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Rodney Jordan: Memphis Blue

By Jack Bowers
March 30, 2025
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On Memphis Blue, acclaimed bassist

Rodney Jordan

bass, acoustic

" data-original-title="" title="">Rodney Jordan bows deeply to his Tennessee hometown via a series of charming and largely blues-tailored themes that are designed to trace the city's unique character and heritage. Jordan wrote four of them, including the album's title song and animated tributes to trumpeter

Roy Hargrove

trumpet
1969 - 2018

" data-original-title="" title="">Roy Hargrove and drummer

Art Blakey

drums
1919 - 1990

" data-original-title="" title="">Art Blakey.

Jordan has the first two minutes, forty-five seconds of "Memphis Blue" to himself before pianist Louis Herivaux and drummer Quentin Baxter lend their able hands and tenor saxophonist

Mark Sterbank

saxophone, tenor

" data-original-title="" title="">Mark Sterbank sets the melodic compass on a seductive slow blues that captures the essence of Jordan's design. By then, Jordan's dexterous quintet has caught the ear with trumpeter

Melvin Jones

trumpet
b.1979

" data-original-title="" title="">Melvin Jones' mild and graceful opening number, "The Storm Will Pass,"

Gigi Gryce

saxophone
1927 - 1983

" data-original-title="" title="">Gigi Gryce's powerful "Minority," and Jordan's Latin-shaded "Escapatoria" and frolicsome "Hargrove."

A venturous albeit enigmatic version of the standard "Autumn Leaves" follows "Memphis Blue" and precedes the album's last two numbers, pianist

Mulgrew Miller

piano
1955 - 2013

" data-original-title="" title="">Mulgrew Miller's tasteful and swinging "Small Portion" and Jordan's buoyant "The Art of Blakey." Sterbank is eloquent on both tunes, as he is elsewhere, while Jones, Herivaux and Baxter weigh in with perceptive statements of their own. Jordan, meanwhile, teams with Heriveaux and Baxter to solidify a formidable rhythm section.

Jordan and his able crew ensure smooth sailing with barely any rough seas on Memphis Blue, a sunny and charming snapshot of the bassist's lovely hometown.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

The Storm Will Pass; Minority; Escapatoria; Hargrove; Memphis Blue; Autumn Leaves; Small Portion; The Art of Blakey.

Personnel

Rodney Jordan

bass, acoustic

Louis Heriveaux

piano

Melvin Jones

trumpet

Mark Sterbank

saxophone, tenor

Quentin E. Baxter

drums

Album information

Title: Memphis Blue | Year Released: 2025 | Record Label: Baxter Music Enterprises

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