Search - Louis Jordan & His Tympani Five :: Jukebox Hits, Vol. 2: 1947-1951

The Legend Continued

03/01/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This second volume covering the hits of Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five picks things up in the chronological list of hit singles where Volume 1 left off. Please see my review of that initial volume. Note also that, for some reason, they spell the name of his group "Tympani" on both the covers and CDs, whereas any reference I have shows it as "Tympany." Also for the record, here are the various personalities that made up his group at one time or anothers: Alto Sax - Louis Jordan; Tenor Sax - Paul Quinchette, Josh Jackson, James Wright, Kenneth Hollon; Trumpet: Eddie Roane, Aaron Izenhall, Freddie Webster; Bass: Jessie Simpkins, Bill Hadnott, Dallas Beattey; Piano/Organ: Arnold Thomas, Bill Doggett, Wild Bill Davis; Guitar: Jimmy Jackson, Carl Hogan, Bill Jennings; Drummers: Walter Martin, Shadow Wilson, Eddie Byrd, and Chris Columbus, who also served as director, producer, writer.



Leading off here is Jack, You're Dead, a # 1 for 7 weeks in the summer of 1947 on what had then become known as the Most Played Juke Box Race Records (replacing the initial Harlem Hit Parade) b/w I Know What You're Puttin' Down (# 3), followed later that summer by Boogie Woogie Blue Plate, another # 1 which remained at that spot for 14 weeks. That made the B-side suffer as Sure Had A Wonderful Time did not chart (nor is it here). Later that fall both sides of Early In The Mornin' (# 3) and Look Out (# 5) became hits, and in early 1948 Barnyard Boogie went to # 2 while the B-side, How Long Must I Wait For You, originally recorded in 1945, topped out at # 9.



In May 1948, Reet Petite And Gone got as high as # 4, but the flip, Inflation Blues failed to make the charts (and is omitted here). Around that same time Billboard was introducing an accompanying chart called Best-Selling Retail Race Records. He then registered his 15th # 1 hit that summer with Run Joe which, with the additional vocal backing of The Calypso Boys, also made it to # 23 Pop, while the B-side, All For The Love Of Lil, settled in at # 13. Another summer 1948 release was his instrumental version of Pinetop's Boogie Woogie which he recorded back in 1941 and which peaked at # 14 b/w the uncharted Saxa-Woogie (not here).



In fall 1948, Don't Burn The Candle At Both Ends got as high as # 4 and the B-side, We Can't Agree, also charted at # 14. Unfortunately, that was left out of this volume. In November, Daddy-O also reached # 4 billed to Louis Jordan And His Tympany Five and Martha Davis, b/w the uncharted You're On The Right Track Baby (But You're Goin' The Wrong Way). In January 1949, Pettin' And Pokin' rose to # 5 while the flip, Why'd You Do It Baby? failed to crack the charts. Both the last two B-sides are omitted, as are those on the reverse of his next two hits, Roamin' Blues (# 10 in April 1949) b/w Have You Got The Gumption? and You Broke Your Promise (# 3 also in April) b/w Safe, Sane And Single.



By the time the next two-sided hit was climbing the charts - Cole Slaw (Sorghum Switch) - # 7 b/w Every Man To His Own Profession - # 10 - Billboard was in the process of changing the names of the charts again to Most Played Juke Box Rhythm & Blues Records and Best-Selling Retail Rhythm & Blues Records, which were certainly a little less blatantly "racist." It was also in this period that he had another hit with the great Ella Fitzgerald with Baby, It's Cold Outside which scored on both the R&B (# 6) and Pop charts (# 21). As with the earlier duets, however, it isn't included here, but all can be found on the Ella Fitzgerald volume in this series. The flip, Don't Cry, Cry Baby, is not included.



Beans And Corn Bread then became his 16th # 1 when it climbed to that spot in summer 1949 b/w Chicky-Mo Craney Crow (not here), followed in the late fall by the hilarious smash Saturday Night Fish Fry - Parts 1 & 2 which spent 12 weeks at # 1 and also reached # 21 Pop. He then kicked off the new decade with School Days which got as high as # 6 in January 1950 b/w I Know What I've Got (not here), and later that summer registered his last # 1 when Blue Light Boogie - Parts 1 & 2 hit that spot and stayed for 7 weeks, In late fall 1950 he again had two records competing for the charts when the last duet with Ella, I'll Never Be Free, topped out at # 7 b/w Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do (neither is here), while at the same time Tamburitza Boogie was making its way to # 10 b/w Trouble Then Satisfaction.



His final three hits came in 1951 with Lemonade reaching # 6 in January (bill Doggett is featured on the organ on the last two hits), Tear Drops From My Eyes finished at # 4 in March (featuring Wild Bill Davis at the organ), and Weak Minded Blues topped out at # 5 in May. None of the three B-sides - (You Dyed Your Hair) Chartreuse, It's A Great Great Pleasure and Is My Pop In There? - are included here.



Just a magnificent tandem of CDs on one of the all-time greats of the industry, inducted into the Blues Hall Of Fame in 1983, and the R&R Hall of Fame in 1987 in the Early Influence category. It comes with copious and informative liner notes, discographies, and numerous pictures and poster/record label reproductions."