Jordan was recognized by his 2nd grade teacher as an exceptional piano player, and was immediately given professional tuition to enhance his prodigious talents. By the age of nine he entered the prestigious Julliard School of Music Pre-College Division for classical piano training, but by his late teens he had grown increasingly interested in synthesizers and progressive rock music. Against the advice and wishes of his parents and tutors, he decided to turn away from classical piano and try his hand as a solo prog rock keyboardist.
After performing in various projects during the 1980s, he gained national attention in 1994 when he was voted "Best New Talent" in the Keyboard Magazine readers' poll after the release of his Listen solo album.Two of the bands who took notice of the up and coming young star were Dixie Dregs and Dream Theater, both of whom invited him to join their respective bands. Jordan chose the Dregs primarily because being a part-time member of the band would have less of an impact on his young family, a choice he wasn't given with Dream Theater.
During his time with the Dregs, Jordan formed a so-called "power duo" with drummer Rod Morgenstein. The genesis of this pairing occurred when a power outage caused all of the Dregs' instruments to fail except Jordan's, so he and Rod improvised with each other until power was restored and the concert could continue. The chemistry between the two was so strong during this jam that they decided to perform together on a regular basis (under the name Rudess/Morgenstein Project or later RPM) and have since released a studio and a live record.
Jordan encountered Dream Theater once again when he and Morgenstein secured the support slot on one of Dream Theater's North American tours.
In 1997, when Mike Portnoy was asked to form a supergroup by Magna Carta Records, Jordan was chosen to fill the keyboardist spot in the band, which also consisted of Tony Levin and Mike's Dream Theater colleague John Petrucci. During the recording of Liquid Tension Experiment's two albums, it became evident to Mike and John that Jordan was precisely what Dream Theater needed. They asked Jordan to join the band, and when he accepted they released their then-keyboardist Derek Sherinian to make way for Jordan.
Jordan has been the full-time keyboardist in Dream Theater since the recording of 1999's Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From a Memory. He has recorded 8 other studio albums since then; 2002's Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence, 2003's Train of Thought, 2005's Octavarium, 2007's Systematic Chaos, 2009's Black Clouds & Silver Linings, 2011's A Dramatic Turn of Events, 2013's Dream Theater, and 2016's The Astonishing. In addition, he has appeared on the live albums Live Scenes From New York, Live at Budokan, Score, Chaos in Motion, Live at Luna Park, and Breaking the Fourth Wall.
While most keyboard players in rock bands tend towards bringing numerous keyboards on stage, Rudess took full advantage of the possibilities offered by the Kurzweil K2600xs during his usage from the 1990's to 2004. Often sampling sounds from other keyboards, Rudess creates a series of setups, each of which maps different sounds to different layers and key ranges of the keyboard controller; these setups are then arranged in the order they will be required for a gig, and cycled through one at a time with a control pedal.
While Rudess' physical method of changing live setups will more than likely remain the same, his choice of hardware to implement this changed as of 2005. Citing a need for better tour support and more current technologies (his Kurzweil 2600's maximum sample memory of 128 MB had become insufficient for his touring needs) Rudess switched keyboard endorsements from Kurzweil to Korg's new flagship Korg Oasys workstation (which supports up to 1.5gb of sample memory [1]), which he uses on tour with Dream Theater along with a Receptor and a Haken Continuum triggering a Roland V-Synth and a Synthesizers.com Modular.
Studio Equipment
* Korg Oasys
* Haken Audio Continuum Fingerboard
* Muse Research Receptor
* Kurzweil K2600xs fully loaded 88 note weighted keyboard
* Kurzweil K2600 Rack modules
* Kurzweil K2000VP keyboard
* Kurzweil PC2 rack
* Minimoog
* Roland V-Synth
* Synthesizer.com Modular Synth
Virtual Instruments
* MOTU Mach 5
* MOTU MX4 Soft Synth
* Korg Legacy
* Spectrasonics Atmosphere
* Spectrasonics Trilogy
* Spectrasonics Stylus
* Native Instruments Komplete 2
* Native Instruments Absynth
* Native Instruments B4
* Native Instruments Guitar Rig
* Native Instruments FM7
* Native Instruments Pro 53
Live Rig
* Korg OASYS 88
* Freehand Systems Music Pad Pro
* Muse Receptor
* Synthesizers.com Custom Modular Synth
* Haken Continuum Fingerboard
* (2)Roland V-Synth XT
* Lap Steel Guitar
* Mackie 1604VLZ Pro Mixer
* APS Power backup
* Glyph and Iomega Hard drives
Discography
Solo albums
* Arrival (Cassette) (1988)
* Listen (CD) (1993)
* Secrets of the Muse (CD) (1997)
* Resonance (CD) (1999)
* Feeding the Wheel (CD) (2001)
* 4NYC (CD) (2002)
* Christmas Sky (CD) (2002)
* Rhythm of Time (CD) (2004)
* The Road Home (CD) (2007)
* Notes on a Dream (CD) (2009)
* All That Is Now (CD) (2013)
* Explorations (CD) (2014)
* The Unforgotten Path (CD) (2015)
With Dream Theater
* Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory (CD) (1999)
* Live Scenes from New York (DVD/3CD) (2001)
* Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence (2CD) (2002)
* Train of Thought (CD) (2003)
* Live at Budokan (2DVD/3CD) (2004)
* Octavarium (CD) (2005)
* Score (2DVD/3CD) (2006)
* Systematic Chaos (CD) (2007)
* Chaos in Motion (2DVD/3CD) (2008)
* Black Clouds & Silver Linings (CD; 3CD/DVD) (2009)
* A Dramatic Turn of Events (CD) (2011)
* Dream Theater (CD) (2013)
* Live at Luna Park (2DVD/3CD) (2013)
* Breaking the Fourth Wall (2DVD/3CD) (2014)
* The Astonishing (2CD) (2016)
Project Albums
* Rudess/Morgenstein Project (CD) (1997)
* An Evening with John Petrucci and Jordan Rudess (CD) (2001)
* Rudess/Morgenstein Project - The Official Bootleg (CD) (2001)
With Liquid Tension Experiment/Liquid Trio Experiment
* Liquid Tension Experiment (CD) (1998)
* Liquid Tension Experiment 2 (CD) (1999)
* Spontaneous Combustion (CD) (2007, as Liquid Trio Experiment)
* When the Keyboard Breaks: Live in Chicago (CD) (2009, as Liquid Trio Experiment 2)
* Liquid Tension Experiment Live 2008 (6CD/2DVD/BR) (2009)
Guest Appearance
* Vinnie Moore - Time Odyssey (1988)
* Noirin Ni Riain - Celtic Soul (1996)
* Explorers Club - Age Of Impact (1998)
* Rhonda Larson - Free as a bird (1999)
* Paul Winter and The Earth Band - Journey With The Sun (2000)
* Scott McGill - Addition by Subtraction (2001)
* Prefab Sprout - The Gunman And Other Stories (2001)
* David Bowie - Heathen (2002)
* Jupiter - Echo and Art (2003)
* Neal Morse - ? (2005)
* Daniel J - Losing Time (2005)
* Steven Wilson - Insurgentes (2008)
* Neil Zaza - When Gravity Fails (Not yet released)
Other
* Speedway Boulevard - Speedway Boulevard (CD) (1981)
* Steinway to Heaven - Chopin's "Revolutionary Etude (Op. 10, No. 12)" (1996)
The Silent Man
Jordan Rudess Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
"Is silence like a fever?"
"A voice never heard?"
"Or a message with no receiver?"
Pray they won't ask
Behind the stained glass
There's always one more mask
Has man been a victim
of his woman, of his father?
if he elects not to bother,
will he suffocate their faith?
Desperate to fall
Behind the Great Wall
That separates us all
When there is reason
Tonight I'm Awake
when there's no answer
Arrive the Silent Man
If there is balance
tonight He's Awake
If they have to suffer
There lies the Silent Man
Sin without deceivers
A God with no believers
I could sail by
on the Winds of Silence
And maybe they won't notice
But this time I think
It'd be better if I swim
When there is reason
Tonight I'm Awake
When there's no answer
Arrive the Silent Man
If there is balance
Tonight he's Awake
But if they have to suffer
There lies the Silent Man
The lyrics of Jordan Rudess's song The Silent Man are full of intriguing and nuanced ideas. In the first stanza, the lyrics pose several questions about the nature of silence. Is it like a fever, with its own kind of energy and intensity? Or is it more like a message that never reaches its intended recipient, unheard and unacknowledged? The lyrics seem to suggest that silence can be a powerful force, with a kind of presence all its own.
In the second stanza, the lyrics explore ideas of victimization and faith. The question is raised as to whether or not man has been victimized by the women in his life or by his own father. The line "if he elects not to bother, will he suffocate their faith?" suggests that there is an inherent responsibility that comes with being a member of a family or community. By failing to engage or invest in those relationships, individuals risk causing harm to others and potentially suffocating their faith.
The third and final stanza of the song presents a more existential exploration of silence, suggesting that it may hold answers or truths that are not readily apparent in everyday life. The lyrics oscillate between a sense of awakening and balance, and the possibility of suffering and silence. Ultimately, the album's title - "Feeding the Wheel" - suggests a cyclical nature to life, and perhaps the need to delve deeper into the mysteries of silence in order to truly understand the world around us.
Line by Line Meaning
A question well served,
It is a deeply thoughtful question that deserves a lot of consideration.
"Is silence like a fever?"
Is silence a contagious and harmful condition that can spread like a disease?
"A voice never heard?"
Is there such a thing as something that should be heard but remains hidden or suppressed?
"Or a message with no receiver?"
Is there a message that has been sent but not received, that is lost or ignored and its meaning not understood?
Pray they won't ask
Hope that no one will ask a question that cannot be answered, or that might reveal a hidden truth or motive.
Behind the stained glass
Behind a barrier that separates or protects an inner world that is not visible or accessible to outsiders.
There's always one more mask
There is always another layer of security or defense that conceals or disguises the true nature or identity of someone or something.
Has man been a victim
Has humanity suffered from the abuse or oppression of others, or from its own capacity to inflict harm or damage?
of his woman, of his father?
Has one gender, or one generation, been more responsible for the mistreatment of others than others?
if he elects not to bother,
If someone chooses not to care, or to engage with the problems or issues that afflict others, what consequences might result?
will he suffocate their faith?
Will indifference or apathy cause others to lose hope or belief, and as a result suffer and die?
Desperate to fall
In need of something, or someone, to help bear the weight or burden of a difficult situation or moment.
Behind the Great Wall
Behind a massive or formidable obstacle, that separates or protects one group of people from another.
That separates us all
That creates division or enmity between people or groups, and prevents concerted or cooperative action to solve problems or face challenges.
When there is reason
When there is a rationale or a logical explanation for a situation, that can be understood and accepted by others.
Tonight I'm Awake
I am aware and alert to the dangers or opportunities of the moment, and am ready to take action or make a decision.
when there's no answer
When there is no explanation, or satisfactory response to a question or problem, and uncertainty or doubt prevails.
Arrive the Silent Man
This is the moment when someone, or something, steps forward to offer a solution, or to take responsibility for the situation, and makes a decisive move to act.
If there is balance
If the situation is stable, and there is a proper distribution of power or resources among individuals or groups, that reflects fairness and justice.
tonight He's Awake
At this moment, someone else is aware and alert, and is ready to act to preserve or maintain the balance of power or resources.
If they have to suffer
If innocent people are made to endure hardship or pain, because of the actions or decisions of others, and if no one steps forward to help or support them.
There lies the Silent Man
This is the moment when someone, or something, remains silent, or indifferent, to the suffering of others, and does not act to prevent or alleviate it.
Sin without deceivers
It is possible to commit an immoral or harmful act, without being manipulated or seduced by others to do so.
A God with no believers
It is possible to believe in a supreme being or a divine force, even if there is no evidence, or no consensus, among others about its existence or nature.
I could sail by
I could ignore or deny the problems or challenges of the moment, and hope to escape their consequences by offering no resistance or opposition.
on the Winds of Silence
There is a powerful and mysterious force that can be harnessed or trusted, to guide and protect one's journey through life, with a sense of purpose or meaning.
And maybe they won't notice
Perhaps by staying silent, or not taking a stand, others will not recognize or criticize one's actions or inactions, and so not feel threatened or hurt by them.
But this time I think
However, in this situation, based on one's past experience or moral compass, it seems inappropriate or wrong to remain silent and passive.
It'd be better if I swim
It is necessary, or desirable, to take an active role, to risk conflict or controversy, to face one's fears or doubts, and to fight for what one believes in or values.
Writer(s): John Petrucci Copyright: Ytse Jams Inc., WB Music Corp.
Contributed by Kaelyn G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.