Bolero

Stanley Jordan | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 15, 1994)
• Original Release Date: February 15, 1994
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Arista
• ASIN: B000002VMF
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #176,834 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Stanley Jordan's Bolero CD contains 7 tracks and runs just over 58 minutes.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of best technical guitarists,ever!!!, May 6, 2001

By 

Ricardo Neves Gonzalez (Petrópolis-R.J. [e-mail]) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bolero (Audio CD)

Stanley Jordan is one of that men,better at "live"performance than at studio works.Those people that listened to this cd,and didn't have the opportunity to see him at a stage "live"performance,can't imagine of what this fantastic guitar player could do with the instrument!!He is a virtuose,and he'd played in my city almost 8 or 9 years ago,to promotes exactly this "Bolero" tour,and what those people saw at Quitandinha Theatre that night was something out of this planet!For me,one of the most "live'performances i've ever saw in my entire life.Absoluted fantastic.The cd is an extension of that night i'll remember forever.Great cd of great guitar player!!!!I really recomend this one,and the others of Stanley!

4.0 out of 5 stars Jordan Live and Alive With Style, January 23, 2011

By 

Vincent E. Martin "Darkbard" (Aurora, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bolero (Audio CD)

Bottom-Line: "Bolero" is not Jordan finest work by half; at least it failed to work for me.

There is something to be said for the long track; it shows innovation, improvisational acumen and is usually mounds of enjoyment; but 22.5 minuets! This is how long the first track--Bolero--is from Stanley Jordan's 1994 release of the same name, "Bolero." The track starts off with the famously familiar Ravel melody and rhythms clothed as they are in quiet guitar licks and little else. I didn't mind when the tempo ascended and more instruments were added to the now Contemporary Jazz number, but around the 8:00 mark, things start getting off-track with some African chants and jungle sounds. I did however enjoy the introduction of the flute into the mix; it gave the number a softer gait so to speak.

But at the 11:00 mark the number goes off the tracks again and introduces some decidedly un-classical elements into the number reminiscent of the annoying disco era, and I started to believe I'd had enough. Back on track--somewhat by the 14:00 mark, but at the at the 16:00 minute mark Bolero became a whole new song with the introduction of the electric guitar and heavy percussion. At this point I had indeed had enough and I skipped to the next number, track No. 2, a very civilized and recognizable Always and Forever of Heatwave fame. This one Jordan did right, barely straying from the original melody.

Produced in part by Stanley Jordan, "Bolero" is a busy album featuring enterprising synthesizer arrangements, funk inspired grooves and smooth ballads. The centerpiece of the effort is of course the aforementioned a 22:30 rendition of Ravel's oft recorded Bolero. Said Jordan of Bolero: "[L]ots of people collaborated on this project. You can hear their influences throughout."

Those musicians include Robert Kahn (vocals, synthesizers, drums, percussion, programming, shakuhachi); Robert Zantay (vocals, synthesizer); Yossi Fine (guitar, bass); Jim Papoulis (flute); Doug Zantay (clarinet, saxophone); Omar Kabir (trumpet, flugelhorn) to name but a few of the more than 20 guest artists on this CD.

Jordan followed the light Always & Forever with the scattered Chameleon, a song that couldn't quite makes up its mind what it wanted to be. The net result was--at least for me--a very un-enjoyable song. Track no. 6 Plato's Blues, slowed the tempo once again, but again I was not digging the electric guitar solo that occupied that last half of the record. Jordan redeemed himself somewhat by a very mellow solo rendering of Always & Forever.

"Bolero" for me was a mixed bag of hits and misses (mostly misses) songs, which overall were not all that enjoyable to me. I am all for experimentation, but just as I do not like abstract art, I do not enjoy abstract music; I like identifiable melodies and soul stirring rhythms, I do not enjoy headache inducing noise for the sake of noise. "Bolero" is not Jordan finest work by half; at least it failed to work for me.

4.0 out of 5 stars Bolero, November 7, 2003

By 

Russell Diederich (Littleton, CO United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Bolero (Audio CD)

The master of the touch-tap technique does it again with this 1994 release. His playing is unbelievable as he combines both the melodies and rhythms at the same time, sometimes playing as many as three guitars. His music is smooth and soulful, and astounding to listen to. His phrasing is varied and energetic as he mixes up his rhythms, a true musician.

The majority of this album focuses on the title track, a cover of Maurice Ravel's orchestral piece. A great tune to begin with, Jordan modernizes it with his style, making it more of funky. The composition is good, and does credit to Ravel. Although it is a great song, it does clock in at over twenty minutes making for a long listen. It leaves the rest of the album short, but what is left is still very good as well. "Chameleon" is another good track that makes for a good follow up to "Bolero". It has a good beat and some exceptional guitar work on it. About halfway through the song, Jordan takes a nice clean solo, and then jumps on the distortion pedal giving it a bit of extra punch. The song is extra funky for a smooth jazz sound and has a good theme he keeps returning to. The cover of Jimi Hendrix's "Drifting" is pretty cool as well. Much more mellow than the original, and smooth-ified. His outro solo is fairly raw, bringing into play a bit of the Jimi sound to end. "Plato's Blues" is purely Jordan jamming on his own. He starts of soft and slow before kicking it up several notches, blowing us away with a wall of sound, fast fingers and raw power. He ends the album with the sweet solo of "Always and Forever", which is basically the same as the second song without the singing. Another fine cut with only Jordan playing.

This is an impressive album from Jordan. Most of the songs here are very good, but the singing on a couple of songs makes it too much of smooth jazz. He is incredibly talented as can be heard from his solo work, but he also does well composing wrapping in a dozen instruments and effects to make a song. If you're a Jordan fan, this is pretty good stuff here. My favorite is still his live performance on "Stolen Moments".