Plays Jimi Hendrix

World-renowned guitarist Stanley Jordan has developed a new live show called “Stanley Jordan Plays Jimi.” This is a tribute show, but it’s not pure imitation. Instead Stanley builds on Jimi’s legacy in a creative way. As Stanley explains it, “This is my fantasy Jimi Hendrix concert if Jimi were still alive and playing today. By re-imagining his music and channeling his persona I try to bring that fantasy to life.”

It may be surprising that Stanley Jordan would take on a project like this. After all,
Stanley is already a well-known guitarist with a signature style, four Grammy
nominations, a cameo in a Blake Edwards film (Blind Date), and a host of TV
appearances over a long career including Jimmy Fallon, David Letterman, Jay Leno and
Johnny Carson to name a few. But Stanley explains, “I feel a strong connection to Jimi
Hendrix because he was the first guitarist I emulated as a child. Out of love for Jimi and

his music I feel a strong desire to try to keep his legacy alive.”

It may also be surprising that a rock legend like Hendrix would get so much love from a
jazz legend like Jordan. Stanley’s 1985 album Magic Touch was #1 on Billboard’s jazz
chart for 51 weeks, and Stanley has shared the stage or recorded with jazz artists such
as Benny Carter, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis and Billy Cobham. But again, hearing it from Stanley, “I actually played rock and blues before I played jazz. In fact, Jimi’s constant searching for new sounds inspired me to move toward jazz in the first place.”
In recent years Stanley has performed with many artists in the rock and jam band
worlds, including the Dave Matthews Band, Umphrey’s McGee, Moe. and more. Stanley
says, “Returning to my rock roots has been an absolute joy artistically, and with this

project I’m taking that to a new level.”

Another important aspect is the embodiment of Jimi’s persona. Stanley actually steps
onto the stage as Jimi Hendrix so there is a theatrical element to the show. But this is
not a comedic caricature nor is it a theatrical play – it’s a concert. It’s a concert built
upon a sincere and heartfelt effort to recreate the jaw-dropping experience of
witnessing Jimi Hendrix live while at the same time bringing Jimi’s legacy up to date in a believable way. Wow! Tall order to fill–no?  That’s why you need a world-class artist of

Stanley Jordan’s caliber to pull it off.

This extra touch of portraying the Hendrix of today rather then yesterday keeps the
show creative and fresh for both Stanley and the audience and it gives Stanley’s fans a
new insight into Stanley’s own evolution. It also makes the show more authentic in a
certain sense, because a real Hendrix concert would have surprises and unexpected
turns. “Stanley Jordan Plays Jimi” tries to re-create both the energy and the creativity of
the real thing.