(Originally broadcast November 30, 1980)
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Irving Sidney Jordon was born April 1, 1922 in New York. He began studying piano at the age of 8, training classically with a private teacher. Early on, he heard pianists like Fats Waller and Art Tatum, and became enthralled with jazz. He even adopted the moniker of one of his idols, Duke Ellington.
Jordon further developed his jazz chops and began playing solo and with local groups, working primarily at "rent parties" and dance halls. By the mid-1940s, Jordan had graduated to a high-profile gig playing with Al Cooper's Savoy Sultans, the house band at Harlem's Famous Savoy Ballroom. Soon after, Jordan found himself playing with the bands of Coleman Hawkins and Roy Eldridge.
In 1947, Jordan was working at one of the famous 52nd St Jazz Clubs -- the Three Deuces -- with guitarist Teddy Walters. Charlie Parker came into the club that night and was impressed with Jordan's playing. Parker's career as a leader was beginning to take off and that evening, he asked Jordan to join a new band he was putting together that would include a young Miles Davis, drummer Max Roach and bassist Tommy Potter. This incarnation of Parker's quintet lasted a little more than a year, but it was responsible for recording some of Bird's most famous works and cementing the be-bop style.
When Parker reorganized the band in 1948, Jordan left and joined up with Stan Getz. Work backing saxophonists Sony Stitt, Gene Ammons and Coleman Hawkins followed, before Jordan rejoined Getz. By 1954, Jordan was leading his own trio, writing and recording his own tunes. His tune "Jor-du" was written during this time; the tune would eventually become a modern jazz standard.
He worked steadily though most of the '50s and early '60s leading his own group and backing others, including a stint backing his then wife, singer Sheila Jordan, and several collaborations with saxophonist Cecil Payne. By the middle 1960s, Jordan was overtaken by a heroin addiction and he slipped into relative obscurity, even working briefly as a cab driver.
By 1973, he'd kicked his heroin habit and began recording again, this time for the Danish jazz label, SteepleChase. In 1978, Jordon moved to Copenhagen where he felt more appreciation from the European jazz community. He continued recording with Steeplechase and touring throughout Europe and Japan for much of the rest of his life. Duke Jordon died August 8th, 2006.
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Set List for Duke Jordon on Piano Jazz:I Should Care (Stordahl, Weston, Cahn)
I'll Remember April (Raye, DePaul, Johnston)
Two Loves (Jordan)
Out of Nowhere (Heyman, Green)
How Deep Is The Ocean (Berlin)
Jor-du (Jordan)
Come Rain or Come Shine (Arlen, Mercer)
Groovin' High (Gillespie, Parker)
Jordon further developed his jazz chops and began playing solo and with local groups, working primarily at "rent parties" and dance halls. By the mid-1940s, Jordan had graduated to a high-profile gig playing with Al Cooper's Savoy Sultans, the house band at Harlem's Famous Savoy Ballroom. Soon after, Jordan found himself playing with the bands of Coleman Hawkins and Roy Eldridge.
In 1947, Jordan was working at one of the famous 52nd St Jazz Clubs -- the Three Deuces -- with guitarist Teddy Walters. Charlie Parker came into the club that night and was impressed with Jordan's playing. Parker's career as a leader was beginning to take off and that evening, he asked Jordan to join a new band he was putting together that would include a young Miles Davis, drummer Max Roach and bassist Tommy Potter. This incarnation of Parker's quintet lasted a little more than a year, but it was responsible for recording some of Bird's most famous works and cementing the be-bop style.
When Parker reorganized the band in 1948, Jordan left and joined up with Stan Getz. Work backing saxophonists Sony Stitt, Gene Ammons and Coleman Hawkins followed, before Jordan rejoined Getz. By 1954, Jordan was leading his own trio, writing and recording his own tunes. His tune "Jor-du" was written during this time; the tune would eventually become a modern jazz standard.
He worked steadily though most of the '50s and early '60s leading his own group and backing others, including a stint backing his then wife, singer Sheila Jordan, and several collaborations with saxophonist Cecil Payne. By the middle 1960s, Jordan was overtaken by a heroin addiction and he slipped into relative obscurity, even working briefly as a cab driver.
By 1973, he'd kicked his heroin habit and began recording again, this time for the Danish jazz label, SteepleChase. In 1978, Jordon moved to Copenhagen where he felt more appreciation from the European jazz community. He continued recording with Steeplechase and touring throughout Europe and Japan for much of the rest of his life. Duke Jordon died August 8th, 2006.
Check out this week's Piano Jazz Shorts: the Piano Jazz podcast.
Subscribe!
Set List for Duke Jordon on Piano Jazz: