Clifford Jordan

[Alexander]

I've recently been going through my (very few) Clifford Jordan discs. I bought "Cliff Craft" when it came out as a Conn back in the mid-to-late 1990s and wasn't very into it at the time. I had also found a Japanese import of a disc simply titled "Cliff Jordan" (BN) which features Lee Morgan (I was heavily into Lee at the time, and it was his presence on the disc that caused me to get it). Then I have an OJC called "Bear Cat" and the album with John Gilmore.

I bring all this up because listening to these discs now, I can't imagine why I was so unimpressed back then. Clifford Jordan was the shiznit! He had a big ol' tone that clearly came from Coleman Hawkins. His work is absolutely magnificent. What else is recommended after the ones I already have? Anyone else fond of Cliff?

[brownie]

Good idea to revive this previous thread!

[Chuck Nessa]

From the same era as the BN dates I recommend Horace's "Further Explorations".

Favorite leader dates include "Mosaic", "Glass Bead Games" and "The Adventurer".

[mikeweil]

I, too, was late on getting Jordan's message - it's never too late!

[BruceH]

There's a 1957 Prestige album that I love called "Jenkins, Jordan, & Timmons"---if you can find it, grab it. The thing is an unpretentious little gem. Also "Spellbound," with my favorite version of Jordan's composition "Toy." After that, all I can do is agree with Chuck Nessa's excellent recommendations. Be sure to get the newer CD of Glass Bead Games, though, with both sessions on it, totalling just over an hour of playing time.

JORDAN!!!

Edited September 28, 2007 by BruceH

[king ubu]

From the same era as the BN dates I recommend Horace's "Further Explorations".

I got "Cliff Craft" and "Further Explorations" as part of the same Mosaic/Trueblue order - loved both albums from day one! They go very well together!

I guess it's mentioned in the other thread, but Clifford Jordan is great on the first (of just recently two) volumes of "Erich Kleinschuster Sextet" sets (two 2CD sets, Jordan is on Vol. 1 only, very good Austrian band w/guests Clifford Jordan, Carmell Jones & Joe Henderson on Vol. 1, Slide Hampton and Jimmy Heath on Vol. 2 - I think dusty had the sets, otherwise search around the board to find out how to order them from a great shop in Vienna, where I was lucky to find Vol. 2 a couple of days after its street date, when I was in Vienna in July).

[Kyo]

From the same era as the BN dates I recommend Horace's "Further Explorations".

Favorite leader dates include "Mosaic", "Glass Bead Games" and "The Adventurer".

Those are some great picks!

[sidewinder]

Got to recommend 'The Pentagon' on East Wind.

[Peter Friedman]

There are many good recordings by Clifford Jordan. Aside from the ones already mentioned, here are some others I especially like under his leadership.

Royal Ballads - Criss Cross

Two Tenor Winner - Criss Cross

Four Play - D.I.W.

Live At Ethell's - Mapleshade/ Jazz Heritage

Repitition - Soul Note

[Guest Bill Barton]

From the same era as the BN dates I recommend Horace's "Further Explorations".

Favorite leader dates include "Mosaic", "Glass Bead Games" and "The Adventurer".

I'm particularly fond of the latter. The version of Alec Wilder's "I'll Be Around" on that one is one for the ages.

Got to recommend 'The Pentagon' on East Wind.

I'll second that motion too.

And there are some good recs on the other thread...

[Dan Gould]

I'll second the Live at Ethell's recommendation, and add any of those early to mid-70s recordings with Cedar Walton.

[Kalo]

I've been digging Jordan's Bearcat a lot lately; one of my favorite discs (so far) of the recent raft of OJCs I bought in the past few months.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

I've been meaning to ask about Clifford Jordan for a while. I was listening to this a couple of weeks ago

and I thought I really ought to get more of his stuff. I think the only other albums I have with him on it are Art Farmer's "PhD" and Horace's "Further explorations".

Pleased this and the other thread have brought his recordings to the forefront of my attention.

MG

[Chas]

Alexander , since you're a Lee Morgan fan starting to explore Clifford Jordan's work , it is utterly imperative that you get a hold of Morgan's Take Twelve date . This has long been one of my favorite dates by Lee ; excellent tunes , excellent work in support from the rhythm section of Harris , Cranshaw and Hayes . This is the record that made me take notice of Jordan as a stylist .

[Chuck Nessa]

Alexander , since you're a Lee Morgan fan starting to explore Clifford Jordan's work , it is utterly imperative that you get a hold of Morgan's Take Twelve date . This has long been one of my favorite dates by Lee ; excellent tunes , excellent work in support from the rhythm section of Harris , Cranshaw and Hayes . This is the record that made me take notice of Jordan as a stylist .

A great suggestion. It reminded me of the 2 Morgan Vee Jays as well.

[clifford_thornton]

I had a nice black-label Jazzland of that that I traded to someone. Regretted it since...

[Alexander]

Alexander , since you're a Lee Morgan fan starting to explore Clifford Jordan's work , it is utterly imperative that you get a hold of Morgan's Take Twelve date . This has long been one of my favorite dates by Lee ; excellent tunes , excellent work in support from the rhythm section of Harris , Cranshaw and Hayes . This is the record that made me take notice of Jordan as a stylist .

Thanks for the tip! I've added it to my wishlist (low on funds at the moment, and that wishlist is getting LONG).

[BFrank]

I've been meaning to ask about Clifford Jordan for a while. I was listening to this a couple of weeks ago

I was at that show, actually. Unfortunately, I didn't appreciate who I was seeing at the time and don't remember much about it. It was part of a great series of free shows in Riverside Park, NYC.

Other Clifford stuff to look out for would be anything he recorded with the "Magic Triangle" - that would be Cedar Walton, Sam Jones & Billy Higgins. I'm pretty sure this was discussed in the other thread, too.

[king ubu]

Playing the two Steeplechase albums I have, "Half Note" and "On Stage Vol. 2" right now

Also I'm copying some of the Riverside/Jazzland/Blue Note material onto the ipod to check it out again - funny but I always dug Jordan, right away! Much more than other of those rather static players... I love Dexter of course, but still today there are months that go by without me playing any, and many days where he'd bug me... similar with Ammons, I love him if in the right mood, but just so often, the mood's not right. Never had that "problem" with Clifford Jordan!