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Ronny Jordan

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Ronny Jordan was the stage name of Robert Laurence Albert Simpson, a British guitarist, born in London in 1962. He died in 2014. He was part of the acid jazz movement at the end of the twentieth century. He himself called his music urban jazz, a mixture of jazz, hip-hop and R&B.

Music and breakthrough

His breakthrough came when he was featured on Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1 by the rapper Guru in 1993. In 1992 his debut album The Antidote appeared, with an acid jazz arrangement of So What by Miles Davis, which became a worldwide hit. After that came, among others, The Quiet Revolution in 1993, Light to Dark in 1996 and A Brighter Day in 2000, which received a Grammy nomination for best contemporary jazz album. In 1994 he also appeared on the album Stolen Moments: Red Hot + Cool, in aid of the Red Hot Organization. He received a MOBO award for best jazz act and a Gibson award for best jazz guitarist.

Influence

His guitar playing is soft and melodic, often with a warm tone that recalls the classic jazz guitarists, but now over hip-hop beats and funk rhythms. His track The Jackal reached a wider audience when the actress Allison Janney lip-synced it in The West Wing. In this way he brought jazz to an audience that came to it via clubs, hip-hop and R&B.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to his version of So What and compare it with the original by Miles Davis. Notice the beat beneath the guitar and how the melody remains recognisable.

Discography

Studio albums

In School of Rock

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Categories: Artists