Kids Benefit from Temptation in their Midst 

A Temptation in your life can actually be a good thing. Especially if you’re a student at Kanoheda Elementary School and that Temptation’s name is Melvin Jordan.

Jordan, who teaches music there, grew up in a large family in Detroit.

“There were ten of us, and music was how we entertained each other. We had this little record player and liked to play all the Motown stuff. My sisters would do the Supremes and my brothers and I would do Smokey Robinson,” Jordan said. “And we went to a very small church and our family was the choir!”

When Jordan was 13, a friend’s uncle started teaching him guitar and at age 15, he had gigs all around Detroit.

His big break came in 1993 when a friend called and said he needed a guitar player for his group. That’s when Jordan became a Temptation.

“I played from 1993-2001. I quit when my children got to middle school,” Jordan said.

Finding another job was no problem. “My dad convinced me to have something to fall back on. I respect my dad. I decided to go to Berklee College of Music in Boston because I knew Quincy Jones went there.”

That college degree brought him to Kanoheda, where he and Jenny Chambless make up the music department.

“This is my first year teaching elementary students and I was a little nervous. And then when I heard about Melvin’s background! But he took me under his wing and I love working with him,” Chambless said. “Also, we’re very fortunate to have two music teachers. Many schools don’t. Our principal, Debra Scott, is very supportive of the arts.”

With his ear for music, Jordan is always tuned in with what’s happening outside his classroom. For example, by attending a Little Kids Rock workshop in Atlanta, he acquired 30 free guitars for his school. Every Wednesday morning he teaches guitar lessons before school starts. In fact, his school bands are showcased on the Gwinnett County Public Schools Fine Arts Web site.

“I’m so blessed to have this job. I can’t wait to get to work every day, and I can’t say that about what I used to do for a living.”

Jordan still finds time to perform on his own and leads the Praise Team at Atlanta Church of Christ in Gwinnett where he worships. He plays in several local bands, including Jazz Lites with John Harriman, a retired music teacher from Collins Hill HS. He leads his own band "Simply Put," and does some solo work. His latest gig is with Maria Howell, who was the soloist for the original production of The Color Purple. With all his opportunities to play his guitar professionally, one might wonder if he ever thinks of going back to it. But if you saw his face when he talks about his students, you would definitely know that is not a temptation.

092009

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