Cliff Jordan - 1957 - Cliff Jordan

Cliff Jordan

1957

Cliff Jordan

01. Not Guilty 11:43
02. St. John 8:18
03. Blue Shoes 9:38
04. Beyond The Blue Horizon 6:59
05. J u-Ba 3:55

Recorded June 2, 1957

Alto Saxophone – John Jenkins
Bass – Paul Chambers
Drums – Art Taylor
Piano – Ray Bryant
Tenor Saxophone – Cliff Jordan
Trombone – Curtis Fuller
Trumpet – Lee Morgan

Clifford Jordan was a fine inside/outside player who somehow held his own with Eric Dolphy in the 1964 Charles Mingus Sextet. Jordan had his own sound on tenor almost from the start. He gigged around Chicago with Max Roach, Sonny Stitt, and some R&B groups before moving to New York in 1957. Jordan immediately made a strong impression, leading three albums for Blue Note (including a meeting with fellow tenor John Gilmore) and touring with Horace Silver (1957-1958), J.J. Johnson (1959-1960), Kenny Dorham (1961-1962), and Max Roach (1962-1964). After performing in Europe with Mingus and Dolphy, Jordan worked mostly as a leader but tended to be overlooked since he was not overly influential or a pacesetter in the avant-garde. A reliable player, Clifford Jordan toured Europe several times, was in a quartet headed by Cedar Walton in 1974-1975, and during his last years, led a big band. He recorded as a leader for Blue Note, Riverside, Jazzland, Atlantic (a little-known album of Leadbelly tunes), Vortex, Strata-East, Muse, SteepleChase, Criss Cross, Bee Hive, DIW, Milestone, and Mapleshade.

This session represents the nascent half blowing session/half rehearsed originals trend of the mid 50's in Blue Note Records. Lee Morgan, Curtis Fuller, Paul Chambers, and Art Taylor were everywhere - recording at least twice a month. Cliff Jordan wasn't as heard as much (shamefully), as well as R&B-inclined Ray Bryant or Bird-loving John Jenkins (who especially loves Charlie Parker's lick from Perdido). The seven collaborated in the studio and let the jazz magic happen.

Clouds of musical statements weave out of your speakers when this music is played. "Cliff Jordan" was Jordan's eponymous debut to get his name out into the public, and it sure worked. The music foreshadows itself - it starts out with the catchy and major-chord-filled "Not Guilty," setting the pace for a lighthearted session with messengers of meaningful music making meaningful statements.

Jordan sounds absolutely beautiful on this album. His tone is tough to describe - leaping, confident, full-bodied, with little hesitancy. His harmonic creativity isn't remarkable, but his logical ideas flow effortlessly, his muscularity propelling them as his important statements of inspiration. Fuller leaves nothing behind, drawing a sweet trombone sound that will leave many brass players speechless (especially since he was only 22).

Morgan unmistakably sounds young and unseasoned - but the brash cockiness and flurries of triplets are still there. These Blue Note sessions raised his profile considerably, culminating in the peak of his membership in the Jazz Messengers. He only appears on three out of five numbers. There are 40 minutes of music total, not bad for a straight re-issue of a mid 50's session.

The aforementioned Not Guilty is comprised mainly of major chords and II-V-I's, sounding exuberant. St. John is based off of the chord changes to the first version of Milestones and Blue Shoes sounds like a gospel-tinged spiritual. "Beyond the Blue Horizon" is a classic standard, while Ju-Ba is dappled in nothing but dirty blues, boasting a double-timing Jordan and mature-sounding Morgan behind a harmon mute. Not a bad mix of originals and one standard by any means.

Blue Note albums like these are addictive as well - after hearing this one, you'll want to check out many more from the mid 50's catalog and hear more of the leaping Jordan, especially his considered masterpiece "Blowing In From Chicago," the ferocious duel with John Gilmore.

"Cliff Jordan's" best track is Blue Shoes, which is dangerously soaked in the territory of emotional gospel spirituals, but never losing sight of the blues and bop tradition. I have sought out this perfect, intense combination of spirituals and jazz for years, and Blue Shoes is one of the few tracks that has ultimately satisfied me.

Don't be a stranger to Cliff - I urge you to enjoy his traveling, projecting music and seek out his eponymous debut as soon as you can.