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From: brandx@ihu1m.UUCP (Howard D. Weisberg)
Newsgroups: net.music
Subject: Stanley Jordan  (A Historical Perspective)
Message-ID: <372@ihu1m.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 9-Apr-85 13:03:40 EST
Article-I.D.: ihu1m.372
Posted: Tue Apr  9 13:03:40 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 10-Apr-85 05:52:06 EST
Distribution: net
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
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When I was going to school in Madison (1982-83), I saw Stanley
Jordan perform several times.  He played quite a bit there.
I've seen him play solo (playing a single guitar).  I've
also seen him with a band (a bassist playing electric and acoustic and
a drummer).  When Stanley played with a band, he played 2 guitars at
once.  If you've seen Stanley, you know that he's not out to show off
his technique, it's just that playing 2 guitars allows him a bit
more freedom (keeps one hand from getting in the other's way).
I've also heard stories of his arrival in Madison.  Turns out that
he was invited to a party, where he entertained the guests by playing
guitar and keyboards simultaneously.

He put out an album prior to the Blue Note record by himself.
The album is called "Touch Sensitive" and I believe the record
label is "Tangent."  All the songs (except for a brilliant version
of Havah Nagillah) were written by him.  One of these songs "All the
Children" appears on his new album.  All of this music is solo and
more in the vein of "All the Children" and not as varied as
"Magic Touch".  There are some great tunes: "Jumping Jack", "Renaissance
Man", "I Have a Dream", etc.

The story has it also that, a couple of years ago, he went to DownBeat
magazine and introduced himself.  They told him "Don't call us, we'll call
you."  Seems that after his appearance at the Kool Jazz Fest, they had
no choice but to write.

A few years ago, I read in the "Isthmus" (Madison's version of the Reader
or the Village Voice), that he wanted to get into more pop-sy, vocal music.
I hope he's given up that idea.  Narada Michael Walden said that it was
good that he played with Mahavishnu, because it gave him the oppurtunity
to get out on his own and play R&B.  Let's hope Stanley doesn't waste his
talent like that.