By 1951 some of Louis Jordan's songs were already well-known and he was internationally established as a major entertainer. So, the version here, for example, of ‘Choo Choo Ch-Boogie’ is actually a 1956 remake of the popular 1946 version. But for the most part the songs on this 2CD collection are the highlights of his later Decca contract and his work for Aladdin and Mercury. The Tympany Five tracks are very consistent and most of them are funny and apt, but the great revelation about Jordan of this period is that (in the recording studio at least) he was equally able when fronting a big band. These tracks – around 20 percent of the total included in the package – bolster his performances to an extremely high level, so a song like ‘If You're So Smart How Come You Ain't Rich’ really works in this format. Even though he had some top-flight soloists in his ranks, his own alto playing is also well up to the mark, and as both singer and instrumentalist he is the undoubted star throughout the 52 tracks here. There are some highlights – including a Quincy Jones-led big band that supports a couple of remakes (including the ‘Choo Choo’ mentioned earlier) – but this is a portrait of a fine professional jazz singer and player at the top of his game. It also makes a perfect complement to the 2010 Upbeat issue of his pre-1950 work Let The Good Times Roll, so between them we get a rounded portrait of Jordan's best work.