Born in Crowley in 1935, he learned the saxophone as a kid. Education has always been a priority. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Southern University in Baton Rouge and later a master’s degree in music from Millikin University in Illinois. After graduating from Southern, he moved to New Orleans in 1955. He played rhythm & blues with the Hawketts, Guitar Slim, Ray Charles and others. He also carried the torch for avant-garde jazz. Intending to push boundaries, he formed the Improvisational Arts Quintet in 1975 to play “New New Orleans Music”. The title of the group’s debut album addressed their philosophy: “No Compromise!” In 1955 he got his first teaching job at Bethune High School in Norco. In 1972 he began a 34-year tenure at Southern University in New Orleans. In 2006, he retired as chair of the university’s jazz studies program. He was Artistic Director of the Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong Summer Jazz Camp from 1995 to 2019. He founded the Kidd Jordan Institute of Jazz and Modern Music to share his sense of artistic freedom with others. He also taught numerous private students.
For the complete obituary, visit
