MP3 Matthew Jordan - Horizon

Who says piano can't rock as hard as guitar? Slammin' keyboards, great hooks. Think Ben Folds meets Something Corporate.

12 MP3 Songs
ROCK: Modern Rock, POP: Power Pop



Details:
"Charismatically gifted... his voice is remarkably expressive... Jordan's musical ability is often stunning." - Bernard Baur, Music Connection Magazine

"He's a pro, he can just do *anything*."- Vanessa Carlton on MTV "Duets"

"A welcome addition to the family of piano songsters."- John Ondrasik of Five For Fighting.

"Think of Mayer and Mraz with the jaw-dropping piano skills of Ben Folds, and you just might get an idea of this 22 year old wonder."-Steven Stewart, Nokia Music Supervisor, Helsinki, Finland

There was never a time when Matthew Jordan didnât want to play piano and sing.

âI can remember telling the teacher in kindergarten that I was going to grow up to be like Billy Joel,â he says, with a soft-spoken smile that suggests a quiet self-confidence. âThere was a kid I knew back then who used to sing "We Didnât Start the Fire" on the playground. I came home and asked my dad about it, and he pulled out this huge stack of Billyâs old albums. That was it. I was totally hooked.â

But even before that, another piano prodigy inspired him. âWe actually lived next door to Tori Amos when I was about two or three years old. She used to come over a lot, because my dad was the photographer who did her early pictures. I called her Toe-y.â

So, with Billy and Tori looking figuratively over his shoulders, a five-year-old boy sat transfixed at the keyboard for hours⦠which became days⦠and then years⦠until he finally graduated from USCâs prestigious Thornton School of Music in 2006. âThereâs never been anything else Iâve wanted to do. Of course, everybody in high school thought I was weird, âcause in high school ya gotta play guitar to be cool. But I just kept playing and writing, and here we are.â

Prior to the release of his debut full-length CD "Horizon" (Quiet Thunder Records), this twenty-two year old wonder had already established impressive credentials: Nearly 30,00 fans on MySpace; chosen as a featured artist by NOKIA Corp. with his music included in their official Podcast at MIDEM 2007; a finalist on MTV âDuetsâ with Vanessa Carlton; and a starring role in Five For Fightingâs iconic and award-winning video 100 Years in which he plays the wistful 15 year old pianist (âFifteen â thereâs still time for youâ).

He recalls the day of the video shoot as the most grueling and exciting day of his young career. âWe had to be on the set at 5:30 AM, and we shot for thirteen hours, during which time I had to repeatedly fall out of a giant tree, my own personal Fear Factor,â he laughs. âThen we had to rush back to Hollywood, because I had a huge gig that night at the Hotel Café.â

In fact, Matthew Jordan live performances are really something special. The ability to be passionately into his music while playing, and disarmingly vulnerable and open in between songs is rare, and Jordan has it a hundred times over. Whether performing with his band, as he frequently does at venues all over Southern California, or solo, Matthew forges an instant bond with his audience.

Of course, it helps that his songs have lyrics and themes to which everyone can relate. "Iâm On My Way" is an exuberant anthem to finally breaking out on your own, featuring percussive machine gun piano and an insanely catchy chorus. "Eventually" is a plaintive prayer that a deep love will grow in a heart where none currently exists. Thatâs a sentiment that nearly everyone has shared at one time or another.

âMost of the time, I bleed my emotions out with the music first,â Matthew says. âI latch on to a feeling and just let it play through my fingers. Then the music tells me what the song is about⦠Sometimes the meaning of song isnât totally clear until weeks after itâs written.â

And sometimes those meanings are dark. Both "Insomniac" and "Scared of Love" are songs about suicide. "Insomniac" is about the failed attempt of a high school friend to kill himself over a broken romance. "Scared of Love" hits even closer to home, written for a beloved uncle who tragically took his own life in 2005.

But mostly, Matthewâs music has a hopeful edge to it. âI try to keep my eye on the big picture,â he muses. âThereâs something pretty overwhelming about being an ant on a marble floating in a random corner of an infinite cosmos. That makes it kinda hard for me to take myself too seriously.â