Duke Jordan Flight To Jordan

Duke Jordan, who played regularly with the Charlie Parker Quintet in 1947, was long known as a superior bebop pianist whose style was touched by the genius of Bud Powell's innovations. This quintet album, also featuring trumpeter Dizzy Reece and the young tenor Stanley Turrentine, gave Jordan an opportunity to record six of his originals and, although none became as well-known as his "Jordu," the music has plenty of strong melodies and variety. This is one of Duke Jordan's better recordings and is quite enjoyable. This reissue include "Diamond Stud" and "I Should Care" as bonus tracks.

Duke Jordan, who played regularly with the Charlie Parker Quintet in 1947, was long known as a superior bebop pianist whose style was touched by the genius of Bud Powell's innovations. This quintet album, also featuring trumpeter Dizzy Reece and the young tenor Stanley Turrentine, gave Jordan an opportunity to record six of his originals and, although none became as well-known as his "Jordu," the music has plenty of strong melodies and variety. This is one of Duke Jordan's better recordings and is quite enjoyable. This reissue include "Diamond Stud" and "I Should Care" as bonus tracks.

Duke Jordan, who played regularly with the Charlie Parker Quintet in 1947, has long been known as a superior bebop pianist whose style was touched by the genius of Bud Powell's innovations. ~ AllMusic

Duke Jordan, who played regularly with the Charlie Parker Quintet in 1947, was long known as a superior bebop pianist whose style was touched by the genius of Bud Powell's innovations. This quintet album, also featuring trumpeter Dizzy Reece and the young tenor Stanley Turrentine, gave Jordan an opportunity to record six of his originals and, although none became as well-known as his "Jordu," the music has plenty of strong melodies and variety. This is one of Duke Jordan's better recordings and is quite enjoyable.

Duke Jordan, who played regularly with the Charlie Parker Quintet in 1947, has long been known as a superior bebop pianist whose style was touched by the genius of Bud Powell's innovations. This quintet album is one of Duke Jordan's better recordings and is quite enjoyable. Allmusic *****

Avid Jazz presents three classic Duke Jordan albums plus including original LP liner notes on a finely re-mastered double CD. “Trio & Quintet”; Flight To Jordan” and “Les Liaisons Dangereuses” plus 4 tracks from “Do ItYourself Jazz: Volume 1”.
Our featured man Duke Jordan is featured on the first four tracks from our first selection from the Jazz Laboratory Series “Do It Yourself Jazz: Volume 1” playing alongside Gigi Gryce on alto sax, Oscar Pettiford on bass and Kenny Clarke on drums. For “Trio & Quintet” Duke is joined for the Trio by Percy Heath on bass and Art Blakey on drums. For the Quintet recordings he is again joined by Heath and Blakey but with the addition of Cecil Payne on baritone sax and Eddie Bery on trombone…

Avid Jazz presents three classic Duke Jordan albums plus including original LP liner notes on a finely re-mastered double CD. “Trio & Quintet”; Flight To Jordan” and “Les Liaisons Dangereuses” plus 4 tracks from “Do ItYourself Jazz: Volume 1”.
Our featured man Duke Jordan is featured on the first four tracks from our first selection from the Jazz Laboratory Series “Do It Yourself Jazz: Volume 1” playing alongside Gigi Gryce on alto sax, Oscar Pettiford on bass and Kenny Clarke on drums. For “Trio & Quintet” Duke is joined for the Trio by Percy Heath on bass and Art Blakey on drums. For the Quintet recordings he is again joined by Heath and Blakey but with the addition of Cecil Payne on baritone sax and Eddie Bery on trombone…

Upon Duke Jordan's initial visit to Copenhagen, Denmark, followed by his decision to make the move as an expatriate permanent, he was tempted to stay by playing with some extraordinary Scandinavian rhythm sections. Bassist Mads Vinding, one of many skilled Danish jazz bassists, is here on the date performing in fine style. Drummer Ed Thigpen, who left the U.S. to take up permanent residence in Europe, was an even bigger influence in making Jordan's decision a good one, and is an equally skillful musical partner on this date. This is an expanded edition from the previous original issue on the Steeplechase label; a Japanese import with several alternate takes. It's an understated session for the most part, equal parts melancholy and hopeful, as one might expect with the trepidation of leaving home for new, unknown horizons to be discovered in a foreign land. The upbeat songs, as the modal, popping, tom-tom driven "No Problem" (from the movie soundtrack Les Liason Dangereuses) and the famous bop flag-waver "Jordu," bookend the CD.

Change A Pace (1980). After a flurry of recording activity, Duke Jordan had few opportunities to record as a leader for most of the 1960s. That changed in the following decade with the beginning of his long, fruitful relationship with the Danish label Steeplechase. By the time of this 1979, the pianist had moved to Denmark; he is joined by the great Danish bass virtuoso Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen and drummer Billy Hart, playing nine originals by the leader. The loping ballad "I Thought You'd Call Today" merits a bittersweet lyric to go with it, while "Double Scotch" sounds like the kind of jaunty tune that could have been conceived by Billy Strayhorn in the '40s. "Diamond Stud" is a breezy number with a few twists, with great solos all around. While none of Duke Jordan's compositions on this date ever became as well known as his "Jordu," "Flight to Jordan," or "No Problem," this session is warmly recommended…