No Moe! The Greatest Hits [Verve]

Performer: Louis Jordan
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: Personnel includes: Jimmy Cleveland, Ernie Royal, Budd Johnson. These are not the original tracks Jordan cut for Decca in the '40s, but re-recordings he made at Mercury in the '50s. Jump blues legend Louis Jordan's career peaked during the 1940's, when the hip and hilarious band leader cranked out a series of hits with his band, the Timpani Five. By the early '50s, however, the hit parade and Jordan's association with Decca Records (for whom he recorded all his big tunes) had ended, and Jordan had announced his retirement. Fortunately, Jordan soon decided to return to stage and studio. In 1956, he signed with Mercury Records and, as stars often do, immediately re-recorded his biggest hits for his new label. NO MOE! contains 16 of these updated versions of Jordan classics. All but four of the recordings on NO MOE! were supervised by Quincy Jones, who goosed Jordan's music with some nice hot-jazz and pseudo-rock and roll flourishes. R&B guitarist Mickey Baker is prominently featured, further heating up the proceedings. Jordan's original Decca takes on these songs are still the classics (the can be found on LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL), but NO MOE! adds a satisfying coda to the career of a great jazz musician and entertainer.

The most successful and influential purveyor of saxophone-driven jump blues, Louis Jordan was also one of the crucial transitional figures between the swing era and R&B. Although he started out mainly as a saxophonist with bandleaders such as Bessie Smith, Chick Webb, and Louis Armstrong, he found a niche singing blues and novelty tunes. After a string of hits throughout the 1940s, Jordan eventually found himself outpaced by the very rock & roll he had helped inspire.

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