Let The Good Times Roll: The Anthology 1938-1953

Louis Jordan | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 23, 1999)
• Original Release Date: February 23, 1999
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Mca
• ASIN: B00000I5M5
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #273,599 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible!, June 14, 2000

By 

Ralph Quirino (Keswick, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Let The Good Times Roll: The Anthology 1938-1953 (Audio CD)

Without the help of former angst/punk-rocker Joe Jackson, many of my generation would never have heard of Louis Jordan. Jackson's JUMPIN' JIVE album was made long before the current swing revival and it exposed many under fortysomethings to the incredible fun, unbridled joy and sheer pop smarts of Jordan at a time when prog-rock was on the wane, disco was just about dead and the new wave was where it was at. But, for far too many years since CDs have been with us, there had been no satisfactory anthology of his biggest, bestest, swingin'-est hits. For years I made do with THE BEST OF LOUIS JORDAN on MCA U.K., a great but not fabulous collection that missed many of the great cuts on this fab double retrospective. Now, MCA's newest anthology, a double, does the man justice thanks to great sound, ALL the key cuts and a decently packaged graphic/booklet treatment. One could rightly make a claim that this is the true start of rock and roll. Jordan was immensely popular during and right after WWII. And though he may have hated rock and roll (and he made no bones about how he felt about it), where would rock be without "Caldonia" or "Choo Choo Ch'Boogie"? This is more than just a historical document, it's a blast from the past that causes heads to nod, feet to shake, hands to get clapped. It's the balls, y'all!

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Monumental Figure in Modern Music ! ! !, February 13, 2001

By 

Eddie Landsberg "My 10th year as a reviewer !... (Tokyo, Japan) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Let The Good Times Roll: The Anthology 1938-1953 (Audio CD)

In his autobiography, James Brown mentions Louis Jordan as one of his biggest influences, especially the way Louis would go up real high when he'd do that shout on Caldonia, just like Little Richard only when Little Richard was actually LITTLE (as in still in the crib.)

I thought it was strange how Ken Burns's JAZZ only gave this monumental figure in modern American music a brief mention but then again, although Jordan did incorporate a lot of Jazz into his playing, and could sing pretty smooth too (I can swear he sounds like Lady Day on Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying) really he created an entirely different art form, one merging everything from the jump blues sounds of Kansas City, with the slick bebop licks of Mintons - - and the influences of all the dance crazes at the time, from Swing to Latin - - and of course, those catchy lyrics which in many ways would end up getting him labeled as a "novelty" act (two of my favorites are What's The Use of Getting Sober and Beware Brother Beware.) From it all, came the musical forms that would eventually be known as R & B, soul, rock and roll and the modern blues. In fact, if you listen to Louis, then early R & B and rock and roll, you hear very little difference... and its no suprize that Louis was singing Let The Good Times Roll long before any white people were doing in on Band Stand - - For this historical reason alone, no true music lover should be without atleast one CD... and this greatly packaged CD is definitely a good place to come.

Do not think it possible to understand almost any form of American music, or truly appreciate life, without the presence of Louis Jordan in your player ! ! !

Check out Slim Galliard, and also organists Bill Dogett and Wild Bill Davis (who both did stints with Jordan)...

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Compact Jive Package!, September 1, 2003

By 

chris meesey Food Czar (The Colony, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Let The Good Times Roll: The Anthology 1938-1953 (Audio CD)

Starting as a member of the Count Basie band in the 1930s, Louis Jordan soon became known as sax player, vocalist, and jive man extraordinaire on his many solo recordings from the late 1930s until his death in the mid-1970s. This package focuses only on the years 1938 thru 1953, which is admittedly most of his best work, but it would be nice to hear some of his later recordings as well. In particular, two recordings of the classic "Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens", cut in the 50s and 70s, improve by being taken at a faster tempo. Louis practically invented jump blues, and no less a giant than BB King has paid tribute with an album of all Jordan material. (Let the Good Times Roll). Building on Cab Calloway's earlier reputation as the king of jive language and music, Jordan creates an evocative, often hilarious picture of the trials and tribulations of the black performer of his day. His takes on trains ("Texas and Pacific", "Choo Choo, Ch'Boogie," and "Salt Pork, West Virginia"), drinking ("What's the Use of Being Sober?"), waitresses ("Boogie Woogie Blue Plate"), and life itself (the wonderful "Life is So Peculiar" duet with Louis Armstrong) still delight after all these years due to his irrepresible humor and jive language. So, if your budget only allows for a two-CD set, spring for this edition by one of the most upbeat, positive, and all around funny cats ever, and run, don't walk, to the nearest Saturday night fish fry.