April 1, 1922 – August 8, 2006

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Pianist Irving Sydney “Duke” Jordan was born April 1, 1922 in Brooklyn, New York.

At 25 he became the pianist for Charlie Parker’s “classic” Quintet which also included young Miles Davis.

It’s Jordan’s piano you hear on Parker’s classic recordings with Dial.

In 1978 as part of a long, successful solo career, Jordan resettled in Copenhagen where his work was amply documented by the Danish label SteepleChase Records.

One particular session with Parker, held in late 1947, yielded the celebrated cuts “Bongo Bop”, “Dewey Square”, and “Embraceable You.”

Duke Jordan’s long solo career began during the mid-1950s, interrupted only briefly in the ’60s when necessity brought him to take a temporary job as a cab driver.

His composition “Jordu” became a standard after being added to the repertoire of trumpeter Clifford Brown.

Time spent accompanying Stan Getz and Sonny Stitt caused Duke to prefer to work in a trio.

Duke Jordan performs with his trio.

Personnel:

Duke Jordan, piano
Bob Cranshaw, bass
Alan Dawson, drums

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