Absolutely Essential

Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five were the tightest, hippest, most fun-to-be-with outfit on the whole of the club and ball-room circuit during the 1940s. Jordan was known as "The King Of The Jukebox" and was popular with both black and white audiences.

They topped the black charts with release after release, but also frequently went top 10 in the white dominated pop charts. Here are 60 slices showcasing the talents of this pioneering musician, songwriter and bandleader.