Stanley Jordan--The Future of Jazz Goes Commercial

“FLYING HOME.” Stanley Jordan. EMI-Manhattan E1 48682.

What happens to a dream defaulted? Does it dry up, like a rhythm in the sun? Or does it expire? Four years ago Stanley Jordan was the talk of the jazz world--a 25-year-old Princeton graduate whose revolutionary guitar style enabled him to become a virtual one-man ensemble. By tapping both hands on the fingerboard simultaneously, he performed independent or interrelated parts. You had to watch him for proof that he wasn’t magically overdubbing himself.

His versions of “ ‘Round Midnight,” “Georgia,” “A Child Is Born” and of his original works left listeners slack-jawed in disbelief. He was greeted with standing ovations and critical plaudits. His arrival, I wrote, “reinforces our belief in the bright new tomorrow of jazz.”

Hold it a minute. Suspend that belief.

Stanley Jordan today bears as much resemblance to the jazz genius of 1984 as Kenny G does to Charlie Parker. He has taken the fast route to $ucce$$. So much is happening in this new album, given the presence of drums, percussion programming, overdubbed guitars, keyboards, synthesizers and digital technology, that it no longer matters whether he is creating everything at one fell swoop or simply overdubbing until the result fits the all-too-familiar pop formula.

In other words, the technical wizardry, the unique ability to innovate on his own, the characteristics that established Stanley Jordan, are not now relevant. Most of what is heard during these nine original cuts could almost be part of an album by just about any capable pop guitarist. To add insult to injury, “Flying Home” is not the famous jazz standard; it’s a boring Jordan original.

The situation is doubly deplorable in that he didn’t need to move in this direction; his magic touch was commercial enough per se. We should be thankful that for every Jordan who capitulates, there is a Wynton Marsalis who holds to his original values. 1 star.

“CLEANHEAD & CANNONBALL.” Eddie Vinson/Cannonball Adderley. Landmark LLP 1309. Unissued or long in limbo, these 1961-2 sessions constitute a fitting memorial to Eddie (Cleanhead) Vinson, who had a rare triple talent for writing witty blues lyrics (he sings on seven of the 10 tunes), composing first-rate jazz instrumentals and playing blues-and-bop-inspired alto sax. On four cuts Adderley plays the alto solos; in the backup band in his quintet are Nat Adderley on cornet and Joe Zawinul, who in those days truly cooked as a funky blues pianist. 4 stars.

“SWING STREET.” Howard Alden-Dan Barrett Quintet. Concord CCD 4349. The real “Flying Home,” composed by Lionel Hampton, is included here, with Alden, one of the best young guitarists in the Charlie Christian tradition, among the soloists. But his work, and Barrett’s trombone, have a lot to compensate for: lightweight, out of date, cliche-ridden charts and a limping rhythm section. There is, however, a neatly scaled down version of the original Ellington “Cotton Tail” arrangement. 2 1/2 stars.

“IN ANGEL CITY,” Charlie Haden. Verve 837 031-2. Though bassist Haden has gained most of his fame through a long off-and-on association with Ornette Coleman, his “Quartet West” (with Ernie Watts on tenor, Alan Broadbent on piano and drummer Larance Marable) is geared mainly to the vintage values that predated Coleman, as witness the leitmotif of Haden’s calypso, “Child’s Play,” the eerie treatment of Miles Davis’ “Blue in Green” and Watt’s waltz, “Live Your Dreams.” There are, however, two Coleman pieces, one of which, “Lonely Woman,” is on the CD version only. 4 stars.

“CLOSENESS” DUETS. Charlie Haden. A&M; CD 0808. Haden goes farther outside here, playing duo dates with Keith Jarrett, Ornette Coleman, Alice Coltrane and Paul Motian, respectively. Coltrane’s harp is mystical and elusive. The Motian cut, “For a Free Portugal,” is highly political, with Portuguese Liberation Army battle sounds, vocal touches and liner notes by Haden (who will never be accused of being soft on fascism) recalling how he played his “Song for Che” in Portugal and was arrested for his trouble. This is a reissue of a 1976 album for Horizon Records. 3 1/2 stars.

“JAMES NEWTON IN VENICE.” Celestial Harmonies 13030-2. In the footsteps of flutist Paul Horn, who recorded alone some years ago in the Taj Mahal and the Great Pyramids, Newton undertakes the same experiment at the Church of San Lazzaro Dewgli Armeni in Venice. There is a solemn splendor in this sound, but in the course of the 75 minutes, for all Newton’s superb craftsmanship, only the couple of well known themes (Debussy’s “Syrinx” and a spiritual sequence that includes “Amazing Grace”) provide a needed crutch of familiarity. In fact, the session could have been subtitled “The Loneliness of the Long Distance Flutist.” 3 stars.

“JULIUS HEMPHILL BIG BAND.” Elektra/Musician 60831-2. The alto soloist of World Saxophone Quartet renown leads a 16-piece orchestra in a series of his own works, vacillating between tonal and atonal, order and chaos, shock-wave ensembles and vigor-packed solos, mainly by the leader. “Leora” offers Hemphill’s horn against shifting brass-and-reed patterns without rhythm; “C/Saw” is a blues at various tempos that seems undecided whether to become seriously traditional or simply satirical. In “Drunk on God” the band serves as background for a cryptic poem written and spoken by K. Curtis Lyle. The final “Bordertown” is a dubious stab at jazz-rock, with Hemphill on soprano sax. Some of his writing is so skillful that one wishes the interpretation had been more disciplined and the intonation sounder. 2 1/2 stars.

“20.” Harry Connick Jr. CBS CK 44369. While such mature pianists as Fred Hersch, Harold Land Jr. and Marcus Roberts still toil away mainly as sidemen, Harry Connick Jr. at 20 has his own CBS Records contract and is revealed, this time more than last, as the most egregious example of too much hype too soon. His immaturity is most conspicuous harmonically (listen to what he does to a beautiful song, “Stars Fell on Alabama”); nor does his singing on several cuts add much of value. He even has Carmen McRae to help out on one tune and Dr. John on another, thereby elevating the rating to 1 1/2 stars.