(Top photo by John Zocca)

Jordan Rudess moves quickly. He won’t be slowing down anytime soon, so it’s up to us to catch up. The superstar keyboardist has a LOT to do!

Far be it from Rudess — best known for his keyboard work with progressive rock stalwarts Dream Theater — to let something as insignificant as a global pandemic slow him down. While most of us (musicians included) were locked down and wondering what was going to happen next, Rudess dug in and made himself busier than ever.

Rudess found a new way to interact with his fan base, continued to enhance his embracement of modern technology, and recorded a third album with Liquid Tension Experiment (the band’s first studio effort in two decades).

Now he has assembled a full solo performance, which he is taking on the road for a quick tour before returning to his Dream Theater mothership.

Such is the life of a man who discovered music at a very young age and hasn’t let go of it since. His prodigious skill set has led him from Juilliard and into the world of A-list prog rock talent. He does more than keep up. At times, it looks like he’s slowing down to let the other musicians catch up to him. That’s not true of course, but there’s no denying the keyboardist’s skills!

Rudess possesses keyboard skills that go beyond his musical instruments. While other musicians take advantage of new computer software daily, Rudess helps to create or enhance it, enabling him to literally know the technology inside and out. Rudess will bring some of that technology with him to enhance his solo performances. Audiences should have nets ready to catch their falling jaws before they hit the floor.

To top it off, Rudess is also a decent human being with a sly sense of humor and a genuine passion for what he does, which he conveys through boundless enthusiasm. He enjoys what he does and he wants you to enjoy it, too!

We were able to corral Jordan Rudess for a very enjoyable half hour before he prepared to hit the road for his solo tour. Thanks to Jordan for this CirdecSongs interview.

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Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (cirdecsongs) My book, I Can’t Be the Only One Hearing This: A Lifetime of Music Through Eclectic Ears, is available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other fine book dealers. I’m currently working on my next book, The Wizard of WOO: The Life and Music of Bernie Worrell.

Would you like to have your record reviewed? Contact me at cirdecsongs@gmail.com