Jazz Articles about D.D. Jackson

D.D. Jackson: Rhythm-Dance

by AAJ Staff
July 1, 2000

Rhythm-Dance, a trio recording from early '96, continues with many of the same themes found on 1995's Peace-Song. Again, the compositions are all by Jackson. In the absence of David Murray's titanic tenor sax, Jackson explores the greater freedom a straight trio allows. His melodies overflow with gospelly/bluesy embellishments, and his solos break free from rhythmic and harmonic constraints. The trio, as on Peace-Song, is remarkably tight. It's worthwhile considering that this record was made within months after the deaths ...

D.D. Jackson (featuring David Murray): Peace-Song

by AAJ Staff
July 1, 2000

Pianist D.D. Jackson, a Canadian transplant to New York, recorded his first record, Peace-Song, in late '94. It features his trio, which also includes Canadian expatriates John Geggie on bass and Jean Martin on drums. Tenor saxophonist David Murray makes contributions throughout, blowing melodies as well as far-flung solos making use of the full range (emotional as well as tonal) of his instrument.

Jackson's playing betrays obvious similarity to that of the late Don Pullen: it straddles the gap between ...

D. D. Jackson: Anthem

by John Sharpe
April 1, 2000

Pianist/composer D. D. Jackson recently received the Juno Award (“Best Contemporary (Instrumental) Jazz Album”) for his RCA debut ...so far. While that solo outing garnered raves from most critics, I’m not sure they will be as enamored with Anthem. Here, Jackson has decided to enhance his piano playing with organ overdubs, to no good effect. To his credit (and as a sign of his growing clout in the biz), he has also assembled a first-rate, all-star supporting cast featuring Jack ...

D.D. jackson: Anthem

by Mark Corroto
March 1, 2000

Jazz caveman grunts, “electric instruments bad, acoustic jazz good.” I must confess that of late, I was that Neanderthal jazz fan. I bought into the theory that electricity removed the requirement of musicianship in the music making process. While that may be true for teen rock and lite-jazz, talented jazz musicians can create absorbing and discriminating music with the juice on. Like fellow countryman Oscar Peterson, the Canadian born Jackson can display the pyrotechnically approach to the keyboard. He studied ...

D.D. Jackson: ...So Far

by Glenn Astarita
December 1, 1999

Born in Canada and now based in New York, thirty-two year old pianist D.D. Jackson has been receiving much critical praise as the “good” word seems to be getting around rather quickly... And deservedly so! After spending some quality time with saxophonist David Murray, drummer Andrew Cyrille and many other jazz notables, Jackson is literally a star who has risen. On ...So Far the young pianist performs a strong mix of self-penned compositions along with a few jazz classics that ...