Jordan Perlson has spanned about as wide a stylistic reach as one can imagine. Be it with jazz legends Seamus Blake and Gary Burton, folk heroes Alison Brown and Missy Raines, reggae giants Matisyahu and Trevor Hall, cutting edge music innovators like Becca Stevens, Snarky Puppy, and Jeff Coffin, progressive innovators Adrian Belew or Kaki King, or fusion megastar Hiromi, Jordan has become a known force in these many circles. With credits on 100+ recordings, including national and international ad campaigns, Jordan is as at home in the studio as he is on stage. Having taught at prestigious institutions such as Berklee College of Music, New York University and masterclasses all over the world, Jordan is a passionate educator. An author of 2 books for Mel Bay publishing, Jordan’s books have been translated into several languages and are used the world round by teachers and students of many levels.
In this episode, Jordan talks about:
- Why he moved to Nashville after 12 years in New York
- Curating musical situations that line up with momentum in a direction, even if the end goal is abstract
- Being more intentional about not just what he says yes to, but why he says yes
- How New York shaped his personality, and how that shapes his musical identity
- Trusting that his instincts and intentions will make good music, even if the execution isn’t quite perfect
- His “asynchronous” drum coaching approach to private teaching
