Clifford Laconia Jordan (September 2, 1931 – March 27, 1993) was an American jazz tenor saxophone player and composer. Originally from Chicago, Jordan later moved to New York City, where he recorded extensively in addition to touring across both Europe and Africa. He recorded and performed with Art Farmer, Horace Silver, Max Roach, J.J. Johnson, and Kenny Dorham, among others. In later years, performed with Cedar Walton's quartet Eastern Rebellion, and led his own groups, including a big band.

Early life and career

Jordan took music lessons from a young age, originally playing piano and later taking up the saxophone at age 13. Jordan attended DuSable High School, where his classmates included John Gilmore and Johnny Griffin. He originally got his start leading a dance band before breaking into the rhythm and blues scene, as well as playing bebop with the likes of Max Roach and Sonny Stitt.

New York City and touring

After moving to New York City in 1957, Jordan recorded three albums for Blue Note Records, the first of which, Blowing in from Chicago featured Horace Silver and Art Blakey as well as his former schoolmate Gilmore as co-leader. A series of notable collaborations followed - Jordan joined Silver's band, co-led a group with Kenny Dorham, and recorded as a sideman with J.J Johnson, Lee Morgan, Eric Dolphy, and Joe Zawinul, to name a few. In 1960, Jordan began performing with Cedar Walton, a collaboration that would continue for the remainder of Jordan's career. Jordan re-joined Eric Dolphy in 1964 as part of the Charles Mingus Sextet, which toured Europe and produced a number of live albums. Jordan later toured Africa with Randy Weston for the US State Department. Jordan briefly moved to Belgium in 1969, and during this time he frequently performed in Paris.

Return to New York and later career

Jordan moved back to New York City in late 1969, signing a deal with Strata East Records to record a trio of albums that mostly featured Jordan's own compositions. The last of these, Drink Plenty Water, was recorded in 1974 but remained unreleased until 2023. The album features spoken-word from actor David Smyrl and singing from Jordan, as well as a small vocal ensemble which included Jordan's daughter, Donna. Jordan would continue to record prolifically throughout the 1970s and 1980s, with his ambitious Strata East projects contrasted by more straight-ahead offerings, such as the 1981 offering Hyde Park After Dark which saw him return to his Chicago roots, playing hard bop with a group that included Norman Simmons, Victor Sproles, and Cy Touff. He also rekindled his collaboration with Art Farmer around this time, afterwards playing as a sideman on several of Farmer's albums. In the early 1990s, Jordan began leading a big band in New York City, which would come to be a regular act at Eddie Condon's.

Personal life

Jordan was married to Shirley Jordan, a designer and former owner of The Clothes Gallery in New York. He later married Sandy Jordan (née Williams), a graphic artist and Honorary Founders Board member of the Jazz Foundation of America. Jordan died of lung cancer at the age of 61 in New York City. He was survived by a daughter, Donna Jewell Harris, (née Jordan), and a son, Eric Jordan.

Discography

As leader

As sideman

With Paul Chambers With Sonny Clark With Dameronia With Richard Davis With Eric Dolphy With Art Farmer With Dizzy Gillespie With Slide Hampton With John Hicks and Elise Wood With Andrew Hill With J. J. Johnson With Charles McPherson With Carmen McRae With Charles Mingus With Mingus Dynasty With Lee Morgan With Pony Poindexter With Freddie Redd With Dizzy Reece With Max Roach With Sahib Shihab With Horace Silver With Charles Tolliver With Mal Waldron With Cedar Walton With Joe Zawinul