Acid Jazz guitarist Ronny Jordan dies aged 51

Guitarist Ronny Jordan, who is credited with spearheading the acid jazz movement of the early 1990s, has died aged 51. The MOBO Award-winner was best known for his upbeat reworking of So What by Miles Davies, which appeared on his own 1992 album The Antidote. The track also featured on Guru’s groundbreaking Jazzmatazz Vol 1 LP in 1993. Jordon was one of a handful of jazz artists signed to Island Records at the time, alongside the likes of Courtney Pine and Andy Sheppard.

He went on to release three more studio albums; Quiet Revolution (1993), Light to Dark (1996) and Brighter Day (2000). The latter won a Mobo Award for best jazz act in the year it was released. Outside of his solo work, he collaborated with the likes of Mos Def and DJ Krush.

He went on to be nominated for a Grammy in 2000 for his album Brighter Day, which was a Top 10 hit on the US Billboard jazz chart.

Jordan’s family revealed the news of his death on Monday (Jan 14) in a statement that you can read below. The likes of DJ Giles Peterson have since paid tribute to the musician.

The cause of death was not disclosed.

Dear Friends, Family and Well Wishers – It is with our deep regret that Ronny Jordan has recently passed away. We are still coming to terms with the loss of our brother. We are taking steps to manage Ronny’s personal affairs and so we ask if you could kindly bear with us as we deal with his matters in the background.

We appreciate that Ronny has got many fans around the world and so we ask that you keep an eye out for further announcements in relation to his funeral arrangements. In the meantime, tributes to Ronny can be left on this Facebook page. Thank you for your patience and understanding. With every blessings and love – Rickey and Denise, Brother and Sister, 14 January 2014

Source: Music Week