Aloysius Gordon

Aloysius "Lucky" Gordon (5 July 1931 – 15 March 2017) was a British-based Jamaican jazz singer who came to public attention during the Profumo Affair.

He arrived in Scotland from Jamaica in 1948, and moved to London after a few days.

Early years

Aloysius "Lucky" Gordon was born in Kingston, Jamaica, and stowed away to Britain in 1947, according to his account to the Jamaica Observer in a 1998 interview.

Profumo affair

Joining his brother "Syco" Gordon on the London jazz scene, Lucky Gordon became involved with nightclub hostess Christine Keeler, a relationship that ended acrimoniously. According to Keeler, he assaulted her in the street and held her hostage for two days. Keeler sought the protection of another lover, Johnny Edgecombe, which culminated in a public fight between Edgecombe and Gordon at the Flamingo Club in Wardour Street in October 1962. Gordon required 17 stitches after Edgecombe slit his face with a knife. He later posted the 17 used stitches to Keeler and warned her that for each stitch he had sent she would get two on her face in return.

Edgecombe's frustrations in seeking protection from Keeler following this fight led to the shooting at Stephen Ward's flat in December 1962 that set in motion a chain of events that would eventually result in the public revelations of the Profumo Affair.

In June 1963, Gordon was jailed for three years for assaulting Keeler, but she subsequently withdrew her accusations, and was convicted for perjury in December 1963.

Musical career

Gordon later worked as a cook at Island Records' Notting Hill studios (later Sarm West Studios), his employers including Bob Marley. It was while working at the latter in the mid-1980s that Gordon contributed "skank" vocals to a cover version of "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" by pop duo Act (under the name of "Casbah"), and a rare vocal mix of the Art of Noise's "Moments in Love", both for ZTT Records.

Gordon died on 15 March 2017, aged 85.

Cultural references

• In the 1989 film Scandal, Gordon was portrayed by Leon Herbert.
• Gordon is portrayed by Ricardo Coke Thomas in Andrew Lloyd Webber's stage musical Stephen Ward the Musical, which opened at the Aldwych Theatre on 19 December 2013.