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Let the Good Times Roll: The Story of Louis Jordan and His Music
Louis Jordan (1908-75) is the acknowledged father of rhythm and blues, the jazz 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.
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 bestselling records that included "Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby," "Caldonia," and "Choo Choo Ch'Boogie." Posthumously, Jordan's name has reached a new audience via the Broadway show Five Guys Named Moe.
"Singer-saxophonist Louis Jordan was the pivotal figure in the development of what would become known as rhythm and blues, and an important influence on such future stars as B. B. King, Ray Charles, Chuck Berry, James Brown, and Bill Haley....This biography, complete with a thoughtful analysis of all the musician's numerous recordings, goes a long way toward restoring Jordan's rightful place among the major musical figures of the century." --Express Books
". . . Chilton tells fascinating stories of the swinging 'battles' between big bands and the struggles of touring in the South, still very segregated during Jordan's heyday. Here, as in his biographies of Coleman Hawkins and Sidney Bechet, Chilton demonstrates that he may be the most meticulous of jazz biographers." --Booklist
"John Chilton has, once again, given us an exemplary biography of a jazzman.... [A] fascinating read...." --JazzTimes
John Chilton is the author of several books on jazz, including the Who's Who of Jazz.
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 bestselling records that included "Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby," "Caldonia," and "Choo Choo Ch'Boogie." Posthumously, Jordan's name has reached a new audience via the Broadway show Five Guys Named Moe.
"Singer-saxophonist Louis Jordan was the pivotal figure in the development of what would become known as rhythm and blues, and an important influence on such future stars as B. B. King, Ray Charles, Chuck Berry, James Brown, and Bill Haley....This biography, complete with a thoughtful analysis of all the musician's numerous recordings, goes a long way toward restoring Jordan's rightful place among the major musical figures of the century." --Express Books
". . . Chilton tells fascinating stories of the swinging 'battles' between big bands and the struggles of touring in the South, still very segregated during Jordan's heyday. Here, as in his biographies of Coleman Hawkins and Sidney Bechet, Chilton demonstrates that he may be the most meticulous of jazz biographers." --Booklist
"John Chilton has, once again, given us an exemplary biography of a jazzman.... [A] fascinating read...." --JazzTimes
John Chilton is the author of several books on jazz, including the Who's Who of Jazz.
320 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1992
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About the author
John Chilton
34 books3 followersJohn James Chilton (16 July 1932 - 25 February 2016) was a British jazz trumpeter and writer. During the 1960s, he also worked with pop bands, including The Swinging Blue Jeans and The Escorts.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 24, 2019
“I identify myself with Louis Jordan more than any other artist.” — Chuck Berry
Born early in the last century between Memphis and Little Rock to a father who toured in minstrel shows and organized a brass band, Louis Jordan pronounced his name as “Louie,” not “Lewis.”
After playing clarinet as a kid, Louis mastered a new instrument, the soprano sax, as played by Sidney Bechet.
In the late thirties, club bands often performed as rhythm groups, known as jump bands, featuring sax and trumpet. By the early forties, Jordan's recordings reveal a shuffle on his up-tempo twelve-bar blues. But he could not find enough catchy songs. That changed after the band hired a new bass player who knew many comedy routines and novelty songs, including “Five Guys Named Moe.” Skylight Music Theater opens a three-week run this weekend. http://www.skylightmusictheatre.org/s...
The Capitol Lounge, on Chicago’s South Side, booked the band for a while. Then he played Lakota’s Cocktail Lounge in Milwaukee. It was there, on 27th Street, that he wrote “Is You Is or Is You Ain’t My Baby?” after hearing a fan of the band ask a woman that question. Louis and the guy teamed up to write the song.
During the band’s gig at Lakota’s, the group recorded in Chicago. When the band returned to the Capitol Lounge, it became a smash overnight with a wealth of material and comedy routines.
The feel of “I’m Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town” launched Louis Jordan as a major recording star. The hit played in four hundred thousand jukeboxes, earning Louis the nickname “Mr Jukebox.” BB King enjoyed this song and always played it for great fun. BB also enjoyed “Let the Good Times Roll,” a Louis Jordan original. I saw BB King three times. Much of his music embodied Louis Jordan. Twenty years ago King recorded Let the Good Times Roll: The Music of Louis Jordan.
Louis Jordan showed how small bands could work on small stages, allowing him to work in ballrooms before good sound systems evolved. The group made music that dancers and bandstanders liked. His stage act came across as a movie scene, which Louis wanted.
Along the way, “Choo Choo Ch Boogie” became his biggest-selling single. “Beware, Brother, Beware,” served as a showcase for the group’s panache.
Louis liked songs with food. During “Beans and Cornbread” he calls out food combinations. “Saturday Night Fish Fry” became the band’s most requested number.
Louis chose Wild Bill Davis as an arranger and to play piano and organ. Five years later, they recorded “Teardrops from My Eyes,” a jaunty and sprightly song with Wild Bill on the B-3.
The five-foot-six bandleader maintained control of his people. For example, if anyone in the band smoked pot, he would fire that person on the spot.
Louis would not tolerate tardiness. A tenor sax player of his, the youngest member of the band, ran late one time because he welcomed two cousins from Milwaukee who came to see him play in Chicago. The sax player left the band soon after that.
Jordan did not care about such things as gold records. His wife found the one for “Choo Choo Ch Boogie” in a pile of seventy-eights held by a niece who played it many times.
I enjoyed this story as a snapshot of music from the thirties and forties that served as precursor to rock ’n’ roll a few years later. For his “Johnny B Goode" ten years later, Chuck Berry used the opening guitar riff from Louis Jordan's 1946 "Ain't That Just Like a Woman.” Although rock ’n’ roll evolved from many influences, some people consider Louis Jordan as the father.
Paul Cebar, a Milwaukee band leader, wrote his college thesis on the varieties of rhythm and blues with an emphasis on Louis Jordan. The R&B Cadets, his dance band in the early eighties, played New Orleans-inflected music, packing the house at Century Hall, shortly after I moved here. The Cadets now play an annual two-day reunion gig at Shank Hall in November. Always a great date night of hip-shakin'. Let the good times roll.
Born early in the last century between Memphis and Little Rock to a father who toured in minstrel shows and organized a brass band, Louis Jordan pronounced his name as “Louie,” not “Lewis.”
After playing clarinet as a kid, Louis mastered a new instrument, the soprano sax, as played by Sidney Bechet.
In the late thirties, club bands often performed as rhythm groups, known as jump bands, featuring sax and trumpet. By the early forties, Jordan's recordings reveal a shuffle on his up-tempo twelve-bar blues. But he could not find enough catchy songs. That changed after the band hired a new bass player who knew many comedy routines and novelty songs, including “Five Guys Named Moe.” Skylight Music Theater opens a three-week run this weekend. http://www.skylightmusictheatre.org/s...
The Capitol Lounge, on Chicago’s South Side, booked the band for a while. Then he played Lakota’s Cocktail Lounge in Milwaukee. It was there, on 27th Street, that he wrote “Is You Is or Is You Ain’t My Baby?” after hearing a fan of the band ask a woman that question. Louis and the guy teamed up to write the song.
During the band’s gig at Lakota’s, the group recorded in Chicago. When the band returned to the Capitol Lounge, it became a smash overnight with a wealth of material and comedy routines.
The feel of “I’m Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town” launched Louis Jordan as a major recording star. The hit played in four hundred thousand jukeboxes, earning Louis the nickname “Mr Jukebox.” BB King enjoyed this song and always played it for great fun. BB also enjoyed “Let the Good Times Roll,” a Louis Jordan original. I saw BB King three times. Much of his music embodied Louis Jordan. Twenty years ago King recorded Let the Good Times Roll: The Music of Louis Jordan.
Louis Jordan showed how small bands could work on small stages, allowing him to work in ballrooms before good sound systems evolved. The group made music that dancers and bandstanders liked. His stage act came across as a movie scene, which Louis wanted.
Along the way, “Choo Choo Ch Boogie” became his biggest-selling single. “Beware, Brother, Beware,” served as a showcase for the group’s panache.
Louis liked songs with food. During “Beans and Cornbread” he calls out food combinations. “Saturday Night Fish Fry” became the band’s most requested number.
Louis chose Wild Bill Davis as an arranger and to play piano and organ. Five years later, they recorded “Teardrops from My Eyes,” a jaunty and sprightly song with Wild Bill on the B-3.
The five-foot-six bandleader maintained control of his people. For example, if anyone in the band smoked pot, he would fire that person on the spot.
Louis would not tolerate tardiness. A tenor sax player of his, the youngest member of the band, ran late one time because he welcomed two cousins from Milwaukee who came to see him play in Chicago. The sax player left the band soon after that.
Jordan did not care about such things as gold records. His wife found the one for “Choo Choo Ch Boogie” in a pile of seventy-eights held by a niece who played it many times.
I enjoyed this story as a snapshot of music from the thirties and forties that served as precursor to rock ’n’ roll a few years later. For his “Johnny B Goode" ten years later, Chuck Berry used the opening guitar riff from Louis Jordan's 1946 "Ain't That Just Like a Woman.” Although rock ’n’ roll evolved from many influences, some people consider Louis Jordan as the father.
Paul Cebar, a Milwaukee band leader, wrote his college thesis on the varieties of rhythm and blues with an emphasis on Louis Jordan. The R&B Cadets, his dance band in the early eighties, played New Orleans-inflected music, packing the house at Century Hall, shortly after I moved here. The Cadets now play an annual two-day reunion gig at Shank Hall in November. Always a great date night of hip-shakin'. Let the good times roll.
February 23, 2021
Thoroughly researched exploration of the life and career of jump blues great Louis Jordan. I would say the book is a little dry at times in its zeal to capture every tour and permutation of the band, but one still gets a good three dimensional view of the performer thanks to numerous interviews with friends, band mates and associates.
December 9, 2022
I enjoyed it. However, this book is detailed to a fault. The author has listed every single engagement Jordan played throughout his entire career. But I do love this music; so I found the book engrossing.
May 16, 2018
Solid biography of the father of R&B
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews