Gene Jackson

BODY&SOUL - Tokyo

11 Apr

Written By Oh! Jazz

An international solo artist who also has the distinction of becoming the rhythmic linchpin of some of the classic contemporary jazz line-ups from the late 1980s onwards – notably sharing bandstands with Herbie Hancock, Dave Holland and Wayne Shorter – drummer, composer and arranger Gene Jackson needs little introduction to audiences the world over. His panoplied collaborations also include the names of Art Farmer, Christian McBride, Dianne Reeves, Kevin Eubanks, Eddie Gomez and Hugh Masekela, and he has enjoyed more than a decade imaginatively reinterpreting gems from our jazz heritage both on record and in concert with the popular New York Standards Quartet.
Jackson’s first love (in contrast to his multifarious, larger ensemble work) remains the piano trio: “Playing all those years with Herbie and Dave, I just fell in love with the environment”. So his debut release as leader – Trio NuYorx’s Power of Love (Whirlwind, 2018) – celebrates this format through the close New York friendships he has forged with pianist Gabriel Guerrero and double bassist Carlo de Rosa. Though Philadelphia-born, the drummer is now mainly based in Japan; and there, he has established a second ensemble, Trio To-Kyo, with bassist Pat Glynn and pianist Mayuko Katakura, expanding his artistic vistas even wider amidst the creative melting pot of this bustling metropolis.
A fundamental desire to explore and develop ideas which are not governed by tradition or rules has carved out the pathways of Gene Jackson’s eminent career, adapting to multiple styles and genres. Yet increasingly, alongside his post-bop credentials, he embraces the strong and inseparable connections which American jazz piano and drums hold with Afro-Caribbean music, incorporating these exciting elements into his ongoing percussive and compositional journey.
Berklee-educated for five years, Jackson rubbed shoulders there with the likes of Walter Beasley, Branford Marsalis, Terri Lyne Carrington and Jeff “Tain” Watts, and it was guitarist Kevin Eubanks who brought him to New York – a move which would be pivotal in his early professional career. Working also with trombonist Robin Eubanks helped to immerse the drummer in the new vibe of the city’s jazz, embracing and merging odd meters and innovatory elements without compromising swing and tradition. At that time, Jackson’s musical circle included names which are now familiarly woven into the scene’s rich tapestry – Terence Blanchard, Jean Toussaint, Greg Osby, Gary Thomas, Anthony Cox, Lonnie Plaxico, Mulgrew Miller and Steve Coleman. Both touring and recording with pianist Michele Rosewoman, who focused on Afro-Cuban elements from the African Yoruba traditions, was hugely influential, introducing the drummer to Eddie Bobea, Orlando “Puntilla” Rios, Steve Berrios, Pedrito Martinez and others.