Irving Sidney "Duke" Jordan (April 1, 1922 – August 8, 2006) was an American jazz pianist.

Biography

Jordan was born in New York and raised in Brooklyn where he attended Boys High School. An imaginative and gifted pianist, Jordan was a regular member of Charlie Parker's quintet during 1947–48, which also featured Miles Davis. He participated in Parker's Dial sessions in late 1947 that produced "Dewey Square", "Bongo Bop", "Bird of Paradise", and the ballad "Embraceable You". These performances are featured on Charlie Parker on Dial.

Jordan had a long solo career from the mid-1950s onwards, although for a period in the mid-1960s he drove a taxi in New York. After periods accompanying Sonny Stitt and Stan Getz, he performed and recorded in the trio format. His composition "Jordu" became a jazz standard when trumpeter Clifford Brown adopted it into his repertoire. Another of his compositions, "No Problem", has been recorded several times, notably by Art Blakey, under the title "No Hay Problema", and Chet Baker as well as others.

Beginning in 1978, he lived in Copenhagen, Denmark, having recorded an extensive sequence of albums for the SteepleChase label; his first record date for the company was in 1973. In the view of some listeners his style did not change over the course of his career.

From 1952 to 1962, he was married to the jazz singer Sheila Jordan. Their union produced a daughter, Tracey J. Jordan. He died in Valby, Copenhagen.

Discography

As leader/co-leader

Compilations

• When You're Smiling (Steeple Chase, 1996) – combined Time on My Hands (1988) and As Time Goes By (1989) plus ten bonus tracks

• Double Duke (Steeple Chase, 1997) – combined Change a Pace (1980) and Thinking of You (1982) plus five bonus tracks

Source:

As sideman

With Gene Ammons

• The Happy Blues (Prestige, 1956)

• All Star Sessions (Prestige, 1956) – rec. 1950–1955

• Blues Up and Down, Vol. 1 (Prestige, 1970) – rec. 1950

With Eddie Bert

• Eddie Bert (Discovery, 1952)[10"]

• Eddie Bert Quintet (Discovery, 1953)[10"]

With Kenny Burrell

• Blue Lights Vols. 1 & 2 (Blue Note, 1958)

• Swingin' (Blue Note (JP), 1980) – rec. 1958 only

With Stan Getz

• Duke Ellington 25th Anniversary Concert (FDC (It) 1005)

• Getz Age (Roost RLP 2258)

• Hooray for Stan Getz (Session Disc 108)

• Move! (Natasha Imports 4005)

• Sweetie Pie (Philology (It) W 40-2)

• The Complete Roost Recordings (Roost CDP 7243 8 59622-2)

• Stan Getz Plays (Norgran, 1952)

• Stan Getz Quartet (Queen Disc (It) Q 013)

• Live at Carnegie Hall (Fresh Sound (Sp) FSCD 1003)

• Live at the Hi-Hat 1953, Vol. 1 (Fresh Sound (Sp) FSCD 1014)

• Live at the Hi-Hat 1953, Vol. 2 (Fresh Sound (Sp) FSCD 1015)

• That Top Tenor Technician Stan Getz (Alto AL 704)

With Cecil Payne

• Patterns of Jazz (Savoy, 1956)

• Cecil Payne Quartet and Quintet (Signal, 1957)

• Shaw 'Nuff (Charlie Parker, 1961)

• Cecil Payne Performing Charlie Parker Music (Charlie Parker, 1961)

• The Connection (Charlie Parker, 1962)

• Bird Gets The Worm (Muse, 1976)

With Sonny Stitt

• Stitt's Bits (Prestige, 1958) – rec. 1950

• Sonny Stitt & the Top Brass (Atlantic, 1963) – rec. 1962

• The Champ (Muse, 1974) – rec. 1973

With Barney Wilen

• Un Témoin Dans La Ville (Fontana (FR), 1959) – soundtrack for Witness in the City

• Barney (RCA (FR), 1960) – live rec. 1959

With The Birdlanders

• The Birdlanders, Vol. 1 (Period, 1957) – rec. 1954

• The Birdlanders, Vol. 2 (Period, 1957) – rec. 1954

• The Birdlanders, Vol. 3 (Period, 1957) – rec. 1954

With others

• Ernestine Anderson, It's Time for Ernestine (Metronome (SE), 1958)

• Chet Baker, No Problem (SteepleChase, 1980) – rec. 1979

• Paul Bascomb, Bad Bascomb (Delmark, 1976) – rec. 1952

• Art Blakey, Les Liaisons Dangereuses 1960 (Fontana, 1960) – rec. 1959. Original Soundtrack with Barney Wilen.

• Tina Brooks, True Blue (Blue Note, 1960)

• Joe Carroll, "Joe Carroll" (Charlie Parker, 1962)[7"]

• Teddy Edwards, The Inimitable Teddy Edwards (Xanadu, 1976)

• Rolf Ericson, Rolf Ericson and his American All Stars (Metronome (SE) JMLP 2–105, EmArcy MG 36106)

• Art Farmer, Art Farmer Quintet featuring Gigi Gryce (Prestige, 1956) – rec. 1955

• Gigi Gryce, Doin' the Gigi (Uptown, 2011) – compilation

• Coleman Hawkins, Coleman Hawkins and His Orchestra (Crown, 1960)

• Joe Holiday, Holiday for Jazz (Decca DL 8487)

• Howard McGhee, The Return of Howard McGhee (Bethlehem, 1956) – rec. 1955

• Charles McPherson, Beautiful! (Xanadu 115)

• Barry Miles, Miles of Genius (Charlie Parker PLP 804)

• Sam Most, Mostly Flute (Xanadu 133)

• Charlie Parker, Complete Charlie Parker on Dial, Charlie Parker on Dial (Jazz Classics, Spotlite)

• Oscar Pettiford, Oscar Pettiford (Bethlehem, 1954)

• Doug Raney, Introducing Doug Raney (SteepleChase, 1978) – rec. 1977

• Dizzy Reece, Comin' On! (Blue Note, 1999) – rec. 1960

• Louis Smith, Here Comes Louis Smith (Blue Note, 1958)

• Clark Terry, Live at the Wichita Jazz Festival (Vanguard 1974, VSD 79355)

• Doug Watkins, Watkins at Large (Transition TRLP 20)

• Julius Watkins, Julius Watkins Sextet (Blue Note, 1995) – rec. 1954–1955

• Teddy Williams, Touch of the Blues c/w Dumb Woman Blues (Prestige 715)

Various Artists

• Birds Night: A Night at the Five Spot (Signal S 1204) Savoy (1958) (Savoy Jazz 2 LPs Celebration of Music of Charlie Parker)

• International Jam Sessions (Xanadu 122)

• Lestorian Mode (Savoy MG 12105)

• The Piano Players (Xanadu 171)

• Birdology vols. 1&2 (Birdology, Verve 1990 CDs)

References