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

Source:

As sideman

With Gene Ammons With Ernestine Anderson With Chet Baker With Paul Bascomb With Eddie Bert With Art Blakey With Tina Brooks With Kenny Burrell With Joe Carroll With Teddy Edwards With Rolf Ericson With Art Farmer With Stan Getz With Gigi Gryce With Coleman Hawkins With Joe Holiday With Howard McGhee With Charles McPherson With Barry Miles With Sam Most With Charlie Parker With Cecil Payne With Oscar Pettiford With Doug Raney With Dizzy Reece With Louis Smith With Sonny Stitt With Clark Terry With Doug Watkins With Julius Watkins With Barney Wilen With Teddy Williams With The Birdlanders Various