Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five, 1973

Louis Jordan was a charismatic saxophonist and bandleader who prioneered the "jump blues" style with his rhythm-drive combo, the Tympany Five, and was known as "King of the Jukebox" for his success with both black and white audiences. His 1949 single "Saturday Night Fish Fry" is considered one of the earliest rock & roll songs. The saxophone was an important lead instrument in early rock & roll, and Jordan used a Selmer Mark VI during the height of his career. Jordan's last recording session took place in 1972, but he toured with a reformed version of the Tympany Five for the next couple of years until suffering a heart attack in October 1974. Jordan passed away in February 1975.