Louis Jordan

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/louis-jordan

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was Louis Jordan born?July 8, 1908
2. When did Louis Jordan die?February 4, 1975
3. What is Louis Jordan known for?18 number-one hits on Billboard's R&B chart, 113 weeks at number one
4. What is the primary genre?Jump Blues
5. What is the associated acts?Chick Webb's Orchestra, Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five
6. Who was Louis Jordan?Louis Jordan was a charismatic bandleader and multi‑instrumentalist known as the King of the Jukebox. He made music that made everyone want to dance and helped shape rhythm and blues and early rock and roll.

Syncopation: A rhythm where accents fall on unexpected beats, creating a 'swinging' feel.
Boogie-Woogie: A blues piano style featuring a repetitive, driving bass line, often in eighth notes.
Rhythm and Blues (R&B): A genre evolving from blues and jazz, characterized by strong backbeats and often featuring vocalists.
Crossover Appeal: When a musical artist or song becomes popular with audiences beyond their original target demographic.