Happy birthday to Stanley Jordan, born on this day in 1959! A true innovator, Jordan revolutionized the guitar with his two-handed tapping technique, turning the instrument into a full orchestral voice — playing melody, harmony, and rhythm simultaneously. His 1985 debut Magic Touch stunned the jazz world and beyond, showing that virtuosity could be both technical and deeply expressive.
@SVG__Collection It's Autumn Leaves for those of you who vaguely recognize the progression ;)
@SVG__Collection He was the warm up act for Bill Cosby at the auditorium I worked at in college and he was awesome.
@SVG__Collection My fave Stanley Jordan cut. Stanley kills here. Charnett is a beast. Love Kenny Kirkland's work on piano, as he takes more of a Hancock-esque than a Tyner-esque solo (unusual for the cut), with discernible lines and swingy offbeat syncopation. youtu.be/5BFSFBXPR5o
@SVG__Collection Even with sound turned off, it is clear that this was someone special. Then I turned the sound on...oh boy!
@SVG__Collection I remember first seeing him as a lid on the Johnny Carson Show. Absolutely blew me away... Never looked at my guitar the same way again...
@SVG__Collection Guitar genius who changed the game forever
@SVG__Collection This guy with never get Alzheimer's. Too much frontal lobe action.
@SVG__Collection Is that a Gordon Gartrell Shirt???
@SVG__Collection One of my first jazz shows, great guitar player.
@SVG__Collection Unforgettable feature on 'Blind Date' (1986) youtu.be/kCOwxbG_vZc?fe…
@SVG__Collection It was a circus act. I'd much rather hear him make beautiful music on one guitar than be amazed at his dexterity on two.
@SVG__Collection His ability to perform using two guitars at the same time is out of this world. He used a Casio PG-380 MIDI guitar synth and a Starr Labs Ztar guitar MIDI controller to generate the amazing sounds on lead, which adds a whole new level of innovation.
@SVG__Collection I was fortunate to see him play in a hotel suite during a radio convention when he released Magic Touch. Stevie Ray Vaughan was there as well. They both started playing and after about 3 measures, Stevie Ray put down his guitar and exited the room.
@SVG__Collection Truly humble guy. He had a gig at our university and the only thing in his rider was that we would provide a specific Roland amp.
@SVG__Collection His version of “Lady In My Life” is MY jam! 🎸
@SVG__Collection Oh, and by the way, he was a bass player
@SVG__Collection I saw him at the Dakota in Minneapolis a few years back. Ridiculous talent.
@SVG__Collection With Chet Atkins… youtu.be/9TqiMOT3LSY?si…
@SVG__Collection I saw Stanley Jordan play guitar and piano at the same time last year here in Los Angeles and it totally blew my mind. Happy happy young man!
@SVG__Collection No Alzheimer for this guy
@SVG__Collection Wow, had never seen this. Terrific stuff, M&M!
@SVG__Collection Playing that guitar like a xylophone.
@SVG__Collection I had Magic Touch. What a display of innovation and technique, his covers of Elanor Rigby, Angel, Round Midnight and others along with his originals made an aspiring guitarist realize what possibilities were out there.
@SVG__Collection I truly have not seen him before, what a talent.
@SVG__Collection Did he not want to play music, though?
@SVG__Collection ❤️🙏Happiness Always🎂✨ ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
@SVG__Collection As a teen I was playing guitar at Yamasaki fountain at Princeton University (I think he was a student there at the time) and he walked up and asked if he could play my guitar! You know what happened next 😅
@SVG__Collection I remember his debut, also recall Al DiMeola saying that Eddie V.H. better have a drink in hand when Jordan's music comes up. Jordan seemed to disappear, though. No idea why.