On Friday, November 8, 2024 at 7:30pm, Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall will host Impromptu, a captivating evening of spontaneous performance featuring the acclaimed Teodora Brody and the renowned American guitarist and pianist Stanley Jordan. For the first time at Carnegie Hall, they will perform an entirely unrehearsed concert, without a setlist or score. This is a bold exploration into the unknown, where Brody and Jordan shed conventional musical frameworks to embark on a journey of profound self-discovery through their art. From the first note to the last, their music is born in the present moment — fresh, original, and unique to this single performance. It is music that will only be heard once, on this particular night, and never again.
Impromptu sessions is Teodora’s creation that she has performed many times across Europe with different artists joining her. In May 2023 she invited Stanley to join her in Bucharest while he had a free day on his European tour, and now they are collaborating again for this special Carnegie performance.
From Brody: “One night in New York, 2003, I was singing with the legendary guitarist Les Paul at Iridium club and Stanley’s agent, Jan Greiner, came up to me and said, ‘What a voice! You should meet Stanley!’ She immediately took me to meet Stanley Jordan who was playing at Decade nightclub. His incredible sound touched my soul and I knew as soon as I met him that we must perform together! By the next year, we were playing at Montreux Jazz Festival as well as many other festivals and venues, and it was always magic. However, Impromptu gives us a chance to dive deeper into our conscious and subconscious minds leading us into the magic more than ever.”
“In the past I’ve played Carnegie Hall as a solo headliner or with other artists well known in the New York scene,” said Jordan. “But this time I have the distinct pleasure of introducing one of Europe’s best kept secrets — the wonderfully creative and talented Teodora Brody. We’ve performed together many times through the years, and it’s always been sheer magic. An indescribable and unpredictable magic that can’t be put in a bottle, but can only be experienced first hand. I’m sure New York will fall in love with Teodora.”
Stanley Jordan’s career, launched in 1985, is a testament to his extraordinary versatility and innovation as a guitarist. His genre-blending style moves effortlessly from bold classical interpretations to soulful pop-rock, straight-ahead jazz, and avant-garde improvisations, offering listeners thrilling, unexpected musical journeys.
A pioneer of the “touch technique,” Stanley uses a two-handed tapping method on the guitar fretboard that allows him to play melody and chords simultaneously — sometimes even on two different guitars or on guitar and piano. While others have used similar techniques, Jordan’s unique virtuosity set him apart, catapulting him to success early in his career.
Stanley’s groundbreaking album Magic Touch spent 51 weeks at the top of the Billboard jazz chart, solidifying his place as one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary jazz. He has performed in over 70 countries and collaborated with a wide range of artists, from Art Blakey to the Dave Matthews Band.
Born in Romania, and now based in Switzerland, Teodora Brody initially trained in classical jazz and rose to prominence in the late 1990s and early 2000s singing with legendary jazz pianist Johnny Răducanu. Acclaimed for her extraordinary vocal power and creative vision, Teodora pioneered the fusion of jazz with Doina, Romania’s improvisatory folk singing tradition, and is widely credited with introducing international audiences to this extraordinary, deeply emotive music.
Impromptu
Teodora Brody and Stanley Jordan
Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall, 881 Seventh Ave
Friday, November 8, 2024 at 7:30
for tickets ($45-65 including fees), call 212.247.7800 or visit Carnegie Hall
