Rupert Holmes

In 2003 he published his first novel, Where the Truth Lies.. The word tympany is an old-fashioned one meaning, "swollen, inflated, puffed-up", etymologically related to timpani, or "kettle drum", but historically separate. Holmes later became the first and so far only person singlehandedly to receive Tony Awards for book, music and lyrics, for the 1986 Broadway musical The Mystery of Edwin Drood. In 1996 he created the television series Remember WENN for American Movie Classics. The Broadway show, Five Guys Named Moe was devoted to Jordan's music. Holmes previously had been in the band The Buoys, which produced the song Timothy about cannibalism. Jordan died in Los Angeles, California. 1 Hits of 1979. After this, however, Jordan's popularity waned and he recorded only for a small following of enthusiasts.

"Escape" was included on his fifth album, Partners in Crime, and reached the Hot 100 No. At Mercury Records, Jordan managed to update his sound and released more hits, including "Let the Good Times Roll" and "Salt Pork, West Virginia". That one song is so strongly associated with him that, in one interview (http://www.rupertholmes.com/writings/new_york_magazine.html), he reflected that his tombstone might well be a giant pineapple. By the mid 1950s, Jordan's records were not selling as well as they used to and he began switching labels. Rupert Holmes (born February 24, 1947 in Cheshire) is a composer and writer who is best known for the 1979 novelty hit "Escape" (later subtitled "The Piņa Colada Song") but has had a varied and distinguished career in several media. One of Jordan's biggest fans was Chuck Berry, who modelled his musical approach on Jordan's, changing the text from black life to teenage life. Jordan's recordings celebrated African American urban life and were infused with good humor and energy that had a great influence on the development of rock and roll; his music was popular with both blacks and whites.

His biggest hit was "Caldonia", with its energetic punchline, banged out by the whole band, "Caldonia! Caldonia! What makes your big head so hard?" After Jordan's success with it, the song was also recorded by Woody Herman in a famous modern arrangement, including a unison chorus by five trumpets. In the 1940s, Jordan released dozens of hit songs including "Saturday Night Fish Fry" (one of many contenders for the title of "First rock and roll record"), "Blue Light Boogie", "Ain't Nobody Here but Us Chickens", "Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby?", "Ain't That Just Like a Woman", and the multi-million seller "Choo Choo Ch'Boogie". The band's sound was similar to that of Fats Waller and his rhythm, but louder, with more pronounced rhythm, and that touch of the Caribbean sound commonly called "the Spanish tinge". Jordan played alto sax and sang.

Though this was recorded with The Elks Rendezvous Band, Jordan would go on to play with His Tympany Five, which eventually included Bill Jennings and Carl Hogan on guitar, Wild Bill Davis and Bill Doggett on piano, Chris Columbus on drums and Dallas Bartley on bass. In 1932, Jordan began performing with Chick Webb and Clarence Williams, recording "Honey in the Bee Ball" for Decca Records in 1938. Alto saxophone became his main instrument-- although Jordan became even better known as a vocalist with his ebullient personality. Jordan started out on clarinet, and also played piano professionally early in his career.

Louis Jordan was born in Brinkley, Arkansas; his father was a local music teacher and bandleader. Louis Jordan (July 8, 1908 - February 4, 1975) was an African-American jazz and rhythm & blues musician, and one of the few such to sell well to mainstream audiences in the post swing music era. Download sample of "Caldonia".