Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Louis Jordan

Role / Field:

Pioneering jazz, blues, and jump blues artist, known as "the King of the Jukebox".

Born:

1908-07-08

Died:

1975-02-04

Century / Era:

1908s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Louis Thomas Jordan (July 8, 1908 – February 4, 1975) was an American jazz, blues and jump blues saxophonist, vocalist, songwriter and bandleader who was popular from the late 1930s to the early 1950s. Known as "the King of the Jukebox", he earned his highest profile towards the end of the swing era. Specializing in the alto sax, Jordan played all forms of the saxophone, as well as piano and clarinet. He also was a singer with great comedic flair, and fronted his own band for more than twenty years.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He duetted with some of the biggest solo singing stars of his time, including Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, and Louis Armstrong. Jordan began his career in big-band swing jazz in the 1930s, coming to the public's attention as part of Chick Webb's hard swinging band, though he became better known as an innovative popularizer of jump blues—a swinging, up-tempo, dance-oriented hybrid of jazz, blues and boogie-woogie. Typically performed by smaller bands consisting of five or six players, jump music featured shouted, highly syncopated vocals and earthy, comedic lyrics on contemporary urban themes. It strongly emphasized the rhythm section of piano, bass and drums; after the mid-1940s, this...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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• Al-Dhahabi — Shared historical date (02-04 · Died) (1348): Pioneering Syrian Sunni historian, biographer, and hadith scholar.
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• 1908 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1908
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• 1975 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1975
• February 4 (02-04) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on February 4

Frequently Asked Questions about Louis Jordan