Jordu

Of how many jazz numbers do you carry the main melodic theme around in your head? OK, I'm not asking you that as though I expect an answer. I'm leading into the point that, of the many thousands that there are, only a few are readily reproducible. Or by me, at any rate - so that, wherever I am, on the street, on a train, in bed, I can recall them instantly and even sing them after a fashion. I have something over 800 jazz CDs. That's maybe 8,000 tracks (give or take). But I can let you have the opening bars of Coltrane's 'Blue Train' from - wait for it - Blue Train, and of 'So What?' from Kind of Blue, Duke Ellington's 'Take The "A" Train', Lee Morgan's 'The Sidewinder', Bobby Timmons' 'Moanin'', the Goodman band on 'Sing Sing Sing', Monk's 'Round Midnight'...

Such a number also is 'Jordu'. Once you know it, it stays with you for good. Ten notes to start, and unforgettable. It was written by Duke Jordan who has died at the age of 84. (See also here.)