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Photo courtesy of Kirk Jordan. 

Long Beach singer-songwriter Kirk Jordan only has eight good fingers. He lost the tip of his right index finger as a child during a sofa-bed-hinge accident. Then three years ago, he lost the tip of his left ring finger while trying to stop his garage door from falling, after its cable broke.

“I was seriously depressed about this, as it’s an important finger for a guitar player,” Jordan said of the incident. “I didn’t pick up a guitar for over a year. Eventually, I kicked myself in the ass and started playing again.”

The finger is a lot shorter than it used to be, and there’s not much sensation left at the tip. But Jordan, a 15-year Long Beach resident, regained his determination, relearning the chords using his index, middle finger and pinky.

After months of rehearsing and writing, he reached out to Jim Ritson, owner of 4th Street Vine.

Shortly after, in the summer of 2013, Jordan began a weekly open mic at the wine bar, which brought together a tight-knit group of singer-songwriters and friends every Monday. It began modestly, with Jordan and his acoustic guitar carrying the nights without a sound system. It grew and grew until dissolving this past summer, making way for Vine’s new Monday night monthly residencies that’s featured the likes of I/O, Taylor Crawford and Hellgal.

Jordan said the Monday nights at 4th Street Vine inspired him to continue expanding his artistry. It’s led him to this point, where he is preparing for his first official release. Next Friday, under the moniker 8 Good Fingers, Jordan is celebrating the drop of his five-song EP titled Sensible Shoes at Fingerprints Music Store.

At the show, he will be joined by Tyler Watts on acoustic guitars and Trevor Erickson. Then on Feb. 24, the full 8 Good Fingers band will debut at his homestead, 4th Street Vine, featuring Robby Delosier on bass and Robby Ravenwood on keyboards.

Jordan, who recorded the EP over the last six months in his home studio, recruited Brian Frederick of 3 Pt. Studios to help mix and master the tracks. The EP features five original songs ranging from old-school power pop song and title track Sensible Shoes to the synth-y, beat-driven song Alone to upbeat pop number Enjoy Sacramento, a humorous song about getting dumped by a girlfriend. The collection finishes off with Ghost, a seven-minute ballad featuring Mellotron strings and a choir.

Jordan says the EP title and cover, which he designed himself, was inspired by an old Polaroid of a friend’s funky disco shoes found in a second-hand store.

“It’s sort of a joke, since they’re not really sensible, but I thought it was funny,” he said. “The bobble head on the back cover was a gift from my wife Cristina, and it’s sort of become my mascot.”

8 Good Fingers’ release party for new EP Sensible Shoes will take place at Fingerprints Music Store next Friday, February 12, at 7:00PM. For more information, click here

Fingerprints is located at 420 East 4th Street.

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