Ken Nordine is probably best known as the impossibly deep, instantly recognizable voice behind numerous TV commercials. His real artistry, though, lies in the "word jazz" field that he created in the '50s. Over jazz backing, he combines ironic, often surreal storytelling with beat-inspired poetry. He released numerous recordings of these works, though only a few made it to CD. Still, his legend looms large enough to provide inspiration to the likes of Tom Waits, Laurie Anderson, and others.