Ronny Jordan, born in London, is widely credited with restoring the guitar to its rightful place as a major force in contemporary jazz. Despite protests from purists, few other artists of his era were more instrumental in breaking down the long-established boundaries of contemporary black music.
The son of a minister, Jordan's early musical history was rooted in gospel; his first public performances were with gospel groups, but the emergence of Brit-funk in the early '80s prompted him to explore other avenues of music, culminating in an obsession with jazz. Self-taught guitarist, his early influences included Charlie Christian, Wes Montgomery, and Grant Green.
When hip-hop began to gain popularity, Jordan began experimenting with methods to combine jazz and rap. The first product of his efforts was the single "After Hours," a primitive foray into acid jazz. When Jordan's rendition of the Miles Davis classic "So What" became a smash success, it became evident that something was afoot. The Antidote, his debut album from 1992, made him an immediate star on London's burgeoning Acid Jazz scene.
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