Stanley Jordan – Magic Touch/Standards Vol. 1/ Flying Home
BGO Records
www.bgo-records.com

Ratings:

Magic Touch A
Standards Vol 1 B
Flying Home B

In 1985, Stanley Jordan showed up on the guitar scene and took the musical world by storm. His debut album, Magic Touch, ended up spending over a year on the charts, mostly due to the unique way Jordan could play both rhythm and lead guitar at the same time. He incorporated Eddie Van Halen’s two-hand tapping approach and took it to another musical universe.

BGO Records has remastered Jordon’s best three recordings on a two-disc set with new liner notes. The look and sound of this package is wonderful. Jordon’s guitar playing is still unique and amazing almost thirty years down the road.

The best of the bunch is the debut, as it is the most fresh and exciting music he created. His remake album is good and the songs really take on new life after being Jordan-ized. They include the songs “The Sound of Silence,” “Moon River,” “Guitar Man” and “”My Favorite Things.” Flying Home is also a strong album that features more of the same, including a remake of the classic Led Zeppelin song “Stairway to Heaven.”

While this is not even close to being classic rock music, it is important music and music that classic fans, which tend to have a love affair with excellent guitar playing, will appreciate.

By Jeb Wright