Representative Albums: "Flight to Jordan," "Duke Jordan New York/Bud Powell Paris," "Two Loves"
Representative Songs: "Flight to Jordan," "Confirmation," "Minor Escamp (Jordu)"
Biography
Although he had a long career, Duke Jordan will always be best known for being pianist with Charlie Parker's classic 1947 quintet. A little earlier, he worked with the Savoy Sultans, Coleman Hawkins, and the Roy Eldridge big band (1946). After his year with Parker (his piano introductions to such songs as "Embraceable You" were classic), Jordan worked with the Sonny Stitt/Gene Ammons quintet (1950-1951) and Stan Getz (1949 and 1952-1953). He started recording as a leader in 1954, debuting his most famous composition, "Jor-Du," the following year. Although he worked steadily during the next few decades (writing part of the soundtrack for the French film Les Liaisons Dangereuses), Jordan was in obscurity until he began recording on a regular basis for Steeplechase in 1973. Duke Jordan, who was married for a time to the talented jazz singer Sheila Jordan, lived in Denmark from 1978 until his death on August 8, 2006. He recorded through the years for Prestige, Savoy, Blue Note, Charlie Parker Records, Muse, Spotlite, and Steeplechase. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide
An imaginative and gifted pianist, he was also a regular member of Charlie Parker's so-called "classic quintet" (1947-48), featuring Miles Davis. For example he participated in the Parker Dial session that produced "Dewey Square", "Bongo Bop", "Bird of Paradise", and the ballad "Embraceable You". A number of these performances are featured on Charlie Parker on Dial.[2]
He had a long solo career from the mid-1950s onwards, after periods accompanying Sonny Stitt and Stan Getz, he performed and recorded in the trio format. His most notable composition, "Jordu", became a jazz standard when trumpeter Clifford Brown adopted it into his repertoire.
From 1978 he was resident in Copenhagen, Denmark, having begun recording an extensive sequence of albums for the Steeplechase label in 1973. Some of his best live recordings are available on the Steeplechase or the Japanese Marshmallow label.
From 1952-62 he was married to the Jazz singer Sheila Jordan.
