Keith Richards Reportedly Recording New Material With Steve Jordan

Although it's not been confirmed by the man himself, it appears that Rolling Stones' guitarist Keith Richards has been working on new material at a New York City studio recently.

According to a post Wednesday, April 20 on the Sonic Scoop website (and mentioned on Stones fan site It's Only Rock N Roll), Richards is working at Germano Studios in Manhattan with producer and drummer Steve Jordan and has "been writing and recording in Studio 1." The post also adds that Dave O'Donnell has been engineering the sessions.

There's no word whether the material is for a possible solo project or a Rolling Stones album. But with no news on the Stones front lately and reports Mick Jagger was working with Dave Stewart on a solo album, there is speculation that Richards is also doing his own solo project. However, Richards could also be contributing to Jordan's own group the Verbs which he formed with his wife Meegan Voss.

Richards -- whose autobiography, 'Life,' was issued last year -- released his last solo album, 'Main Offender,' in 1992. A 'Vintage Vinos' compilation in 2010 was comprised of tracks almost entirely from Richards' two solo albums, both of which Jordan performed on and co-produced.

In related news, Richards also posted a 30-second video message Thursday, April 21 to those affected by the massive earthquake and tsunami in Japan last month to "express our sympathies for everything that's been going on and also the amazing admiration for the way you're dealing with it."

As well, sales from 5,000 specially designed limited-edition T-shirts -- featuring a photo of Richards taken during the Stones' Japanese leg of their 1990 'Steel Wheels' tour -- raised US $138,000 for the Japan Society's Earthquake Relief Fund.