Stanley Jordan

US guitarist, born: 31-Jul-1959 in Chicago, IL. Initially started playing piano aged six but having been influenced by Jimi Hendrix, he took up the guitar aged 11. Developed a two handed "Touch-Technique" which allowed him to play the strings on the fretboard of the guitar much like a keyboard with "hammer-ons" and "pull-offs". Achieved notoriety with this technique when he won the soloist competition at the Reno International Jazz Festival aged 17. Released Touch Sensitive in 1982 on Tangent Records and followed this with a series of studio albums on Blue Note; Magic Touch (1985), Standards (1986), Flying Home (1988), Cornucopia (1990). Since the mid-1990s he has split his time between touring and his post as spokesperson with the AMTA (the American Music Therapy Association). His inability to find a musical niche has resulted in him fading from the public eye whilst his playing style has lost its novelty value and his later albums, both live and studio, have received poor reviews.