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Trying to describe Stanley Jordan in simple terms is like trying to explain Einstein's Theory of Relativity in ten words or less. No matter what you say, you'd be leaving a lot out. And yet, that is probably what you've already done if you haven't heard the whole story. Best known as a guitarist who has made major technical and musical contributions to his instrument, Stanley Jordan has already made a name for himself as one of the most significant guitarists of the latter 20th century. After seeing him perform with his trio at the Montreal Jazz Festival, Los Angeles Times jazz critic Leonard Feather was prompted to write, "Genius is a word too often tossed around in musical circles, but it has been rightfully applied to Stanley Jordan".
Today Jordan is busier than ever, although with a cooler and more relaxed attitude. He is still deeply involved in his music therapy studies. He has a busy touring schedule, which is posted on his Web site at www.stanleyjordan.com. He feels that his break in the 90s and his new knowledge and skills have been good for his music and he is eager to share the results of this growth with his fans. He summarizes, “Spirituality often works in cycles. The quest to find your inner self and your Spirit may require you to make a decisive break with the outside world. Then again, that same quest could lead you right back into the mainstream, because Spirit is found in community as well. I think probably most people, if and when they find their calling, come to see themselves in some sort of a service capacity. Right now, I feel a strong desire to bring my music to the people—not just for entertainment, but also for inspiration and healing. And I feel I've found a good balance. I'm working with more discipline and devotion than ever, yet I'm actually less attached to the results. I'm finding out I can play better when I don't take it all so seriously. I feel good about the music I'm making these days For the first time, I can truly say there is absolutely nothing stopping me from putting together the music just as I hear it and feel it inside.” It's surely a good sign when even the relentless perfectionist is pleased.
Click here for more of Stanley's Bio
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Produced by: Al Dimeola
Musicians: Stanley Jordan, Onaje Allen Gumbs, Charnett Moffett, Peter Erskine, Sammy Figueroa, Omar Hakim, Eddie Daniels, Wayne Brathwaite, Bugsy Moore
Tracks: Eleanor Rigby, Freddie Freeloader, Round Midnight, All The Children, The Lady In My Life, Angel, Fundance, New Love, Return Expedition, A Child is Born
Warm, tasteful melodies, romantic moods. Tender, optimistic. Crystal clear guitar tone. It's about 50-50 solo guitar and group tracks.
SJ says: "It was an honor and a thrill to become a part of the newly revived Blue-Note Records... I wanted the album to show many sides of my music, yet still have coherence as an artistic statement."
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Produced by: Stanley Jordan
Tracks: The Sound of Silence, Sunny Georgia On My Mind, Send One Your Love, Moon River, Guitar Man, One Less Bell to Answer, Because, My Favorite Things, Silent Night
Standards, mostly ballads & some blues, with an emphasis on 60s & 70s.
The mood is romantic. Stanley plays expressively, with sensitive dynamics and subtle nuances of phrasing. He creates an intimate sound—the guitar is recorded "dry"—which sounds like he's playing right next to you.
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Musicians: Stanley Jordan, Preston Glass, Noel Closson, Steve Reid, Codaryl "Cody" Moffett, Larry Graham, Joshua Thompson, David "Pic" Conley, Anthony Jackson
Tracks: Street Talk: (Jordan/Glass/Job)
Tropical Storm: (Jordan/Closson)
When Julia Smiles: (Jordan/Graham)
Can't Sit Down: (Jordan/Glass/White/Bailey)
Stairway to Heaven: (Plant/Page)
Brooklyn at Midnight: (Jordan/Glass/Birch)
The Music's Gonna Change
The Time is Now
Flying Home
Stanley plays exclusively with a pick on "When Julia Smiles". Warm, sensitive solo guitar playing on "Flying Home" and Anthony Jackson's killer bass on "The Time is Now"
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Produced by: Stanley Jordan
Musicians:
Stanley Jordan, Bernard Wright, Kenny Kirkland, Jeff Watts, Charnett Moffett, Kenwood Dennard, Yossi Fine, Michael Flythe, Flare Funston, Robert Zantay
Tracks: Impressions, Willow Weep for Me, Autumn Leaves, Still Got the Blues, Fundance, What's Going On?, Asteroids, Cornucopia
Containing the most variety of all SJ's albums, Cornucopia features solo guitar, acoustic group, electric group, electronic and computer music, live and studio recordings of originals and standards. Has everything from studio-perfect "sound sculptures" to free improvisation. Lots of solo guitar, complex harmonies and textures.
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Produced by: Stanley Jordan
Jazz trio with Stanley Jordan on guitar,Charnett Moffett on bass and Kenwood Dennard on drums
Tracks: Stairway to Heaven, Impressions, Lady in My Life, Autumn Leaves, Stolen Moments, Return Expedition, Over The Rainbow
High energy, strong group interplay and a very enthusiastic audience, this album has lots of burnin' straight-ahead jazz. On several tracks Stanley plays two guitars at the same time (no overdubs). Stolen Moments features Stanley playing chords on one guitar with his left hand while simultaneously playing melodies on another guitar (attached to a synthesizer) with his right hand.
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Producers: Stanley Jordan,Rob Zantay,Rob Kahn,Onaje Allen Gumbs
Tracks: Bolero, Always and Forever, Chameleon, Betcha By Golly Wow, Drifting, Plato's Blues.
SJ says: "Lots of people collaborated on this project. You can hear their influences throughout."
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Produced by: Michael Cuscuna
Tracks: Jumpin' Jack, Eleanor Rigby, The Lady in My Life, All the Children, Impressions, My Favorite Things, Georgia On My Mind, Flying Home, Still Got the Blues, Over The Rainbow.
This collection contains both solo and group recordings. About one third originals. Lots of standards and ballads. Similar in mood and style to Magic Touch and includes one track from the One Night with Blue Note collection.
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Produced by: Stanley Jordan & Michael Cuscuna
Tracks: Impressions, Autumn Leaves, For You, Cousin Mary, Flying Home, Willow Weep For Me, Over The Rainbow, Still Got The Blues, The Lady In My Life.
Musicians: Stanley Jordan, guitar; Kenny Kirkland, piano; Charnett Moffett, bass; Jeff Watts, drums; Bernard Wright, keyboards; Yossi Fine, electric bass; J.T. Lewis, drums
From the inside cover: "...This concert does capture Stanley in peak form. Consider how well one man refashions standards with his own virtuoso solo style, burns up Coltrane tunes and reconstructs a Rod Temperton pop song into his own signature piece, Stanley Jordan is truly a singular artist."
Stanley Jordan Live in New York was recorded at the Manhattan Center in March of 1989 and presents the guitarist in a variety of contexts. He delivers four straight-ahead jazz performances . . . then showcases the wizardry which sets him apart from other guitarists on solo renditions of the standards "Willow Weep For Me" and "Over the Rainbow" and the original "Flying Home."
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After Many Years on Blue Note and EMI, the Mind-boggling Guitarist and Music Therapist Steps Over to the Edel Family for his First Album after a Bit of a Respite.
Track Listings: Flying on the Sky, Too Close to the Sun, Sky Flower, Destination of My Heart, Spring, Dreams of Peace, Easy Love, I Can Show You Something.
(Special Import CD from Amazon)
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Since I was a child I have loved Indian classical music, and I think it has already influenced my jazz style. But meeting Jay and Ved has given me an opportunity to learn more formally by playing with two masters. For this I feel very grateful. Together we have found a lot of musical common ground. Indian music is rich and profoundly beautiful. I tried to approach it in a way that felt natural to me, while respecting the essentials of the tradition and the spiritual quality of the music. To keep it authentic I let the guys take the lead often, but I was always creatively shaping the harmony and texture. A raga is a piece of music in the Indian classical tradition that is usually improvised, just like jazz. Ragas can have up to four movements--alap, jor, vilambit, and drut--always in that order, though some can be omitted. They build very gradually over time from low to high, from slow to fast, from simple to complex. To this traditional format we added harmonic changes and other new elements. This is just one part of a large continuum. We are developing a new synthesis of musical formsÑthis live set documents the very beginning of this work.
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On this recording Stanley Jordan plays solo on a Vigier Arpege guitar. The recording was improvised from beginning to end in one take, then edited down to about 63 minutes. The complex guitar textures were achieved using a technique called the "Touch" or "Tapping" technique. All parts were played live with no overdubs.
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Pre-release copy direct from Stanley's web site |
Pre-release copy direct from Stanley's web site |
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