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Ken Nordine

Ken Nordine was an American voice artist, poet, and musician, best known for his work in the genre of "word jazz," a unique blend of spoken word, jazz, and experimental music. Born on April 29, 1920, and passing away on February 16, 2019, Nordine had a distinctive voice and style that made him a notable figure in the realms of avant-garde and spoken word performances.

His most famous work includes the album "Word Jazz," which showcases his ability to weave imaginative, poetic narratives over jazz instrumentals. Nordine's storytelling often involved surreal and abstract themes, and his work had a significant influence on both jazz and spoken word artists. He also contributed to radio and television commercials, bringing his unique vocal style to a wider audience.

Ken Nordine: The Architect of Word Jazz

by Kristine England
January 4, 2025

"Let me tell you a funny story I made up about the guy who wanted to reach into in, and he couldn't. And it bothered him. It'd bother you, wouldn't it?" So begins the tale of a troubled man lost within his mind's abstractions. This tale is Word Jazz, a “somewhat new medium" conceived by Ken Nordine in the 1950s. A voiceover performer who was a uniquely creative wordsmith as well, Nordine wielded his rich, velvety baritone like ...

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Album Review

Ken Nordine: Colors

by AAJ Staff
January 20, 2003

Originally intended as a nine-part series of commercials for a paint company, Ken Nordine’s 1967 classic is still a brilliant and, um- colorful trip through the big crayon box. Re-released with ten new 90 second shades, Colors (the American spelling, thank you!) gives form and flesh to a J. Crew catalog full of familiar but perhaps underappreciated tones. Though the usual suspects such as Yellow, Brown and Black are in revue, Nordine also reaches out to such colorfully entitled tints ...

Recording

Ken Nordine: 'Word Jazz'

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
November 7, 2012

This is another installment in my ongoing series on jazz humor of the late 1950s. Past posts have included columns on Shorty Petterstein, Stan Freeberg, George Crater and the Nutty Squirrels. Back in the '50s, Ken Nordine (pronounced Nor—DEEN) was a leading voiceover specialist whose rich baritone could be heard on hundreds of radio and TV ads. He also was a jazz fan (and later rock) who recorded humorous and improvised recitation albums, starting with Word Jazz in 1957. On ...
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