Magic Touch, the debut recording from Stanley Jordan was spending its 11th week at the top of the chart on August 3, 1985. It would dominate the chart for a record 51 weeks. It was one of those rare instrumental recordings that went outside of jazz circles – Magic Touch was certified gold in the U.S., marking over 500,000 sales! It introduced the world to Jordan’s groundbreaking two-handed tapping technique, allowing him to perform melody, chords, and bass lines simultaneously on a single instrument.

The album features inventive takes on jazz standards like “’Round Midnight” and “A Child Is Born,” fresh interpretations of pop songs like “Eleanor Rigby” and “The Lady in My Life,” and Jordan’s own original compositions—all performed with dazzling precision and musicality.

Here are the top 15 recordings from the August 3, 1985 Billboard Top Jazz Chart:

Top Jazz Albums
Week of August 3, 1985

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If you can get your head around the opening track, “Spanish Key” from Bitches Brew with tabla, soaring flute and konnakol (Indian vocalization), then you’ll be in for a sub-continental treat. Belden and the musicians he’s assembled – American, Indian and alumni of Davis’ bands – take 12 songs, all but one of which are associated with Davis, and interpret them as if Miles donned a Nehru Jacket.

Traditional Western instrumentation meets Indian ideals; complementing sitar, electric mandolin, flute, tabla, konnakol and a whole host of Indian drums and percussion are; Dave Liebman and Gary Bartz on sax, Mike Stern, John McLaughlin and Pete Cosey on guitar, Marcus Miller, Ron Carter, Michael Henderson and Benny Rietveld on bass, Chick Corea, Adam Holzman and Robert Irving III on keys, Ndugu, Lenny White, Vince Wilburn and Badal Roy on drums – all alumni, complemented by the great Wallace Roney on trumpet.

To hear “All Blues” open with sitar or “So What” open with konnakol is both amazing and liberating at the same time. If you’re a fan of Miles, especially his early electric and later periods, you’re going to be blown away by this recording. I haven’t been able to stop listening to this recording since I downloaded it.

Call me star-struck, but this just might be the best release I’ve heard thus far in 2008.

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