RODNEY JORDAN, Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies, joined the FSU faculty in 2001. He is a graduate of Jackson State University, where he received a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education. While at JSU Mr. Jordan studied with London Branch, Alvin Fielder, and Andy Hardwick and was assistant principal bassist with the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra. Later Jordan chaired the string department in the Dougherty County Public School System and was principal bassist with the Albany Symphony.

After moving to Atlanta, Jordan continued his work in music education while becoming one of the city's most active jazz bassists, performing and recording with some of America's finest jazz musicians, including Marcus Printup, Mulgrew Miller, James Williams, Milt Jackson, George Coleman, and Russell Gunn. He is featured on Gunn's recent Atlantic Records recording, Ethnomusicology, Volume 1, which was nominated for a grammy as Best Contemporary Jazz Recording. Prior to joining the faculty at FSU, Mr. Jordan taught jazz bass at Georgia State University.