Jordan Gheen (Limited Availability)
B.M. Jazz Studies, U.N.T.
Jordan Gheen is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, performer and teacher currently living in Denton, Texas. Originally from Fort Worth, Jordan grew up in a musical family. Between his father, a professional pianist, and his mother, a singer, he was constantly surrounded by quality music. He learned a lot from them and became interested in playing professionally at a young age. Jordan eventually graduated from Booker T Washington High School for Performing and Visual Arts in Dallas in 2008. While at BTWHSPVA he gathered experience from many exciting opportunities such as touring with his jazz combo, playing at the final International Association of Jazz Educators(IAJE) conference in Toronto, Canada and he was even selected via a rigorous audition process for the Jazz Band of America based in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Since moving to Denton with a scholarship to pursue a Jazz Studies degree at the prestigious University of North Texas his musical career has flourished. While at UNT he learned a great amount from Rodney Booth, Jay Saunders, Stefan Karlsson, Fred Hamilton, Lynn Seaton, Steve Wiest and Rich Derosa. Jordan crafted his composing and arranging skills while writing for, rehearsing and recording his various ensembles in Jazz Forum class and also played, toured, and recorded with the world renowned Grammy nominated UNT One O'Clock Lab Band. For two consecutive years, 2013/2014, he was selected as one of twenty-four musicians (out of hundreds of applicants) from around the world for the composition residency program at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC called Betty Carter's Jazz Ahead. He has been fortunate to have shared the stage with and learned from incredible artists such as Patti Austin, Aretha Franklin, Tierney Sutton, Terrell Stafford, Tim Hagans, Wayne Bergeron, Phil Woods, Lou Marini, Jeff Coffin, Bob Belden, Shelly Berg, and John Clayton to name a few.
Now out of school, Jordan is working professionally on Trumpet, Piano, Synth, Bass and Guitar. In addition to playing in a variety of pop/rock/dance cover-bands in the DFW metroplex, playing various commercial jazz gigs, and playing at Cross Timbers Community Church (Argyle and Denton), he also explores original music with many different creative projects. He leads (and writes music for) a jazz-fusion group called Sky Window (www.skywindow.space), a groove-focused quartet called The Night Above Us (www.thenightaboveus.com) and a 19 piece progressive jazz orchestra called Energy Collective. Outside of his own bands he also plays keyboards with local bands such as Fundamental, Somogyi, Body English, Canvas Theory, The Dallas Horns and NightBass, plays guitar with Terra Collective and Sol Kitchen, plays bass with Chaz Marie, and plays trumpet with Off Cell.
As an educator, Jordan has taught students from many different musical backgrounds, experience levels, and ages ranging from 8 to 50 years old. Over the years he has maintained his own private studio as well as spent time working at various other music schools around the area. Jordan focuses on efficient practice techniques so that his students will be able to make the most progress possible when at home practicing. His goal is to show students how to achieve proficiency so that they will be able to explore many aspects of the musical language with confidence while remaining relaxed and in control. His students can obtain this proficiency through Jordan's concentration on technique, time, and music theory. Balance this thorough study of the fundamentals with the student's own musical goals and you have a solid formula for rapid progress for those who are excited about learning. For the more advanced students Jordan focuses on real-world application and can prepare them for any aspect of the music-industry that they want to pursue from being a professional musician, composer, and arranger, to being a recording artist, audio-engineer, and digital producer.
