Concert Review: Smooth Jazz Guitarist Does Not Disappoint Loyal Triad Fan Base

A better-than-modest crowd poured into the High Point Theatre Saturday evening to witness smooth jazz recording artist Stanley Jordan.

Known as the innovator of the “tapping” technique of guitar playing, in which notes are created by tapping the fretboard, rather than via conventional strumming and picking, Jordan and his trio (including bass guitarist Charnett Moffett and drummer Kenwood Dennard) took the stage at 8:10pm and failed to disappoint his loyal and diverse Triad fan base for 110 minutes.

Performing renditions of old favorites from "Someone to Watch Over Me," "Mercy Mercy Mercy," and "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," to tracks from his latest CD titled State of Nature, Jordan even fascinated the audience with a unique and jaw-dropping performance of "Mozart's Piano Concerto # 21," part of his State of Nature album.

At one point in the show, Dennard engaged in a fierce percussion solo during a rendition of Bob Marley's "Get Up, Stand Up" that had the audience on their feet for several minutes. The standing ovations were numerous and the hoots and hollers for more of the melodic sounds were proof positive that the show won fan approval almost instantly.

Jordan and his Trio even made it a point to meet the audience and sign copies of State of Nature in a receiving line immediately following the show, a move indicative of the closeness smooth jazz artists have with their loyal, niche fan base.

And the acoustically-pleasing intimate venue of the High Point Theatre could not have been more of a perfect location for this show.

From the radio spots promoting the show on WZTK's (101.1FM) "Smooth Jazz Weekend," it was clear from the Saturday evening show that smooth jazz fans from across the Triad ache for more of this blend of music and more visits from these artists to our area.

Said concert-goer Leo Bucey of Jamestown, who signaled his seal of approval, "All I needed was a bottle of scotch to go along with this show and it would have been perfect."

Scotch or no scotch, the show was indeed...perfect.

E.C. :)