Marlon Jordan
Encyclopedia
Marlon Jordan is an American
jazz
trumpeter, composer
, and bandleader
.
, Branford
, Wynton
, Delfeayo
and Jason Marsalis
musicians, and Harry Connick, Jr.
. He started playing trumpet in the fourth grade and knew Wynton Marsalis (a major influence) and Terence Blanchard when he was a child. Marlon recorded as a sideman with his brother Kent (1987) and Dennis González
(1988).
At age 18, recorded his debut album as a leader, For You Only (1988), Branford Marsalis
makes four appearances on tenor; Marlon's brother, flutist Kent Jordan, is heard on the opening "Jepetto's Despair," and there are two duets with bassist/pianist Elton Heron. Four standards (including "Cherokee" and "Stardust") are performed. Marlon took his quintet on the road, joined by Wynton Marsalis
, Miles Davis
and George Benson
as a headlining act in a series of JVC Jazz Festival dates. They also played in some of the country's top jazz clubs, including the Blue Note and the Ritz, as well as in concerts ranging from New York's Avery Fisher Hall to Binghamton University.
Marlon's fifth album, You Don’t Know What Love Is (2005), is definitely a family affair, features his sister Stephanie Jordan on breathtaking, silvery vocals on five (5) of the albums eight tracks. Marlon is joined here by his father patriarch Edward Jordan; sister Stephanie, winner of the “Billie Holiday Competition” for Jazz vocalist; sister Rachel, violinist with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra; and brother Kent Jordan flautist. There is also uncle Alvin Batiste
, clarinet; cousin Jonathan Bloom, percussion; uncle Maynard Chatters, trombone; and Chatters’ son, Mark, trumpet. They all come together for a fantastic voyage through fresh interpretations of eight jazz standards, all injected with a bit of New Orleans vibe. Track listing: "My Favorite Things"; "All Blues"; "You Don’t Know What Love Is"; "Joey"; "Flamingo"; "Portrait"; "You Leave Me Breathless"; "Now Baby", and "Or Never".
Marlon and sister Stephanie during the fall of 2005 as Jazz Ambassadors on a European Tour as part of the Higher Ground Relief effort sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, and Jazz at Lincoln Center to thank the people of Europe for their support of New Orleans and the Gulf Region following Hurricane Katrina
. The countries included Bucharest, Germany, Lithuania and Ukraine.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
trumpeter, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, and bandleader
Bandleader
A bandleader is the leader of a band of musicians. The term is most commonly, though not exclusively, used with a group that plays popular music as a small combo or a big band, such as one which plays jazz, blues, rhythm and blues or rock and roll music....
.
Biography
Born Marlon Jordan, one of six performers of a prominent family of New Orleans musicians. He is the son of saxophonist Edward “Kidd” Jordan and classical pianist Edvidge Jordan, and brother flutist Kent, sisters violinist Rachel, and jazz singer Stephanie. While they have pursued separate careers, the family frequently collaborates. Marlon started playing trumpet in the fourth grade, and graduated from the famed New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts notable alumni, Terence BlanchardTerence Blanchard
Terence Oliver Blanchard is an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, composer, arranger, and film score composer. Since he emerged on the scene in 1980 with the Lionel Hampton Orchestra and then shortly thereafter with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Blanchard has been a leading artist in jazz...
, Branford
Branford Marsalis
Branford Marsalis is an American saxophonist, composer and bandleader. While primarily known for his work in jazz as the leader of the Branford Marsalis Quartet, he also performs frequently as a soloist with classical ensembles and has led the group Buckshot LeFonque.-Biography:Marsalis was born...
, Wynton
Wynton Marsalis
Wynton Learson Marsalis is a trumpeter, composer, bandleader, music educator, and Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. Marsalis has promoted the appreciation of classical and jazz music often to young audiences...
, Delfeayo
Delfeayo Marsalis
Delfeayo Marsalis is an American jazz trombonist and record producer.He is a member of the Marsalis family of jazz musicians: father Ellis Marsalis, Jr. , and brothers Branford Marsalis , Wynton Marsalis , and Jason Marsalis...
and Jason Marsalis
Jason Marsalis
-External links:* from Basin Street Records* from Jazzweekly.com...
musicians, and Harry Connick, Jr.
Harry Connick, Jr.
Joseph Harry Fowler Connick, Jr. is an American singer, big-band leader/conductor, pianist, actor, and composer. He has sold over 25 million albums worldwide. Connick is ranked among the top 60 best-selling male artists in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America, with...
. He started playing trumpet in the fourth grade and knew Wynton Marsalis (a major influence) and Terence Blanchard when he was a child. Marlon recorded as a sideman with his brother Kent (1987) and Dennis González
Dennis González
Dennis González is a jazz musician, poet, visual artist and music educator based in Dallas, Texas....
(1988).
At age 18, recorded his debut album as a leader, For You Only (1988), Branford Marsalis
Branford Marsalis
Branford Marsalis is an American saxophonist, composer and bandleader. While primarily known for his work in jazz as the leader of the Branford Marsalis Quartet, he also performs frequently as a soloist with classical ensembles and has led the group Buckshot LeFonque.-Biography:Marsalis was born...
makes four appearances on tenor; Marlon's brother, flutist Kent Jordan, is heard on the opening "Jepetto's Despair," and there are two duets with bassist/pianist Elton Heron. Four standards (including "Cherokee" and "Stardust") are performed. Marlon took his quintet on the road, joined by Wynton Marsalis
Wynton Marsalis
Wynton Learson Marsalis is a trumpeter, composer, bandleader, music educator, and Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. Marsalis has promoted the appreciation of classical and jazz music often to young audiences...
, Miles Davis
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
and George Benson
George Benson
George Benson is a ten Grammy Award winning American musician, whose production career began at the age of twenty-one as a jazz guitarist....
as a headlining act in a series of JVC Jazz Festival dates. They also played in some of the country's top jazz clubs, including the Blue Note and the Ritz, as well as in concerts ranging from New York's Avery Fisher Hall to Binghamton University.
Marlon's fifth album, You Don’t Know What Love Is (2005), is definitely a family affair, features his sister Stephanie Jordan on breathtaking, silvery vocals on five (5) of the albums eight tracks. Marlon is joined here by his father patriarch Edward Jordan; sister Stephanie, winner of the “Billie Holiday Competition” for Jazz vocalist; sister Rachel, violinist with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra; and brother Kent Jordan flautist. There is also uncle Alvin Batiste
Alvin Batiste
Alvin Batiste was an avant garde jazz clarinetist born in New Orleans, Louisiana. He taught at his own jazz institute at Southern University in Baton Rouge...
, clarinet; cousin Jonathan Bloom, percussion; uncle Maynard Chatters, trombone; and Chatters’ son, Mark, trumpet. They all come together for a fantastic voyage through fresh interpretations of eight jazz standards, all injected with a bit of New Orleans vibe. Track listing: "My Favorite Things"; "All Blues"; "You Don’t Know What Love Is"; "Joey"; "Flamingo"; "Portrait"; "You Leave Me Breathless"; "Now Baby", and "Or Never".
Marlon and sister Stephanie during the fall of 2005 as Jazz Ambassadors on a European Tour as part of the Higher Ground Relief effort sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, and Jazz at Lincoln Center to thank the people of Europe for their support of New Orleans and the Gulf Region following Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
. The countries included Bucharest, Germany, Lithuania and Ukraine.
Discography
| Year | Title | Genre | Label | Billboard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | For You Only | Jazz, Hard Bop | Columbia | #7 |
| 1991 | Learson's Return | Jazz, Hard Bop | Columbia | #9 |
| 1992 | The Undaunted | Jazz, Hard Bop | Columbia | |
| 1997 | Marlon's Mode | Jazz, Hard Bop | Arabesque | |
| 2005 | You Don't Know What Love Is w/Stephanie Jordan | Jazz, Hard Bop | Louisiana Red Hot |