History Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five

Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five is best known as Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five (formerly Louis Jordan & His Elks Rendez-Vous Band, 1938 to early-39), and was a Harlem, NY, USA rhythm and blues / urban blues / jump blues / early rock n roll sextet, led by Jordan (saxes, vocals). The rest of the original line-up was: Courtney Williams (trumpet), Edwin Johnson (tenor sax - aka Lem Johnson), Clarence Johnson (piano), Charlie Drayton (bass) and Walter Martin (drums, inc' timpani - the band named after his enthusiastic use).

Throughout the lifetime of the band, it often swelled beyond a sextet & along with changes, other members included: Aaron Izenhall, Alex Mitchell, Billy Hadnott, Carl Hogan, Eddie Byrd, Fred Simon, Jesse Simpkins, Josh Jackson and Wild Bill Davis.

Jordan (b. 8 Jul 1908, in Brinkley, AR, USA - died 4 Feb 1975, in Los Angeles, CA, USA). After a few years playing in the “Chitlin circuit” of the 1930s and just after World War II, Jordan launched a revolutionary sound: it wasn’t blues nor jazz but the 'jump blues' sound which evolved into rhythm and blues.

Between 1942 and 1951 Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five had 57 R&B chart hits on [Invalid Artist] Records. His first release was “Honey in The Bee Ball" in 1938. In the 1950s he left Decca and recorded for [Invalid Artist] and in the 1960s for Ray Charles’ [Invalid Artist]. Charles often mentioned Jordan as one of his biggest influences in music.

Jordan, popular to all audiences, is unforgotten for developing the blueprint of Rock and Roll and R&B. He died February 04, 1975 of a heart attack, in Los Angeles. He was inducted into Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.

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