D.D. Jackson

I am a two-time Emmy Award-winning composer, producer, and Juno Award-winning jazz pianist and educator. As a composer, I specialize in writing, arranging, and producing memorable, custom-made music for t.v., film & other media. I consider myself an "artistic problem solver": I strive to get to the essential conceptual truth of what the client is looking for - and to express it in a creative and supportive way. [READ MORE] or [BIO]

 

JAZZ CONVERGENCE: D.D. JACKSON & MENTOR DAVID MURRAY AT BLUES ALLEY, NOV 7-8

Emmy-Winning Pianist/Composer D.D. Jackson's Highly Anticipated Reunion with Tenor Sax Legend for Two Nights Only at Historic D.C. Club 

[Nov 1/23, for immediate release]: D.D. Jackson is excited to be re-uniting with his longtime mentor and colleague David Murray for two nights only at Washington D.C.’s historic jazz venue Blues Alley.

Night 1 (on Tues. Nov. 7th) will feature both Jackson and David Murray sitting in as special guests of D.C. staple violinist Dave Kline, for which several Jackson compositions will be featured with Murray.

Night 2 (on Wed. Nov. 8th) shifts to Jackson leading his own band composed of D.C. luminaries Eric Kennedy on drums and Obasi Akoto on bass, with Murray once again taking center stage and featuring a rich cross-section of Jackson's compositions.

“Working with David has been one of the most formative experiences of my life”, Jackson reflects. “After my mentor Don Pullen first introduced us, David helped launch my career when he had me sub for John Hicks at the Montreal Jazz Festival, leading to my signing with Justin Time Records.” Jackson’s first album yielded the title tune “Peace-Song”, which he would go on to perform with Murray all over the world and which he plans to re-visit in D.C. on Night 2, along with many more.

Since their past work together, Murray has continued with his breakneck recording career and touring schedule. Jackson meanwhile found himself settling down and eventually went on to win Emmy Awards writing for television, including children’s shows like “The Wonder Pets” and “Peg+Cat” (with his kids becoming his new “fans”!), doing collaborations with The Roots, and becoming increasingly involved in education (including at Jay-Z’s new Roc Nation school at LIU Brooklyn).

The pianist of late, however, has picked up the jazz mantle once more, including a large-scale album project slated for a Spring/24 release entitled “Poetry Project” featuring 8 singers, and instrumentation ranging from symphony orchestra and string quartet to a rhythm section featuring Snarky Puppy drummer Larnell Lewis. Jackson himself also sings on two tracks, and plans to do the same for his Nov. 8th Blues Alley leader date. “I don’t consider myself a singer by trade, but the two songs I plan to premiere were so close to my heart that I couldn’t resist!”, he remarked.

It should be a two-night Blues Alley residency - and musical reunion - not to be missed.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

D.D. Jackson
email: dd@ddjackson.com
website: http://ddjackson.com
Tel: 646-250-3132 

Reservations for Night 2 (Wed. Nov. 8th, 7 pm) - D.D. as leader feat. David):  https://tinyurl.com/3fjjswz2

Reservations for Night 2 (Wed. Nov. 8th, 9 pm) - D.D. as leader feat. David):  https://tinyurl.com/yjcx3bkd

Reservations for Night 1 (Tues. Nov. 7th, 7 & 9 pm)  - violinist Dave Kline with guests D.D. and David: please visit https://bluesalley.com/events

ARTIST BIOS

DAVID MURRAY:

Since he arrived in NY in 1975, David Murray established himself as one of the prominent saxophone players and leaders of jazz. He has released over 200 albums under his own name, working with the likes of Max Roach, Randy Weston, Pharoah Sanders, McCoy Tyner, Taj Mahal, Mal Waldron, Amiri Baraka, Jerry Garcia, Doudou N’daye Rose, Cassandra Wilson, Jason Moran, Macy Gray, Omara Portuando, Saul Williams, Vijay Iyer, Quest Love, Black Thought, and Gregory Porter to name a few. He is also a founding member of the groundbreaking World Saxophone Quartet which toured and recorded for 40 years.

As well as being a well known bandleader, he is a noteworthy composer and arranger providing memorable melodies and harmonies. His approach to improvisation is instantly recognizable. Even in its freest flights, he acknowledges the gravity of a tradition he honors more than most, combining all the influences he grew out of: gospel, jazz, free/avant-garde jazz, rhythm’n blues, R&B and, in his associations with writers, poetry. The great Cecil Taylor compared him to his greatest predecessors who had signature sounds: “You stick your ear in the door, you know it’s David!’’

His most recent trio, The Brave New World Trio, released an album May 2022 after touring for 2 years. The critics unanimously agree that he is at the top of his game! “The concept of freedom expressed here involves drawing freely from myriad styles, minting them into music that is both uncompromisingly rigorous and directly communicative.” (Downbeat, July 2022)

David Murray goes down as a worthy successor for some of the biggest names in jazz, and he is now contributing to the rise of many young talents acclaimed by the critics.

D.D. JACKSON:

D.D. Jackson is a 2x Emmy-winning (5x Emmy-nominated) composer/songwriter/producer and a Juno-winning jazz pianist/composer who has recorded 14 CD’s of mostly original music as leader or co-leader (including 2 for the major label BMG), ranging from his Juno Award-winning solo piano CD “...so far”, to his larger-scale meditation on the events of 9/11 (“Suite for New York”).

He has also performed/recorded and/or toured around the world with diverse artists ranging from saxophonist David Murray, violinist Billy Bang and drummer Jack Dejohnette, to Questlove and Tariq Trotter of The Roots, and previously composed two jazz-influenced operas, including “Québécité” (based in part on the story of his African American father and Chinese mother).

As a composer for television he has written songs and other music for a wide range of shows from Peg + Cat (PBS), to The Wonder Pets (Nickelodeon) and Sesame Street (PBS/HBO); and as a writer, he also penned a popular column for DownBeat magazine entitled “Living Jazz” for 5 years.

As an educator, Jackson is an award-winning professor and is currently on faculty at: Jay-Z’s new “Roc Nation” school at Long Island University Brooklyn where he teaches courses covering Music Tech, piano, and music production; and at Brooklyn College, where he previously helped manage the Global Jazz Masters program and direct the Big Band, and where he currently teaches Media Scoring in their Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema.

D.D. lives in Maplewood, NJ (just outside of New York City) with his wife Elizabeth, their 17-year old son Jarrett and 14-year old daughter Aria.

His website is: http://ddjackson.com