This whopping 81-cut, four-disc box collects the vast majority of master takes Louis Jordan & His Tympani Five recorded for Decca in the 1940s. While it's true that Germany's Bear Family label did a better job by putting together a seven-disc box with alternates and a number of unreleased masters along with an LP of his duets with Ella Fitzgerald, this collection cannot be faulted, especially for the price especially since it also represents Jordan's music from the late '30s to the early '50s. One can hear the grand lyric phrasing and rhythmic influence Jordan had on Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Johnny Otis, and Otis Blackwell. From "Five Guys Named Moe," "That Chick's Too Young to Fry," and "Somebody Done Changed the Lock on My Door" to "If You're So Smart How Come You Ain't Rich," "Fast Sam from Birmingham," "Baby It's Cold Outside" (with Ella), and many many more, there isn't a weak take on this set.
