Sun Nov 12

Stanley Jordan (Solo Guitar)

Sun, November 12
9PM / $35 | $7 Fees
Get Tickets
Blues Alley

1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20007

Stanley Jordan

In a career that took flight with immediate commercial success and critical acclaim, guitar virtuoso Stanley Jordan has consistently displayed a chameleonic musical persona of openness, imagination, versatility and maverick daring. Be it bold reinventions of classical masterpieces or soulful explorations through pop-rock hits, to blazing straight ahead jazz forays and ultramodern improvisational works—solo or with a group—Jordan can always be counted on to take listeners on breathless journeys into the unexpected.

Key to Jordan’s fast-track acclaim was his mastery of a special technique on the guitar’s fretboard. Instead of conventional strumming and picking, Jordan's innovative "touch technique" is an advanced form of two-handed tapping. While a handful of other players were using similar techniques, Stanley’s fluid, multi-layered textures and sheer virtuosity raised the bar for excellence.

But his technique, though impressive, is always a means to a musical end. His music is imbued with a warmth and sensitivity that has captured the imagination of listeners worldwide. A classically trained pianist before playing guitar, Jordan wanted greater freedom in voicing chords on his guitar, so he applied piano principles to do so. Jordan's touch technique allows the guitarist to play melody and chords simultaneously with an unprecedented level of independence. It also allows Jordan to play simultaneously on two different guitars, or even on guitar and piano. He says that “I think of it as a single instrument, but one with a wide range of tonal colors—that’s why I do it.”

To date Jordan has performed in over 60 countries on 6 continents. He has performed at many festivals, including the Kool Jazz Festival, the Concord Jazz Festival, and the Montreaux International Jazz Festival. During the 1980s he collaborated with a diverse array of artists, including performances with Art Blakey and Richie Cole and recordings with Stanley Clarke and Kenny Rogers. T

Jordan has received four Grammy nominations. His most recent album "Friends" was nominated for an NAACP Image Award.

Jordan came to prominence with the release of his 1985 album Magic Touch, a revolutionary project that placed him at the forefront of re-launching legendary Blue Note Records into a contemporary entity in jazz and beyond, as also established the then-twenty-something Jordan as among the most distinctive and refreshing new voices of the electric guitar.

Visit Website
Watch Video

Sun, November 12

9PM / $35 | $7 Fees
Get Tickets

*Please note:
1. Final sale, no refunds, not transferable.
2. $15 food/beverage minimum per person not included in ticket price.
3. Seating first come at the door. Doors open 6 PM & 8:45 PM respectively.
4. Photography or Recording of any kind is prohibited during the performance.
5. Keep conversation to a minimum during the performance.

Upcoming Events

Wed, October 4, 7:00 PM

John Lee and Rogério Souza: Brazilian Guitar Summit

Get Tickets →

Wed, October 4, 9:00 PM

John Lee and Rogério Souza: Brazilian Guitar Summit

Get Tickets →

Thu, October 5, 7:00 PM

Gonzalo Rubalcaba

Get Tickets →

Thu, October 5, 9:00 PM

Gonzalo Rubalcaba

Get Tickets →

Fri, October 6, 7:00 PM

Gonzalo Rubalcaba

Get Tickets →

Fri, October 6, 9:00 PM

Gonzalo Rubalcaba

Get Tickets →

Sat, October 7, 7:00 PM

Michel Camilo

Get Tickets →

Sat, October 7, 9:00 PM

Michel Camilo

Get Tickets →

Sun, October 8, 7:00 PM

Michel Camilo

Get Tickets →

Sun, October 8, 9:00 PM

Michel Camilo

Get Tickets →

Mon, October 9, 7:00 PM

QuinTango

Get Tickets →

Mon, October 9, 9:00 PM

QuinTango

Get Tickets →

Tue, October 10, 7:00 PM

Paul Carr Quartet with Special Guest Roberta Gambarini

Get Tickets →

Tue, October 10, 9:00 PM

Paul Carr Quartet with Special Guest Roberta Gambarini

Get Tickets →

Wed, October 11, 7:00 PM

Darden Purcell Group feat Joe Locke "Recording Release Celebration"

Get Tickets →

Wed, October 11, 9:00 PM

Darden Purcell Group feat Joe Locke "Recording Release Celebration"

Get Tickets →

Thu, October 12, 7:00 PM

Frank Vignola's Birdland Guitar Band feat. Pasquale Grasso

Get Tickets →

Thu, October 12, 9:00 PM

Frank Vignola's Birdland Guitar Band feat. Pasquale Grasso

Get Tickets →

Fri, October 13, 7:00 PM

Bill Charlap Trio

Get Tickets →

Fri, October 13, 9:00 PM

Bill Charlap Trio

Get Tickets →

Sat, October 14, 7:00 PM

Bill Charlap Trio

Get Tickets →

Sat, October 14, 9:00 PM

Bill Charlap Trio

Get Tickets →

Sun, October 15, 7:00 PM

Dara Starr Tucker Recording Release

Get Tickets →

Sun, October 15, 9:00 PM

Dara Starr Tucker Recording Release

Get Tickets →

Mon, October 16, 7:00 PM

Simona De Rosa

Get Tickets →

Mon, October 16, 9:00 PM

Simona De Rosa

Get Tickets →

Tue, October 17, 7:00 PM

Paul Carr feat. Wycliffe Gordon

Get Tickets →

Tue, October 17, 9:00 PM

Paul Carr feat. Wycliffe Gordon

Get Tickets →

Wed, October 18, 7:00 PM

Ashley Scott

Get Tickets →

Wed, October 18, 9:00 PM

Ashley Scott

Get Tickets →

Thu, October 19, 7:00 PM

Spencer Day

Get Tickets →