Stanley Jordan

Stanley Jordan began his career as a master interpreter, using his singular two-hand tapping technique to reconstruct everything from jazz standards (Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk) to rock numbers (The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix) on his 1984 debut. He eventually incorporated more originals, including his breezy trademark tune "Flying Home" and "Plato's Blues," on which he plays two guitars simultaneously. Unsatisfied with merely translating existing compositions and occasionally writing new ones, Jordan now champions "sonification," the concept of converting every imaginable experience (including loan-payment schedules and physical exams) into an illustrative melody. Conceivably, Jordan's performances could eventually combine jazz improv with a Whose Line Is It Anyway? format, with fans shouting scenarios ("A rocky fifteen-year marriage!") for him to transcribe into musical line graphs. Jordan's just-released record, State of Nature, applies his sonification theory to environmental issues. He also studies and practices music therapy, rendering Jordan's concerts as rejuvenating as a day-spa massage.
June 10-15, 2008