Rock N Roll

Louis Jordan | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 30, 1989)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Polygram Records
• ASIN: B00000478Z
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #327,946 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens

2. Choo Choo Ch'Boogie

3. Knock Me A Kiss

4. Caldonia

5. Let The Good Times Roll

6. Is You Is, Or Is You Ain't (Ma' Baby)

7. Beware, Brother, Beware

8. Big Bess

9. Cat Scratchin'

10. Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying

11. I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town

12. Salt Port, West Virginia

13. Run Joe

14. Early In The Morning

15. Morning Light

16. Fire

17. Rock Doc

18. Ella Mae

19. The Jamp

20. Saturday Night Fish Fry

See all 21 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars In Fine Shape..., December 3, 2005

By 

Jeff Lisowski "Jeff" (DC Metro Area) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rock N Roll (Audio CD)

Louis Jordan was on the Mercury label during this time. Quincy Jones was brought in to arrange and conduct. What a hit they had. The track list is mainly his hits from the previous decade, but most if not all are souped up wailing renditions. The horn arrangements are sharp, tight and fresh. The rhythm section is perfect and Jordan's vocal delivery is flawless.

There are a couple tunes that personally don't compare to the originals. "Saturday Night Fish Fry" is one, the longer version from 1949 is better. But songs like "Big Bess" and "Ella Mae" are new and tight.

Essential listening if you're a fan of early R&B or Rock & Roll!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great 50s comeback recordings with Jordan still swinging!, March 12, 2000

By 

hyperbolium (Earth, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rock N Roll (Audio CD)

Although Jordan really made his fame in the 30's and 40's, this collection of 21 tracks recorded in '56 and '57 shows him to be swinging right along. As the liner notes point out, Mercury was hoping for a come-back hit with Jordan and spared little expense in producing these sessions. The backing orchestra includes many luminaries (e.g., Jimmy Cleveland, Ernie Royal, Mickey "Guitar" Baker), and the whole proceeding was arranged and conducted by Quincy Jones.

The titles reprise many of Jordan's big hits ("Caldonia", "Choo Choo Ch'Boogie"), as well newer tracks like "Rock Doc." The sounds range from blues and jump-blues, to swingtime rock 'n' roll (somewhat akin to what Bill Haley and the Comets were doing). Mickey "Guitar" Baker (of Mickey and Silvia "Love is Strange" fame) adds some really stinging guitar licks (making the cover of "Caldonia" worth the disc alone). The saxes honk and swing, and Jordan's up front with his vocals in fine shape; this was an artist still swinging and creating vital, timeless, rocking music.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The father of rock & roll, March 20, 2007

By 

Annie Van Auken (Planet Earth) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rock N Roll (Audio CD)

After a brief and commercially unsuccessful stint at ALADDIN records, Louis Jordan moved on to MERCURY, where the full resources of that label were poured into generating some hits for him. Rerecordings of Jordan's 1940's DECCA sides, supervised by Quincy Jones, were made in late 1956. The product of these sessions was indeed rock & roll (thus this album's title). But as had happened at ALADDIN, X and VIK just two years earlier, lightning didn't strike twice for Louis-- sales of his newly polished oldies were less than what was hoped for. One last attempt to rekindle his career was made in August of '57, this time with a scaled-back band, but once again the records met with widespread indifference. Louis Jordan had officially become a casualty of the very music form he'd helped to create: ROCK & ROLL.

The 21 tracks on this German import CD are an excellent sampling of Louis Jordan's late 1950's sound. Transfer quality of source material is superb. Included are session dates and personnel, as well as a two-page bio. An album of excellence that will please any Jordan fan, as well as those who enjoy early rock & roll.

TOTAL RUNNING TIME -- 57:51