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Esteban 'Steve' Jordan is not a household name. But serious musicians know that for decades Jordan has been considered the world's greatest accordion player. Elusive and reclusive, Jordan was notorious for refusing media interviews. But a recent bout with liver cancer has him lifting the veil on his life story. Latino USA's Alex Avila recently visited with this mysterious musical artist and produced this radio documentary for Hispanic Heritage Month titled, "No Rules: The Life & Music of Esteban 'Steve' Jordan."
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Piece Description
Esteban 'Steve' Jordan is not a household name. But serious musicians know that for decades Jordan has been considered the world's greatest accordion player. Elusive and reclusive, Jordan was notorious for refusing media interviews. But a recent bout with liver cancer has him lifting the veil on his life story. Latino USA's Alex Avila recently visited with this mysterious musical artist and produced this radio documentary for Hispanic Heritage Month titled, "No Rules: The Life & Music of Esteban 'Steve' Jordan."
Transcript
JORDAN 1HR PRX BILLBOARD
FROM NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO, IT?S A SPECIAL EDITION OF LATINO USA. I?M MARIA HINOJOSA.
MUSIC: El Alacran (edit)
TEXAS ACCORDION LEGEND ESTEBAN ?STEVE? JORDAN HAS BEEN A PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN FOR 62 OF HIS 69 YEARS.
Teaser BB: What a ridiculous thing that I never went to school. So I had to go learn, ?You went to college?? Yeah, State Penn or Penn State? (Laughs) State Penn, right?
AN ECCLECTIVE BUT RECLUSIVE MUSICAL ARTIST, JORDAN IS NOT WELL-KNOWN OUTSIDE OF HIS TEJANO ROOTS. AND YET MANY HAVE LONG DUBBED JORDAN THE ?JIMMY HENDRIX OF THE ACCORDION.?
Music UP
(BUT) A RECENT BOUGHT WITH LIVER CANCER ALMOST KILLED THIS MYSTERIOUS MUSICAL GENIUS. AS PART OF HIS RECOVERY, JORDAN DECIDED TO LIFT THE VEIL SOMEWHAT ON HIS RECLUSIVE LIFE.
COMING UP ON THIS SPECIAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH EDITION OF LATINO USA??NO RULES: THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF ESTEBAN ?STEVE? JORD...
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Timing and Cues
Self-contained radio documentary. 1 minute network breaks at 19:00 and 39:00.
Musical Works
| Title | Artist | Album | Label | Year | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Alacran | Esteban 'Steve' Jordan | Return of El Parche. | Rounder | 1986 | 00:55 |
| La Polkaplex | Esteban 'Steve' Jordan | PORQUE SERA / HAC-7516. | Hacienda | 1975 | 01:45 |
| Las Coronelas | Esteban 'Steve' Jordan | The Many Sounds of Esteban 'Steve' Jordan. | Arhoolie | 1990 | 02:37 |
| La Ausencia | Narciso Martinez | Tejano Roots. | Arhoolie | 2007 | 01:50 |
| El Cascabel | Esteban 'Steve' Jordan | Return of El Parche. | Rounder | 1986 | 02:10 |
| Midnight Blues | Esteban 'Steve' Jordan | The Many Sounds of Esteban 'Steve' Jordan. | Arhoolie | 1990 | 01:15 |
| Flor de Mexico | Esteban 'Steve' Jordan | CON UNA SONRISA / HAC-7520. | Hacienda | 1975 | 00:59 |
| Together Again | Esteban 'Steve' Jordan | The Many Sounds of Esteban 'Steve' Jordan. | Arhoolie | 1990 | 01:40 |
| Skat Talk | Mark Colby | One Good Turn. | Columbia | 1979 | 01:20 |
| Roots | Willie Bobo | Talkin' Verve. | Polygram | 1997 | 02:38 |
| La Traicionera | Esteban 'Steve' Jordan | The Many Sounds of Esteban 'Steve' Jordan. | Arhoolie | 1990 | 00:50 |
| La Marcha de los Campesinos | Esteban 'Steve' Jordan | Return of El Parche. | Rounder | 1986 | 00:45 |
| My Toot Toot | Rockin' Sidney | My Toot Toot. | Maison De Soul | 1987 | 01:15 |
| My Toot Toot | Esteban 'Steve' Jordan | 20 GOLDEN HITS / SC-192. | Hacienda | 1982 | 00:35 |
| Derecho Al Hueso | Esteban 'Steve' Jordan | PORQUE SERA / HAC-7516. | Hacienda | 1975 | 00:50 |
| Yakity Yak | Esteban 'Steve' Jordan | Return of El Parche. | Rounder | 1986 | 00:59 |
| Mucho Corazon | Esteban 'Steve' Jordan | 20 GOLDEN HITS / SC-192. | Hacienda | 1982 | 00:45 |
| Oaxaca | Esteban 'Steve' Jordan | Return of El Parche. | Rounder | 1986 | 00:40 |
| Carta Espiritual | Esteban 'Steve' Jordan | Carta Espiritual. | Jordan Label | 2008 | 01:15 |
| Cumbia de Chon | Esteban 'Steve' Jordan | 20 GOLDEN HITS / SC-192. | Hacienda | 1982 | 01:00 |
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