Saxophonist, composer, and arranger Clifford Jordan was born on September 2, 1931 in Chicago, Illinois.

Before moving to New York in 1957, Jordan played around Chicago with Sonny Stitt, Max Roach, and various R&B groups.

In the late ‘50s, Jordan recorded 3 Blue Note LPs as a leader, including the highly regarded Blowing in from Chicago.

Jordan explored genres beyond bebop; he toured with avant-garde multi-instrumentalist Eric Dolphy and led a big band later in his career.

From the mid-’60s on, Jordan worked predominantly as a leader visiting Europe on several more occasions.

He appeared briefly in a quartet headed by Cedar Walton in 1974 and 1975 before going on to lead a big band during his final years.

Clifford Jordan performs with the “Max Roach Quartet” on Belgian TV in 1964.

Personnel:

Abbey Lincoln, vocals
Clifford Jordan, tenor sax
Coleridge Perkinson, piano
Eddie Khan, bass
Max Roach, drums