Stanley Jordan, Mon. July 23
Stanley Jordan
Monday, July 23
Kuumbwa Jazz Center
“A world-class guitarist.” –All About Jazz
Few musicians get their start in college by playing with Benny Carter and Dizzy Gillespie, but Chicago-born guitarist Stanley Jordan did just that. Jordan’s tremendous technique and customized instruments often must be seen to be believed. Renowned for his unique finger-tapping skill, Jordan is able to play melodies and chords simultaneously showcasing his tremendous dexterity. Look forward to an evening of Jordan favorites and tunes off of his newest release, Friends, an acclaimed album with an all-star cast of musicians that features originals, tried-and-true standards and pop tunes transformed into jazz.
In a career that took first flight in 1985 with near-immediate commercial and critical acclaim, guitar virtuoso Jordan has consistently displayed a chameleon-like musical persona of imagination, versatility and maverick daring. Be it with his bold reinventions of classical masterpieces, soulful explorations of pop-rock hits, or his blazing straight-ahead-jazz forays – solo or with a group – Jordan can always be counted on to take listeners on a breathless journey through the unexpected.
On his latest Mack Avenue recording, Friends, Jordan partakes in the time-honored tradition of inviting a handpicked cadre of guests – such as Bucky Pizzarelli, Mike Stern, Russell Malone, Regina Carter, Nicholas Payton, Christian McBride, and Kenwood Dennard – to join him in the studio. The results provided a truly outstanding finished product that ushers in a new era for the guitarist. Jordan even plays some serious piano on a couple of songs; revisiting the very first instrument he learned how to play with newfound confidence and wonder.
Reflecting on this new wealth of music inspired by collaborating with chosen peers on Friends, Jordan concludes, “I am so humbled and grateful to all of the wonderful musicians who graced this project. This collection truly speaks to my belief in the integrationist spirit of music. I’d like to move beyond ‘fusion’ and explore the concept of ‘integration.’ When you integrate styles, you combine them into something new while still remaining true to the original sources. The same principal holds for our friendships, which require mutual respect. Our friends are a mirror revealing the diversity within us, and at the same time they give us the courage to share our true selves with the world.”
CALENDAR INFO
Stanley Jordan
DATE: Monday, July 23, 2012
PLACE: Kuumbwa Jazz Center
ADDRESS: 320 Cedar St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
TIME: 7:00 PM
PRICE: $25/Adv $28/Door, No Jazztix or Comps
TICKETS: Logos Books & Records, 1117 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz (831) 427-5100 and online at: http://www.kuumbwajazz.org
MORE INFO: http://www.kuumbwajazz.org or 831-427-2227
Media contact:
Maureen Davis
Maureen@dlmediamusic.com
610-667-0501
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