, flautist, pianist, and clarinetist. Braxton was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1945.

Early in his career, Braxton became involved with The Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians, and recorded his debut album, “3 Compositions of New Jazz,” in 1968. The album was a free jazz excursion that is probably too far removed from mainstream music to be of interest to those who are not free jazz fans.

In 1971, Braxton recorded the album “For Alto” which consisted of Braxton solo on alto-saxophone without accompaniment. The album is a double-disc offering of free jazz sax solos that while lauded by critics is definitely not for everyone.

Braxton has been extremely prolific over the years, and he has recorded dozens of albums of free jazz and avant-garde jazz since the mid-Sixties. Braxton has also recorded with numerous fellow musicians such as Chick Corea, George Lewis, Fred Frith, and John Zorn.

Among the best albums from Braxton extensive catalogue are those mentioned above and the following: “Saxophone Improvisation Series F” (1972), “Trio and Duet” (1975), “Four Compositions” (1973)” (1977), “Performance 9/1/79” (1981), “Quartet (London) 1985” (1988), “Six Monk’s Compositions” (1987)” (1988), “Seven Compositions (Trio) 1989” (1990), “Dortmund (Quartet) 1976” (1991), “Willisau (Quartet) 1991” (1992), “Quartet (Coventry) 1985” (1993), “Creative Orchestra (Kohl) 1978” (1995), “Quintet (Basel) 1977” (2001), “23 Standards (Quartet) 2003” (2004), and “9 Compositions (Iridium) 2006” (2007).

Frankie Trumbauer Recordings and History

Frankie Trumbauer, born in Carbondale, Illinois, in 1901, is one of the first great jazz saxophonists. He became famous as a player of the rare C-melody saxophone, an instrument with a pitch that falls between an alto and tenor saxophone. Trumbauer was a saxophonist of considerable influence who is credited by many later greats of the instrument as an inspiration. Trumbauer was often referred to by the moniker, “Tram.” 

Trumbauer began his career with the Paul Whiteman Band in the early twenties. When he switched to the Jean Goldkette Orchestra, he met the great cornetist Bix Beiderbecke with whom he would later become a close friend and collaborator.

In 1927, Trumbauer formed his own orchestra and with Beiderbecke, Eddie Lang and Jimmy Dorsey produced some of the best jazz ever recorded. In a series of legendary sessions, the Frankie Trumbauer Orchestra would record, “Singing the Blues,” “Clarinet Marmalade,” “For No Reason at all in C,” “Riverboat Shuffle,” Ostrich Walk,” and others. Bix Beiderbecke’s work on these recordings is considered to be his best ever work. On the brilliant side, “Trumbology,” Trumbauer delivers one of the first true saxophone tour de forces in recorded jazz. Trumbauer died in 1956.

Trumbauer’s recordings can be found on the “Chronological Classics” series of jazz compilations and his recordings with Beiderbecke were considered good enough to warrant inclusion on the venerable collection of early jazz recordings, “The Smithsonian Collection of Classic Jazz” (1973).