Steve Philip Jordan (January 15, 1919 – September 13, 1993) was an American jazz guitarist.

Career

Jordan was born in New York City. He considered himself a rhythm guitarist whose biggest influences were George Van Eps and Allan Reuss. He received lessons from Reuss, who played rhythm guitar for Benny Goodman In the early 1940s Jordan was a member of bands led by Will Bradley, Artie Shaw, and Teddy Powell. After serving with the Navy in World War II, he returned to music as a member of bands led by Bob Chester, Freddie Slack, Glen Gray, Stan Kenton, Jimmy Dorsey, and Boyd Raeburn. When jobs for rhythm guitarists disappeared as big bands dwindled, Jordan became a studio musician for NBC. During the 1950s, he worked with Gene Krupa, Mel Powell, Vic Dickenson, Charles Thompson, Buck Clayton, Ruby Braff, and Benny Goodman. In the 1960s, he earned a living as a tailor, but from 1965 to 1972 he performed routinely with Tommy Gwaltney at Blues Alley in Washington, D.C. His last job as sideman was with DC area band leader/drummer Brooks Tegler where he played strictly rhythm guitar for eight years and recorded two CD's ("Keep Em Flying" and "And Not Only That!"), with Tegler, in that capacity. He was offered a job replacing Freddie Green in the Count Basie Orchestra, but he rejected it because he said he was too old to tour again. His memoir, Rhythm Man, was published in the early 1990s. Here Comes Mr. Jordan was his only album as a leader.

Discography

As leader

As sideman

With Ruby Braff With Buck Clayton With others