T.R. Jordan

About
As a student of music, T.R. Jordan cultivates harmony, melody and texture from across the centuries. He began classical piano lessons while still stretching to reach the pedals, and counts Debussy and Chopin among his earliest influences; in this way, we hear something of the moonless night in his careful pacing and melodic mastery. As his passion developed, further influence came from the tape manipulations of Brian Eno and William Basinski, creating a natural drive toward experimentation, and an embrace of uncertainty through forgotten formats.

In an era largely defined by flawless resolution and digital acuity, Jordan dares to place acoustic and analog elements in lower-fidelity environments, creating distinct but familiar compositions. This approach is best heard on Dwell Time and Dwell Time II (Past Inside the Present), the first installments in a trilogy of loop-based reflections on quietude and the verdant infinite, all created during a singular period of epiphany and inspiration. Jordan prefers “methods and means that are temperamental, and that eschew perfectionism,” such as the beloved, versatile Library of Congress C1 cassette deck for the blind, and the joyously unpredictable Roland RE-201 tape delay.

Combined with an academic knowledge of the piano and double bass, Jordan’s willingness to sacrifice any sense of musical certainty and push headlong into the unknown, is much of what makes his unique soundscapes so striking. Long time production assistance from like-minded composer Rafael Anton Irisarri brings yet another dimension to Jordan’s work, as his pursuit of uniquely fascinating forms both honors, and upends, established theory.

 

Past Inside the Present Discography
T.R. Jordan - Dwell Time [2022]
T.R. Jordan - Cycles [2021]
T.R. Jordan - Just For You [2020]
T.R. Jordan - Recollections Suite [2020]