12th Street Jump is Kansas City's only live jazz, blues and comedy radio show.  Join us at the Green Lady Lounge on May 31st @ 7:30 PM as we celebrate the accomplishments of Pete Fountain and Louis Jordan.

One of the most successful African-American musicians of the 20th century, Louis Jordan had significant crossover appeal, even in the racially-charged atmosphere of his time.  A talented singer as well as supremely gifted saxophone player, Jordan was one of the leading practitioners and innovators of the "jump blues" style which spawned the first song to ever be described as "rock and roll" in print: "Caldonia".  Jordan's successes with a smaller band can be linked to the decline of the big band and the rise of rock and roll as a popular music style; his band "could play just as good and just as loud with five as 17.  And it was cheaper."

Born in the '30s just as Louis Jordan's career was taking off, Pete Fountain suffered from a weak lung condition as a child and took up clarinet as therapy on doctor's orders.  By his early teens, Fountain was already playing gigs on Bourbon Street.  After a history teacher confided that Fountain was earning more as a musician than he was as a teacher, Fountain's pro career had begun.  Fountain was discovered by a talent scout for Lawrence Welk and gained fame through his distinctive solos playing on The Lawrence Welk Show.  After recording many albums with Bud Dant, Fountain moved back to New Orleans and operated a jazz club in the French Quarter while also making frequent trips to Hollywood to play The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.