Biography:
Jordan Rudess entered the prestigious Juilliard School of Music at the age of nine for classical piano training. At age of nineteen, he began to include the rapidly developing world of synthesizers in his recordings and Performances. Today, Jordan is a recording artist, composer, producer and performer.
Voted Best New Talent after his solo release "Listen" in the 1994 Keyboard Magazine Readers Poll Keyboardist category, Jordan is the newest member of the group Dream Theater. He has played with guitarist Steve Morse and the legendary Dixie Dregs and has recorded and toured with guitarist Vinnie Moore, written songs for- and recorded with singer Annie Haslam (Renaissance) and has recorded tracks with David Bowie. He has also toured internationally with fellow keyboardist, Jan Hammer and legendary drummer Tony Williams, has appeared in concert with Enrique Iglesias, and regularly performs and records with Grammy award winners the Paul Winter Consort. His scoring can be heard with International Magician of the Year winner, Jeff McBride.
Jordan formed a two piece "power duo" with Dregs drummer Rod Morgenstein after joining him in the Dregs. The Rudess Morgenstein Project is a high powered progressive rock duo of keyboards and drums.
Jordan can be heard along with Keith Emerson, Rick Wakeman and Patrick Moraz playing Chopin's Revolutionary Etude on 'Steinway to Heaven," a release featuring rock Keyboard virtuosos playing piano classics. Before joining Dream Theater in January 1999, Jordan connected with John Petrucci and Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater and bassist Tony Levin of King Crimson and Peter Gabriel notoriety and recorded two albums with "Liquid Tension Experiment”. He can be heard on two performances within "Encores Legends and Paradox" with drummer Simon Phillips, Violinist Jerry Goodman and Producer Robert Berry. In October 2001 he released his latest rock solo album entitled “Feeding the Wheel”. It features guest musicians Terry Bozzio on drums, Billy Sheehan-Bass, guitarists Steve Morse and John Petrucci, Vocalist Barry Carl, Violinist Mark Wood and Eugene Freisen on Cello.
Jordan recorded keyboard tracks for David Bowie’s album entitled Heathen which was released on David's own Iso Records in June 2002.
His latest solo album was released in April of 2002 and is entitled 4NYC. It is dedicated to New York. The album is a recording of a concert that took place on September 25th, as well as studio recordings that took place right after the tragedies of September 11th 2001. Jordan and his wife Danielle Rudess produced the solo concert and raised $12,000 for the American Red Cross.
In August of 2004, Jordan's newest rock solo album, Rhythm of Time, will be released and features Rod Morgenstein on drums, Joe Satriani, Steve Morse, Vinnie Moore, Greg Howe and Daniel J on guitar with Dave Larue on Bass, and guest vocals by Kip Winger.
On “Rhythm of Time”
Jordan Rudess had music and ideas bouncing around his head; but between recording and touring dates with Dream Theater, he felt he didn't have enough time to write or record a new solo album for Magna Carta. His solution: lock himself into the studio. No phone, no e-mail, no human contact at all save for nightly meals left by his wife, Danielle.
"It got to be very, very intense and almost a surreal process," says Rudess. "But pulling myself back from real life helped me to be in this creative zone.. I was in front of the computer and my keyboards and just really going for it. It was all about making the music."
14 days after he started, Rudess emerged from exile with the music to "Rhythm of Time," the album that fans of the prolific and versatile keyboardist have been waiting for since "Feeding the Wheel". "A lot of the people that listen to Dream Theater sometimes feel like there's not enough keyboards," says Rudess. "They want to hear more of me. In this case, this is totally me. I put enough time and effort and focus and patience into this that I feel secure saying, 'This is a good representation of my musical mind.'"
What's on Rudess's mind is a perfect balance of instrumental firepower and moody textures, a blend of art and craft that underlines the rock side of a man whose explorations in jazz, classical, rock and pop have made him one of the top keyboardists in music.
Joining Rudess on "Rhythm of Time" are some friends that stand among the giants of instrumental music. They include solo guitar gods Joe Satriani and Greg Howe; guitarist Vinnie Moore (whom Rudess first teamed with on Moore's "Out of Time" album and tour); Deep Purple and Dixie Dregs guitarist Steve Morse, bassist Dave LaRue (Steve Morse Band, Dixie Dregs, Planet X) and drummer Rod Morgenstein (Platypus, Dixie Dregs, Andy West). Add vocals by Kip Winger to two songs and you have an album that will take progressive rock fans on a wild ride !
Discography:
Feeding The Wheel - Max 9055-2 - Oct 2001
4NYC - Max 0911-2 - April 2002
Rhythm of Time - Max 9068-2 - Aug 2004
Released by Magna Carta / Mascot Records in late August 2004 |
