May 22, 2008
CONCERT REVIEW
Stanley Jordan Trio @ Catalina Bar & Grill/Hollywood
There was a ½ inch of snow falling in Big Bear, mud slides in canyons; unbelievably
two tornadoes touched down on the 215 California freeway near Perris. What?
Tornadoes in Southern California? Not to mention hail stones as big as marbles. Despite
rain, lightening and thunder to compliment the short list above, people still turned out to listen to musical visionary Stanley Jordan at Catalina Bar & Grill. Jordan mesmerized our ears with his unique and spellbinding guitar mastery. Using dissonant chords that were stunningly beautiful, he dangled the song’s introduction before the audience like a
hypnotist’s pocket watch. We were all trying to guess what song it was, our eyes glued to his flying fingers. Then suddenly we recognized “All Blues”. The trio’s rendition was powerfully played with gusto and excitement. After master drummer, Kenwood Dennard took a brief solo, Jordan walked across the stage, sat down at the grand piano and began playing both instruments simultaneously. Complimenting with his left hand on guitar, Jordan’s right hand soloed on piano. After a decidedly accomplished piano solo, he switched hands, using the left to ‘comp’ with chords on the piano, while his right hand now danced across the guitar strings. While the trio played at a brisk pace, Jordan (who singularly sounds like three men playing three guitars) executed both instruments expertly. So that’s how the first set began and it just kept getting better. Bassist, Charnett Moffet, played with fancy finger work, solid energy, and even pulled out his bow to make the upright bass sing an unforgettable solo. Jordan was showcasing songs from their latest cd release, “State of Nature.” He introduced a classical piece, Mozart’s Piano Concerto #21, explaining it was a celebration of humanity’s greatness. He told the attentive audience that this “andante, slow movement” was to remind us all, we are creations of nature, connected and not separate. Then he proceeded to exhibit his profound technical brilliance. Following this piece, came Horace Silver’s “Song For My Father”. The arrangement galloped into the room, with bass and drums constructing a funky basement for Jordan to build upon. Once again, Jordan used his multigenius to play guitar and piano simultaneously. Some audience members left their seats to stand against the wall and get a better view of this amazing feat. “Forest Garden,” Jordan explained, “was a song based on a sixnote
scale. However, it didn’t have a 6 th degree because the 6 th might take over.” He peaked our interest continuing, “We’re in C and the 6 th would be A. So if we went there, (to the A), the key would become A minor instead of staying rooted in C. This represents the consciousness before the arrival of human beings on earth.” According to Jordan. “… going to A and A flat represented havoc within the environment created by humans, who brought pain and destruction to our Eco System.” As he spoke, he demonstrated by playing this song based on the 6 tone scale.
Once again, we were captivated by his creativity. “Return Expedition” was an exploration in freedom showcasing Jordan’s technique, as always, completely unique. His fingers pulled, plucked, caressed and slapped the guitar into submission. Both hands moved up and down the neck with speed, agility and precision. Dennard showcased his magnificent talent on this same song, taking a long and captivating percussive solo. Next came the lovely ballad, “My One and Only Love” featuring solo guitar. Stanley Jordan is an example of what happens to an artist when technique and spirit meet and mesh. After the set, the Jordan Trio received a continuous ovation until they returned to the stage. Amidst
the hoots of joy in the audience, as an encore they played Jordan’s former commercial hit of Michael Jackson’s “The Lady in My Life.” A spectacular evening!
Reviewed Opening night – May 22, 2008
By Dee Dee McNeil

Dee Dee McNeil
May 2008

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