Horizon by Matthew Jordan

I was totally hooked.”

But even before that, another piano prodigy inspired him. “We actually lived next door to Tori Amos when I was about two or three years old. She used to come over a lot, because my dad was the photographer who did her early pictures. I called her Toe-y.”

So, with Billy and Tori looking figuratively over his shoulders, a five-year-old boy sat transfixed at the keyboard for hours… which became days… and then years… until he finally graduated from USC’s prestigious Thornton School of Music in 2006. “There’s never been anything else I’ve wanted to do. Of course, everybody in high school thought I was weird, ‘cause in high school ya gotta play guitar to be cool. But I just kept playing and writing, and here we are.”

Prior to the release of his debut full-length CD "Horizon" (Quiet Thunder Records), this twenty-two year old wonder had already established impressive credentials: Nearly 30,00 fans on MySpace; chosen as a featured artist by NOKIA Corp. with his music included in their official Podcast at MIDEM 2007; a finalist on MTV “Duets” with Vanessa Carlton; and a starring role in Five For Fighting’s iconic and award-winning video 100 Years in which he plays the wistful 15 year old pianist (“Fifteen – there’s still time for you”).

He recalls the day of the video shoot as the most grueling and exciting day of his young career. “We had to be on the set at 5:30 AM, and we shot for thirteen hours, during which time I had to repeatedly fall out of a giant tree, my own personal Fear Factor,” he laughs. “Then we had to rush back to Hollywood, because I had a huge gig that night at the Hotel Café.”

In fact, Matthew Jordan live performances are really something special. The ability to be passionately into his music while playing, and disarmingly vulnerable and open in between songs is rare, and Jordan has it a hundred times over. Whether performing with his band, as he frequently does at venues all over Southern California, or solo, Matthew forges an instant bond with his audience.

Of course, it helps that his songs have lyrics and themes to which everyone can relate. "I’m On My Way" is an exuberant anthem to finally breaking out on your own, featuring percussive machine gun piano and an insanely catchy chorus. "Eventually" is a plaintive prayer that a deep love will grow in a heart where none currently exists. That’s a sentiment that nearly everyone has shared at one time or another.

“Most of the time, I bleed my emotions out with the music first,” Matthew says. “I latch on to a feeling and just let it play through my fingers. Then the music tells me what the song is about… Sometimes the meaning of song isn’t totally clear until weeks after it’s written.”

And sometimes those meanings are dark. Both "Insomniac" and "Scared of Love" are songs about suicide. "Insomniac" is about the failed attempt of a high school friend to kill himself over a broken romance. "Scared of Love" hits even closer to home, written for a beloved uncle who tragically took his own life in 2005.

But mostly, Matthew’s music has a hopeful edge to it. “I try to keep my eye on the big picture,” he muses. “There’s something pretty overwhelming about being an ant on a marble floating in a random corner of an infinite cosmos. That makes it kinda hard for me to take myself too seriously.”

Average Customer Review: