LOUIS JORDAN AND HIS TYMPANY FIVE – 1940-1941 | The Chronogical Classics – 663 (1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The second in the Classics label's CD series that reissues all of Louis Jordan's early recordings features the masterful entertainer with his Tympani Five in the period that directly preceded his great commercial successes. Although most of these 26 selections (including "Somebody Done Hoodooed the Hoodoo Man," "After School Swing Session," "Saxa-Woogie" and "De Laff's On You") are quite obscure, the playing by the group is quite infectious and enjoyable. Singers Daisy Winchester and Mabel Robinson are heard on the Mar. 13, 1940 session for a song apiece, but otherwise, the focus is on Jordan and his fine band, which features tenor saxophonist Kenneth Hollon and several trumpeters, including (on one date) Freddy Webster. Recommended to listeners who want to hear more Louis Jordan than just his hit records. Scott Yanow  
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LOUIS JORDAN AND HIS TYMPANY FIVE – 1941-1943 | The Chronogical Classics – 741 (1994) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

During the era covered by this Classics CD (the third in their "complete" Louis Jordan series), Jordan and his Tympani Five became major successes. Among the 24 selections are such hits as "Knock Me a Kiss," "I'm Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town," "Five Guys Named Moe" and "Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby." In addition to the regular Decca recordings, the set includes four numbers originally rejected, plus six Jordan V-Disc performances. Louis Jordan's music (featuring his alto and vocals, plus hot backup work from trumpeter Eddie Roane and a swinging rhythm section) acted as a bridge between small-group swing and early R&B. Highly recommended. Scott Yanow  
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LOUIS JORDAN AND HIS TYMPANY FIVE – 1946-1947 | The Chronogical Classics – 1010 (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This guy had a smooth voice, played stunning alto sax, and was very, very funny without ever seriously compromising his dignity. Popular for years among Afro-American audiences, Louis Jordan also appealed to a hip substratum of the white record-buying public. Jordan inadvertently provided white pop musicians with interesting material that often showed up in emulsified Wonder Bread renditions, "safe" for consumption by wholesome young Caucasians. This process was essential if cultural segregation were to continue in North America during the late '40s and throughout the '50s. "Open the Door, Richard," based on an old vaudeville routine by Dusty Fletcher, is a case in point. Dizzy Gillespie, familiar with Fletcher's shtick, uttered the phrase during "Slim's Jam," an extra-cool all-star get-together narrated by Slim Gaillard, in 1945 (see Classics 888). Jack McVea, who sat in with Bird and Diz on that same session, soon recorded his own adaptation of "Open the Door, Richard." This seems to have initiated a trend. In 1947 "Open the Door, Richard" exploded into mass popularity, eventually finding its way into one of Jimmy Durante's radio scripts. Probably the best version was recorded on January 3, 1947, by Victor recording artists Count Basie & His Orchestra with Harry "Sweets" Edison cast in the role of the locked-out juicehead. Apparently anticipating his song's popularity, Dusty Fletcher recorded his own version -- the very next day -- for Savoy. Louis Jordan, who worked for Decca, couldn't resist a song with such strong theatrical possibilities. On January 11, one week after the Basie version was committed to wax, Jordan experimented with the routine, speaking roughly and crying out the famous words in a high-pitched voice. Decca did not issue this recording. The master take was finalized on January the 23rd, and would make it to number six on the Top Ten. Basie's version was deservedly rated number one, and a shrieky take by the Three Flames also landed in first place for a little while. Others who horned in on the song's popularity included the less hip Charioteers and, squarest of all, the Pied Pipers. Jordan, meanwhile, continued hatching swingy jazz and R&B numbers goosed up with attractive instrumentation, danceable rhythms, and funny lyrics. As rowdy as "Barnyard Boogie" gets, there was another, gutsier level of excitement, bursting with honest Afro-American vernacular, that Jordan kept returning to. During both "Friendship" and "Look Out" -- a sequel to the outrageously funny "Beware, Brother Beware" -- Jordan talks fast over a constant stream of interjections and exclamations from the band. These performances, electrified with Jordan's rapid-fire spoken rhymes, should be seen as authentic precedents for the postmodern phenomenon of rap. One senses that, like black music in general and rap in particular, at first this stuff was not necessarily intended for white audiences, who were nevertheless welcome to listen in, and of course to invest their money in the recordings. arwulf arwulf  
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LOUIS JORDAN AND HIS TYMPANY FIVE – 1947-1949 | The Chronogical Classics – 1134 (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Louis Jordan was at the height of his fame during the period covered by this Classics CD. His last session from 1947 is here along with the music recorded during his first five recording dates of 1949. Among the hits are "Safe, Sane and Single," "Beans and Corn Bread," "School Days," and the two-part "Saturday Night Fish Fry." Jordan's Tympany Five had grown to seven pieces by late 1947 and expanded to nine in 1949; among his sidemen were trumpeter Aaron Izenhall, Eddie Johnson, or Josh Jackson on tenor and pianist (and future organist) Bill Doggett. In addition to such favorites as "Don't Burn the Candle at Both Ends," the catchy "Cole Slaw," and "Hungry Man," there are two songs ("Baby, It's Cold Outside" and "Don't Cry, Cry Baby") in which Jordan shares the vocals with Ella Fitzgerald. Highly enjoyable music. Scott Yanow
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JOE TURNER – 1941-1946 | The Classics Chronological Series – 940 (1997) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The original blues shouter found a way to meld some of Jimmy Rushing's rambling jazz phrasing with the low-down tone he naturally bellowed out to Kansas City audiences -- sometimes while behind the bar serving drinks. And before hitting the charts with several early rock & roll hits, Big Joe Turner did bedrock work with such fine stride and boogie-woogie pianists as Pete Johnson, Freddie Slack, and Willie "The Lion" Smith. On Classics' 1941-1946 chronological sampler of Turner's early prime, these and other luminaries of the after-hours fraternity sympathetically back Turner over the course of 22 gems. A good chunk of the material finds Turner ideally framed by just a piano trio, with highlights including "Nobody in Mind" (Sammy Price is at the keys for this cut), "Little Bittie Gal's Blues," and "Blues on Central Avenue." As the last title indicates, this and several other numbers were recorded during Turner's wartime stay in L.A., where many blues and R&B performers first made it big. Piano trios and geographical considerations aside, there are also fine cameos from tenor great Don Byas and trumpeter Frankie Newton to expand the sonic landscape. A fine collection for listeners wanting to check out Turner's early work before the Atlantic party that was "Shake, Rattle & Roll." Stephen Cook  
Tracklist :
1     Nobody in Mind 2:52
J. Mayo Williams
2     Somebody's Got to Go 2:53
Lonnie Johnson
3     Ice Man 2:53
Louis Jordan
4     Chewed up Grass 2:32
J. Mayo Williams
5     Rocks in My Bed 3:12
Duke Ellington
6     Blues on Central Avenue 2:36
Joe Turner
7     Goin' to Chicago Blues 2:58
Count Basie / Jimmy Rushing
8     Sun Risin' Blues 2:47
Joe Turner
9     Blues in the Night 2:26
Harold Arlen / Johnny Mercer
10     Cry Baby Blues 2:51
Sam M. Lewis / Joe Young
11     It's the Same Old Story 2:56
Joe Turner
12     Rebecca 2:40
Big Joe Turner
13     Little Bitty Gal's Blues 3:19
Joe Turner
14     I Got a Gal (For Every Day in the Week) 3:00
Joe Turner
15     S.K. Blues, Pt. 1 2:58
Saunders King
16     S.K. Blues, Pt. 2 2:55
Saunders King
17     Johnson and Turner Blues 2:59
Joe Turner
18     Watch That Jive 2:56
Joe Turner
19     Howlin' Winds 2:50
Joe Turner
20     Doggin' the Blues (Low Dog Blues) 3:04
Joe Turner
21     Miss Brown Blues 3:02
Joe Turner
22     I Got My Discharge Papers 2:40
Joe Turner