# Duke Jordan

Irving Sidney "Duke" Jordan (April 1, 1922 – August 8, 2006) was an American jazz pianist.

## Biography

Jordan was born in New York and raised in Brooklyn where he attended Boys High School. An imaginative and gifted pianist, Jordan was a regular member of Charlie Parker's quintet during 1947–48, which also featured Miles Davis. He participated in Parker's Dial sessions in late 1947 that produced "Dewey Square", "Bongo Bop", "Bird of Paradise", and the ballad "Embraceable You". These performances are featured on Charlie Parker on Dial.
Jordan had a long solo career from the mid-1950s onwards, although for a period in the mid-1960s he drove a taxi in New York. After periods accompanying Sonny Stitt and Stan Getz, he performed and recorded in the trio format. His composition, "Jordu", became a jazz standard when trumpeter Clifford Brown adopted it into his repertoire. Another of his compositions, "No Problem", has been recorded several times, notably by Art Blakey, under the title "No Hay Problema", and Chet Baker as well as others.
Beginning in 1978, he lived in Copenhagen, Denmark, having recorded an extensive sequence of albums for the SteepleChase label; his first record date for the company was in 1973. He was reported not to have changed his style over the course of his career.
From 1952 to 1962, he was married to the jazz singer Sheila Jordan. Their union produced a daughter, Tracey J. Jordan. He died in Valby, Copenhagen.

## Discography
### As leader/co-leader

| Year recorded | Title | Label | Year released | Notes |
| 1954 | Jordu | Prestige | 1971 | Trio, with Gene Ramey (bass), Lee Abrams (drums); includes two 1949 tracks led by Don Lanphere (tenor sax) |
| 1955 | Jazz Laboratory Series, Vol. 1 | Signal | 1955 | Some tracks trio, with Oscar Pettiford (bass), Kenny Clarke (drums); some tracks with Gigi Gryce (alto sax) overdubbed |
| 1955 | Duke Jordan Trio and Quintet | Signal | 1955 | Some tracks trio, with Percy Heath (bass), Art Blakey (drums); one track quartet, with Cecil Payne (baritone sax) added; some tracks quintet, with Eddie Bert (trombone) added; reissued by Savoy as Flight to Jordan, but this is different from the 1960 Blue Note album |
| 1959? | Les Liaisons Dangereuses | Charlie Parker | 1962 | Music from the original soundtrack From the motion picture. One track trio, with Eddie Khan (bass), Art Taylor (drums); most tracks quintet, with Sonny Cohn (trumpet), Charlie Rouse (tenor sax) added |
| 1960 | Flight to Jordan | Blue Note | 1960 | Quintet, with Dizzy Reece (trumpet), Stanley Turrentine (tenor sax), Reggie Workman (bass), Art Taylor (drums) |
| 1962 | East and West of Jazz | Charlie Parker | 1962 | One track quartet, with Johnny Coles (trumpet), Wendell Marshall (bass) Walter Bolden (drums); most tracks quintet, with Cecil Payne (baritone sax) added; album shared with Sadik Hakim |
| 1973 | Brooklyn Brothers | Muse | 1973 | Quartet, with Cecil Payne (baritone sax, flute), Sam Jones (bass), Al Foster (drums) |
| 1973 | The Murray Hill Caper | Spotlite | 1973 | Quartet, with Cecil Payne (baritone sax), David Williams (bass), Al Foster (drums) |
| 1973 | Flight to Denmark | SteepleChase | 1974 | Trio, with Mads Vinding (bass), Ed Thigpen (drums) |
| 1973 | Two Loves | SteepleChase | 1974 | Trio, with Mads Vinding (bass), Ed Thigpen (drums) |
| 1973 | Montmartre ´73 featuring Bent Jædig | SteepleChase | 2022 | Quartet, with Bent Jædig (tenor sax), Allan Gregersen, Johnny Dyani, Eddie Gomez (bass), Jørn Elniff (drums) |
| 1975 | Truth | SteepleChase | 1983 | Trio, with Mads Vinding (bass), Ed Thigpen (drums) |
| 1975 | Misty Thursday | SteepleChase | 1976 | Quartet, with Chuck Wayne (guitar), Sam Jones (bass), Roy Haynes (drums) |
| 1975 | Duke's Delight | SteepleChase | 1976 | One track solo; most tracks quintet, with Richard Williams (trumpet), Charlie Rouse (tenor sax), Sam Jones (bass), Al Foster (drums) added |
| 1975 | Lover Man | SteepleChase | 1979 | Trio, with Sam Jones (bass), Al Foster (drums) |
| 1976 | Live in Japan | SteepleChase | 1977 | Trio, with Wilbur Little (bass), Roy Haynes (drums); in concert |
| 1976 | Osaka Concert Vol. 1 | SteepleChase | 1990 | Trio, with Wilbur Little (bass), Roy Haynes (drums); in concert |
| 1976 | Osaka Concert Vol. 2 | SteepleChase | 1990 | Trio, with Wilbur Little (bass), Roy Haynes (drums); in concert |
| 1976 | Flight to Japan | SteepleChase | 1978 | Trio, with Wilbur Little (bass), Roy Haynes (drums) |
| 1978 | Duke's Artistry | SteepleChase | 1978 | Quartet, with Art Farmer (flugelhorn), David Friesen (bass), Philly Joe Jones (drums) |
| 1978 | The Great Session | SteepleChase | 1981 | Trio, with David Friesen (bass), Philly Joe Jones (drums) |
| 1978 | Flight to Norway | SteepleChase | 2003 | Trio, with Wilbur Little (bass), Dannie Richmond (drums); in concert |
| 1978 | Tivoli One | SteepleChase | 1984 | Trio, with Wilbur Little (bass), Dannie Richmond (drums); in concert |
| 1978 | Tivoli Two | SteepleChase | 1984 | Trio, with Wilbur Little (bass), Dannie Richmond (drums); in concert |
| 1978 | Wait and See | SteepleChase | 1985 | Trio, with Wilbur Little (bass), Dannie Richmond (drums); in concert |
| 1979 | Solo Masterpieces Vol. 1 | SteepleChase | 1992 | Solo piano |
| 1979 | Midnight Moonlight | SteepleChase | 1980 | Solo piano |
| 1979 | Change a Pace | SteepleChase | 1980 | Trio, with Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (bass), Billy Hart (drums) |
| 1978– 1979 | Thinking of You | SteepleChase | 1982 | One track solo piano; most tracks trio, with Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (bass), Billy Hart (drums) |
| 1979 | Solo Masterpieces Vol. 2 | SteepleChase | 1992 | Solo piano |
| 1981 | Art Pepper with Duke Jordan in Copenhagen 1981 | Galaxy | 1996 | Quartet, with Art Pepper (alto sax, clarinet), David Williams (bass), Carl Burnett (drums); in concert |
| 1982 | So Nice Duke | Three Blind Mice | 1982 | Trio, with Jesper Lundgaard (bass), Aage Tanggaard (drums); in concert |
| 1983 | Blue Duke | Baystate (JP) | 1983 | Trio, with Harry Emmery (bass), James Martin (drums) |
| 1983 | Jealousy | Marshmallow | 1984 | Trio, with Jesper Lundgaard (bass), Ed Thigpen (drums); plus Kristian Jørgensen (violin) |
| 1983 | Plays Standards | Marshmallow | 1984 | Trio, with Jesper Lundgaard (bass), Aage Tanggaard (drums) |
| 1985 | Time on My Hands | SteepleChase | 1988 | Trio, with Jesper Lundgaard (bass), Billy Hart (drums) |
| 1985 | As Time Goes By | SteepleChase | 1989 | Trio, with Jesper Lundgaard (bass), Billy Hart (drums) |
| 1987 | Acoustic Live at 3361 Black | 3361 Black (JP) | 1987 | Trio, with Major Holley (bass), Jake Hanna (drums); in concert |
| 1987 | Live Live Live | 3361 Black (JP) | 1987 | Trio, with Major Holley (bass), Jake Hanna (drums); in concert |
| 1989 | Kiss of Spain | 3361 Black (JP) | 1989 | Trio, with Nobuyoshi Ino (bass), Masahiko Togashi (drums) |
| 1990 | Always | Marshmallow | 1992 | Trio, with Jesper Lundgaard (bass), Ange Tanggaard (drums) |
| 1991 | White Key | 3361 Black (JP) | 1991 | Quartet, with Yuka Kido (flute), Chikuhoh (shakuhachi), Hiroshi Yoshino (bass) |
| 1991 | Black Key | 3361 Black (JP) | 1991 | Quartet, with Yuka Kido (flute), Chikuhoh (shakuhachi), Hiroshi Yoshino (bass) |
| 1993 | One for the Library | Storyville | 1994 | Solo piano |
| 1994 | Live in Paris | Marshmallow | 2001 | Trio, with Luigi Trussardi (bass), Al Levitt (drums); in concert |
| 1995 | Beauty of Scandinavia | Key'stone (JP) | 2000 | Trio, with Jesper Lundgaard (bass), Ed Thigpen (drums) |
Compilations
* When You're Smiling (Steeple Chase, 1996) – combined Time on My Hands (1988) and As Time Goes By (1989) plus ten bonus tracks
* Double Duke (Steeple Chase, 1997) – combined Change a Pace (1980) and Thinking of You (1982) plus five bonus tracks
Source:

### As sideman

With Gene Ammons
* The Happy Blues (Prestige, 1956)
* All Star Sessions (Prestige, 1956) – rec. 1950–1955
* Blues Up and Down, Vol. 1 (Prestige, 1970) – rec. 1950
With Eddie Bert
* Eddie Bert (Discovery, 1952)[10"]
* Eddie Bert Quintet (Discovery, 1953)[10"]
With Kenny Burrell
* Blue Lights Vols. 1 & 2 (Blue Note, 1958)
* Swingin' (Blue Note (JP), 1980) – rec. 1958 only
With Stan Getz
* Duke Ellington 25th Anniversary Concert (FDC (It) 1005)
* Getz Age (Roost RLP 2258)
* Hooray for Stan Getz (Session Disc 108)
* Move! (Natasha Imports 4005)
* Sweetie Pie (Philology (It) W 40-2)
* The Complete Roost Recordings (Roost CDP 7243 8 59622-2)
* Stan Getz Plays (Norgran, 1952)
* Stan Getz Quartet (Queen Disc (It) Q 013)
* Live at Carnegie Hall (Fresh Sound (Sp) FSCD 1003)
* Live at the Hi-Hat 1953, Vol. 1 (Fresh Sound (Sp) FSCD 1014)
* Live at the Hi-Hat 1953, Vol. 2 (Fresh Sound (Sp) FSCD 1015)
* That Top Tenor Technician Stan Getz (Alto AL 704)
With Cecil Payne
* Patterns of Jazz (Savoy, 1956)
* Cecil Payne Quartet and Quintet (Signal, 1957)
* Shaw 'Nuff (Charlie Parker, 1961)
* Cecil Payne Performing Charlie Parker Music (Charlie Parker, 1961)
* The Connection (Charlie Parker, 1962)
* Bird Gets The Worm (Muse, 1976)
With Sonny Stitt
* Stitt's Bits (Prestige, 1958) – rec. 1950
* Sonny Stitt & the Top Brass (Atlantic, 1963) – rec. 1962
* The Champ (Muse, 1974) – rec. 1973
With Barney Wilen
* Un Témoin Dans La Ville (Fontana (FR), 1959) – soundtrack
* Barney (RCA (FR), 1960) – live rec. 1959
With The Birdlanders
* The Birdlanders, Vol. 1 (Period, 1957) – rec. 1954
* The Birdlanders, Vol. 2 (Period, 1957) – rec. 1954
* The Birdlanders, Vol. 3 (Period, 1957) – rec. 1954
With others
* Ernestine Anderson, It's Time for Ernestine (Metronome (SE), 1958)
* Chet Baker, No Problem (SteepleChase, 1980) – rec. 1979
* Paul Bascomb, Bad Bascomb (Delmark, 1976) – rec. 1952
* Art Blakey, Les Liaisons Dangereuses 1960 (Fontana, 1960) – rec. 1959. Original Soundtrack with Barney Wilen.
* Tina Brooks, True Blue (Blue Note, 1960)
* Joe Carroll, "Joe Carroll" (Charlie Parker, 1962)[7"]
* Teddy Edwards, The Inimitable Teddy Edwards (Xanadu, 1976)
* Rolf Ericson, Rolf Ericson and his American All Stars (Metronome (SE) JMLP 2–105, EmArcy MG 36106)
* Art Farmer, Art Farmer Quintet featuring Gigi Gryce (Prestige, 1956) – rec. 1955
* Gigi Gryce, Doin' the Gigi (Uptown, 2011) – compilation
* Coleman Hawkins, Coleman Hawkins and His Orchestra (Crown, 1960)
* Joe Holiday, Holiday for Jazz (Decca DL 8487)
* Howard McGhee, The Return of Howard McGhee (Bethlehem, 1956) – rec. 1955
* Charles McPherson, Beautiful! (Xanadu 115)
* Barry Miles, Miles of Genius (Charlie Parker PLP 804)
* Sam Most, Mostly Flute (Xanadu 133)
* Charlie Parker, Complete Charlie Parker on Dial, Charlie Parker on Dial (Jazz Classics, Spotlite)
* Oscar Pettiford, Oscar Pettiford (Bethlehem, 1954)
* Doug Raney, Introducing Doug Raney (SteepleChase, 1978) – rec. 1977
* Dizzy Reece, Comin' On! (Blue Note, 1999) – rec. 1960
* Louis Smith, Here Comes Louis Smith (Blue Note, 1958)
* Clark Terry, Live at the Wichita Jazz Festival (Vanguard 1974, VSD 79355)
* Doug Watkins, Watkins at Large (Transition TRLP 20)
* Julius Watkins, Julius Watkins Sextet (Blue Note, 1995) – rec. 1954–1955
* Teddy Williams, Touch of the Blues c/w Dumb Woman Blues (Prestige 715)
Various Artists
* Birds Night: A Night at the Five Spot (Signal S 1204) Savoy (1958) (Savoy Jazz 2 LPs Celebration of Music of Charlie Parker)
* International Jam Sessions (Xanadu 122)
* Lestorian Mode (Savoy MG 12105)
* The Piano Players (Xanadu 171)
* Birdology vols. 1&2 (Birdology, Verve 1990 CDs)