Stanley JordanLive at Scullers
Boston May 4, 2005
by Matthew S. RobinsonFeeling his way around the upper neck of his self-customized guitar, virtuoso Stanley Jordan quickly checked his calouses before flowing into a reverberent blues that just went on and on. Grimacing through the grace notes and looking heavenward for the next instant's inspiration, Jordan flung his entire body into his music, going so far as to play chin music with his own chin! Using Chapman Stick-style neck tapping, Jordan barely ventured into the body of his instrument. Still, Jordan's one-man duets reached every corner of the room with every humming bass line and squealing high note.
From a rollicking rendition of "El Condor Pasa" that scratched and popped and then blew away to a stellar exploration of "When You Wish Upon a Star" that sparkled and twinkled, occasionally spinning off into unexpected orbits, Jordan also ventured into every realm of the musical world, including a "Pop" version of the third movement of Mozart's "Piano Concerto #31" and Debussy's "Reverie." Returning to his Jazz roots, Jordan closed the night with a busy but airy version of John Coltrane's "Naima," a song that, he said, "just has to be played."
Speaking of the importance of music education, Jordan gave lessons in musical joy to everyone who was fortunate enough to attend the packed performance. And after a rousing standing ovation, he sent them all home smiling in amazement.
