Title: Colors
Artist: Piper, Jordan
Label: CD Baby
Product Type: COMPACT DISCS
UPC: 884501484947
Genre: Jazz

Dear Listener Thank you for taking the time to check out "Colors," my first album as a leader. It is both humbling and exciting to embark on this journey of artistic expression. A bit about myself, and the album: I hail from three varied climates and cultures: Bellingham, WA, Honolulu, HI, and Missoula, MT. I currently reside in the New York metropolitan area where I am active on the music scene. As a pianist and composer, I draw on my diverse upbringing, and study of the tradition of jazz in "Colors." An intense personal exploration in improvising on new song forms as well as through-composed music lead me to writing a program of original compositions for quintet, quartet and trio configurations, which are on this album. The tunes are challenging rhythmically while still being melodic and accessible to a wide audience, drawing on influences from pop, jazz, Latin and classical music. Through the process of writing for, rehearsing and performing with the same group of talented young musicians over the past two years, the songs were allowed to grow and flourish into the vibrant state in which they appear on the album. A bit more in official bio format: Jordan Piper's mature sound and "melodically-rich soloing" (Zan Stewart, NJ Star Ledger) set him apart as a jazz pianist and composer. As part of the vibrant creative music scene in the NYC metropolitan area, Jordan has performaed recently at the Blue Note with vocalists Nina Vidal and Key Huggins, opening with his band for jazz vocalist Jane Monheit at William Paterson University, with the Pedro Rodriguez Quintet at Trumpets Jazz Club in Montclair, NJ broadcasting live on WBGO radio with the William Paterson Jazz Septet and as musical director for Straight and Narrow Gospel Choir in Paterson, NJ since 2007. His own group features some of the area's best up and coming musicians, performing in clubs around New York such as Cleopatra's Needle, Spike Hill in Brooklyn and The Shrine in Harlem, and focuses on his award-winning original music: in 2008 and 2010, his songs "After the Fact" and "Snow Sheets" were finalists in the ASCAP young jazz composers competition. As an artist, Jordan's music reflects his teachers, who have included Mulgrew Miller, Harold Mabern, Chuck Israels, Armen Donelian, Kevin Norton, Rich DeRosa and influential artists he has shared the stage with: Clark Terry, Jimmy Heath, and saxophonist Rich Perry. He moved from Bellingham, WA in 2005 to attend William Paterson University's esteemed Jazz Program on full scholarship, and graduated Suma Cum Laude in 2009 with a Bachelor's degree and classical piano minor. After graduation, he took a job playing the piano in a dance band aboard the world famous Queen Mary 2, getting to travel around Europe and playing for ballroom dancers every night. Before moving East, Jordan played with the Seattle based funk group the Fabulous Party Boys, vocalist Courtney Fortune, and as part of Chuck Israels' big band at Western Washington University. He still maintains strong musical ties with the west and returned last year for a live radio show in Bellingham featuring "A Prairie Home Companion's" Garrison Keillor. Jordan is also a dedicated educator and continues to teach private piano students of all ages and abilities.

Tracks:
1.1 Snow Sheets
1.2 Mongin' Around
1.3 Members Only
1.4 Fortunate
1.5 Sometimes It Rains
1.6 Ms. S
1.7 Falling and Rising
1.8 L-Y
1.9 Intersections