DEUCES WILD TOUR 2024
TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND
TWO SHOWS
FRIDAY, AUGUST 30TH
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS
GREENSKY BLUEGRASS & MARGO PRICE
———————————————————————————————————————————–
SATURDAY, AUGUST 31ST
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS
LITTLE FEAT & MARGO PRICE
7 PM
TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY, MARCH 1ST AT 10 AM
Catch Fitz and the Tantrums on their Good Nights Tour as it stops by Empire Live in downtown Albany on Friday, July 12th.
LIVE IN CONCERT
PRIMUS
COHEED AND CAMBRIA
WITH SPECIAL GUEST
PUDDLES PITY PARTY
AUGUST 12TH
7 PM
TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23 AT 10 AM
Cold Chocolate is a genre-bending Americana band that fuses folk, funk, and bluegrass. Catch them live at The Coffee Bar in downtown Bennington, Vermont on Saturday, March 2nd.
Big Yellow Taxi bring their tribute to the music of Joni Mitchell to The Stand Theatre in Hudson Falls, New York on Sunday, February 25th.
Catch Beyond Purple as they pay tribute to the music of Deep Purple, Rainbow, Dio, and Whitesnake at The Strand Theatre in Hudson Falls, New York on Friday, February 23rd.
Head to The Stand Theatre in Hudson Falls, New York on Friday, February 16th to catch Across The Pond’s tribute to the music of The Beatles.
Upstate New York’s Sara Devoe takes to the
stage at Village Garage Distillery in Bennington on
Saturday, March 30th for a free performance
from 7-9pm!
The EQX-Posure Live Concert Series Presents
Albany, New York’s Mike Grosshandler live
on Saturday March 16th. These great live, local
shows are free. Come join us, grab a bite to eat
and be entertained! 7-9pm
The EQX-Posure Live Concert Series Presents:
Thom Powers from Greenwich, NY for a free
performance from 7-9pm on 2/24
7-9pm
MARCUS KING ANNOUNCES NEW RICK RUBIN-PRODUCED STUDIO ALBUM MOODSWINGS AND HEADLINING WORLD TOUR
MOODSWINGS RELEASED APRIL 5TH VIA AMERICAN/REPUBLIC RECORDS
RELEASES TITLE TRACK, A SLOW BURN SONG LEAVING SPACE FOR KING’S VOCAL TO SHINE THROUGH – LISTEN/ WATCH HERE
DRAWING ON DARK TIMES WHERE KING BELIEVED HE WAS DESTINED
TO DIE AT HIS OWN HAND, KING HOPES MOODSWINGS WILL BE A REFUGE AND A BEACON OF HOPE FOR OTHERS ON THE BRINK
A SYMPHONY OF SOUL AND A REBIRTH OF BOTH HIS SOUND AND HIS
MIND, KING CREDITS RUBIN FOR INSPIRING HIS SHIFT IN PERSPECTIVE
FOR TICKETING INFORMATION INCLUDING ON SALE DETAILS, VISIT
HTTPS://WWW.MARCUSKINGOFFICIAL.COM/
“Rick helped me view mental health as a writing partner in a way. I’ve learned it can give me that creative spark.” Marcus King
“I love the way listening to this album makes me feel. I can’t think of another project quite like this one.
Marcus’s playing and singing are from another planet.” Rick Rubin
Download high resolution HERE. Photo Credit: JM Collective
Thursday Feb 8 – Today Marcus King announced the release of his new Rick Rubin produced album, Mood Swings, released on April 5 via American/Republic Records. In support of this new album, King also announced his 2024 headlining tour across North America and Europe produced by Live Nation and FPC Live!, in addition to dates supporting Chris Stapleton. More information available on https://www.marcuskingofficial.com/ – for information on tickets and pre-sale see below.
Mood Swings is King’s magnum opus, an eclectic symphony of soul that is uniquely timeless and current. Drawing on King’s darkest moments, it became a beacon of hope for King as he created it, and will be a refuge for anyone going through similar challenges in their lives.
Accompanying the album announcement, King released the title track, “Mood Swings,” the perfect introduction to an album that will redefine any perceived notions around Marcus King. The song smolders with a slow burn electro drum stomp and jazzy guitar, leaving space for King’s soulful vocal to shine. Sharing his innermost fears whilst standing in the strength of being fully vulnerable and honest.
Listen to “Mood Swings” here
Pre-order Mood Swings here
On “Mood Swings” King stated, “In the early summer of 2020 I arrived at Shangri-La for my first meeting with my hero, the legend, Mr. Rick Rubin. As soon as Rick & I met it was like a spark in the room! I immediately felt welcomed, appreciated and mutually admired. Rick and I had a wonderful first introduction and he left me in the capable hands of his Ace engineer Jason Lader, an incredible engineer who would become a dear dear friend. Jason and I toured the space and just for fun decided to track something, what we tracked was the title track “Mood Swings.” I laid down guitar and vocals, we added Rhythm Ace R77 drum machine with tape delay to achieve the swing we desired, added bass & piano and after half an hour the track was finished. The track and album title “Mood Swings” is a play on the swinging nature of the material while also referencing my up and down shifts in mood while I was either abusing the wrong substances, in between mood stabilizing meds and anti-psychotics, self-medication on top of that, along with a foot locker FULL of repressed childhood trauma all being taken out on my relationship at the time.”
Legendary producer Rick Rubin who has worked with everyone from Adele to Johnny Cash, was instantly drawn to King’s guitar playing, singular voice and songwriting, and after witnessing a King live performance, one day randomly cold-called him to float the idea of working together.
Rick Rubin stated, “I love the way listening to this album makes me feel. I can’t think of another project quite like this one. Marcus’s playing and singing are from another planet.”
The pair secretly holed up for sessions in Italy and Malibu during the promotion of King’s critically acclaimed album, Young Blood. The result is King’s most sonically astute and personal album to date and a landmark moment for Marcus who for the first time lets his voice take center stage. “There was no hiding behind the guitar at all,” he grins. His smoldering country soul vocal, part Al Green, Bobby Womack, Marvin Gaye, Adele and Chris Stapleton, is set to establish him as one of the greatest vocalists of our time, no longer in the shadow of his own guitar greatness.
Yet Marcus King didn’t plan on making his new album Mood Swings.
He didn’t even plan on living much longer before he started working on it. Heartache, addiction, and mental health brought him to the brink and during a North American tour, Marcus had designs to drink himself to death. He admits, “I had an escape route already decided for myself and a backup if that didn’t work.”
Around the same time, King went into Dan Auerbach studio and despite his mental health, drinking and substance abuse reaching untenable limits, he was able to create the critically acclaimed album Young Blood. There is consequently an ocean of depth to King’s lyrics. Mood Swings once again takes us back to that dark period of King’s life where he was on the brink, firmly believing that he was destined to die young, most likely at his own hand.
Despite its often bleak subject matter, Mood Swings is an album with a message of hope. Rubin helped
King find a new personal and sonic approach and instead of crumbling under the weight of his anxiety, Rubin inspired him to shift his perspective. “He helped me view mental health as a writing partner in a way,” recalls Marcus. “I’ve learned it can give me that creative spark.”
King is a GRAMMY® nominated fourth generation musician from Greenville, SC, who started playing guitar at 8 years old following in the footsteps of his guitarist Father and Grandpa. Logging thousands of miles on the road as “The Marcus King Band,” he established himself with unparalleled performance prowess and a dynamic live show. His solo debut El Dorado, garnering a GRAMMY® Award nomination in the category of “Best Americana Album.” In between packing venues on his own, he performed alongside Chris Stapleton, Greta Van Fleet, and Nathanial Rateliff in addition to gracing the bills of Stagecoach and more with one seismic show after the next. He has been open about his challenges with mental health in his songs and throughout his career, and has launched various mental health initiatives, most recently a guitar auction collaboration with MusiCares.
Mood Swings takes us in a very different sonic direction to his considerable catalog of studio albums. Combining elements as diverse as modern pop, R&B, aughts hip hop, piano driven classic rock and the warm production and symphonic instrumentation of classic era soul, R&B and jazz. Previously released song “F*ck My Life Up Again” is a considerable departure stadium sized rock, with strings that accent over a smoky jazz beat, while his soulful delivery booms, “Come f*ck my life up again, don’t deserve to live without pain.” A guitar solo “played backwards” channels stark confusion offset by the unshakable hook. On “Hero,” his croon rises over acoustic guitar towards a fluttering crescendo. The same naked emotion defines “Delilah” where over piano led pop rock and innovative tracks such as “Inglewood Motel (Halestorm)” are an alt R&B masterpiece. The album closes with “Cadillac,” steeped in psychedelic symphonic soul it is an arresting tale of dark desires and suicidal ideation.
On Mood Swings we find King gracefully standing in his own truth, accepting the challenges he’s faced and coming out the otherside a man renewed. It is a rebirth of both his sound and of his mind. “Without this assembly of songs, I don’t think I’d be around,” King shares, “I hope this album can act as a safety blanket, a rescue, or a refuge for anybody struggling with mental health, substance abuse, or relationship issues. That’s what it is for me.”
TRACKLIST
1. Mood Swings
2. F*ck My Life Up Again
3. Soul It Screams
4. Save Me
5. Hero
6. Delilah
7. Inglewood Motel (Halestorm)
8. This Far Gone
9. Bipolar Love
10. Me Or Tennessee
11. Cadillac
MOOD SWINGS THE WORLD TOUR DATES
TICKETS: Tickets for the North America dates will be available starting with Citi presale (details below) beginning Monday, February 12. Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general onsale beginning Friday, February 16 at 10am local time at LiveNation.com.
PRESALE: Citi is the official card of the MARCUS KING: MOOD SWINGS THE WORLD TOUR
North America dates. Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets beginning Monday, February 12 at 10am local time until Thursday, February 15 at 10PM local through the Citi Entertainment program. For complete presale details visit www.citientertainment.com.
March 7, 2024 – Love Rocks NYC – New York, NY
March 9, 2024 – The Capitol Theatre – Port Chester, NY
April 6, 2024 – U.S. Bank Stadium – Minneapolis, MN w/ Chris Stapleton
April 13, 2024 – 10 Annual Major Rager – Augusta, GA
April 19, 2024 – Moon Crush “Pink Moon” Festival – Miramar Beach, FL
May 06, 2024 – The Moore Theater – Seattle, WA
May 07, 2024 – Crystal Ballroom – Portland, OR
May 08, 2024 – Crystal Ballroom – Portland, OR
May 10, 2024 – The Masonic – San Francisco, CA
May 11, 2024 – Grand Sierra Ballroom – Reno, NV
May 14, 2024 – The Wiltern – Los Angeles, CA
May 15, 2024 – The Van Buren – Phoenix, AZ
May 17, 2024 – The Complex – Salt Lake City, UT
May 18, 2024 – Fillmore Auditorium – Denver, CO
May 22, 2024 – The Monument – Rapid City, SD w/ Chris Stapleton
May 24, 2024 – Denny Sanford PREMIER Center – Sioux Falls, SD w/ Chris Stapleton
May 25, 2024 – Harrah’s Stir Cove – Council Bluffs, IA
May 26, 2024 – EPIC Event Center – Green Bay, WI*
May 29, 2024 – The Pageant – St Louis, MO
May 30, 2024 – GLC Live at 20 Monroe – Grand Rapids, MI
May 31, 2024 – Blossom Music Center – Cleveland OH w/ Chris Stapleton
June 01, 2024 – Railbird Festival – Lexington, KY
June 02, 2024 – Salt Shed – Chicago, IL
June 04, 2024 – College Street Music Hall – New Haven, CT*
June 06, 2024 – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion – Philadelphia, PA w/ Chris Stapleton
June 07, 2024 – Jiffy Lube Live – Bristow, VA w/ Chris Stapleton
June 08, 2024 – Landmark Theatre – Syracuse, NY
June 10, 2024 – Ruby Amphitheater – Morgantown, WV*
June 12, 2024 – T-Mobile Center – Kansas City, MO w/ Chris Stapleton
June 13, 2024 – Thunder Ridge Nature Arena – Ridgefield, MO w/ Chris Stapleton
June 14, 2024 – The Criterion – Oklahoma City, OK
June 15, 2024 – Globe Life Field – Arlington, TX w/ Chris Stapleton
July 11, 2024 – Darien Lake Amphitheater – Darien Center, NY w/ Chris Stapleton
July 12, 2024 – The Pavilion at Star Lake – Pittsburgh, PA w/ Chris Stapleton
July 13, 2024 – Palace Theatre – Albany, NY
July 16, 2024 – Egyptian Room – Indianapolis, IN
July 18, 2024 – Huntington Center – Toledo, OH w/ Chris Stapleton
July 19, 2024 – Schottenstein Center – Columbus, OH w/ Chris Stapleton
July 20, 2024 – The Fillmore Detroit – Detroit, MI
September 04, 2024 – Orpheum – Vancouver, BC
September 06, 2024 – Grey Eagle Event Center – Calgary, AB
September 07, 2024 – Midway Music Hall – Edmonton, AB
September 09, 2024 – Burton Cummings Theatre – Winnipeg, MB
September 13, 2024 – Massey Hall – Toronto, ON
September 14, 2024 – London Music Hall – London, ON
September 17, 2024 – Kemba Live! – Columbus, OH
September 19, 2024 – Warner Theatre – Washington, D.C.
September 20, 2024 – Warner Theatre – Washington, D.C.
September 21, 2024 – The Ritz – Raleigh, NC
September 24, 2024 – Avondale Brewing – Birmingham, AL
September 26, 2024 – Riverside Theater – Milwaukee, WI
September 28, 2024 – The Sylvee, Madison, WI
September 29, 2024 – Vibrant Music Hall – Des Moines, IA
October 07, 2024 – Roxian Theatre – Pittsburgh, PA
October 09, 2024 – State Theatre – Portland, ME
October 11, 2024 – House of Blues Boston – Boston, MA
October 12, 2024 – The Fillmore – Philadelphia, PA
October 13, 2024 – Brooklyn Paramount – Brooklyn, NY
October 17, 2024 – La Riviera – Madrid, Spain
October 18, 2024 – Sala Apolo – Barcelona, Spain
October 20, 2024 – Fabrique Milano – Milan, Italy
October 21, 2024 – Komplex 457 – Zurich, Switzerland
October 23, 2024 – Le Transbordeur – Lyon, France
October 25, 2024 – Essigfabrik – Cologne, Germany
October 27, 2024 – Markthalle – Hamburg, Germany
October 28, 2024 – De Roma – Antwerp, Belgium
October 29, 2024 – AFAS Live – Amsterdam, Netherlands
October 31, 2024 – Metropol – Berlin, Germany
November 01, 2024 – The Grey Hall – Copenhagen, Denmark
November 03, 2024 – Bataclan – Paris, France
November 05, 2024 – Eventim Apollo – London, UK
November 06, 2024 – Albert Hall – Manchester, UK
November 07, 2024 – Barrowland Ballroom – Glasgow, UK
November 09, 2024 – O2 Institute – Birmingham, UK
November 10, 2024 – The Great Hall – Cardiff, UK
November 12, 2024 – Olympia – Dublin, Ireland
*No Citi Presale
SOCIAL / WEBSITE
https://www.marcuskingofficial.com/
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Youtube
Neon Trees bring their show to Empire Live in downtown Albany on Sunday, April 21st.
MULTI-GRAMMY AWARD WINNER GARY CLARK JR. ANNOUNCES
NORTH AMERICAN TOUR WITH SPECIAL GUEST MAL DEVISA
FOUR NEW SONGS AVAILABLE NOW FROM HIGHLY ANTICIPATED LP JPEGRAW ARRIVING MARCH 22 VIA WARNER RECORDS
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN / CLICK HERE TO PRE-ORDER ALBUM
January 30, 2024 (Los Angeles, CA) – Today, four-time Grammy Award winning artist Gary Clark Jr. announces his upcoming North American tour in support of the hotly anticipated new album JPEG RAW. The news arrives shortly after Clark released a 4-track sampler of new songs HERE — including “Maktub,” “JPEG RAW,” “This Is Who We Are” and “Hyperwave.” Pre-order JPEG RAW HERE. Artist presale tickets for the tour will be available on January 31 at 10am local time, with the general on-sale to follow on February 2 at 10am local time. Sign up now at https://www.garyclarkjr.com/ for a first chance at tickets.
On February 16, Clark and his band will debut the first public performance of “Maktub,” live on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon. Tune into NBC stations at 11:35 PM ET/PT and 10:35 PM CT.
Kicking off at Will Rogers Auditorium in Fort Worth, TX on May 8, the tour will continue with shows in Chicago, Boston, and New York City before concluding with his set at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts festival in Manchester, TN on June 14.
This new body of work signals a brave new world for Clark’s ever-expanding creative palette. The new music is dense and adventurous with a more cohesive synthesis of his eclectic musical universe. His samples, Thelonious Monk and Sonny Boy Williamson, decorate flourishes of African, World Music, and even Jazz while merging with rock, R&B, hip-hop and blues; familiar areas he has ventured before, this time with more unity forging a fresh new style. Clark’s lyrics are pointed, deeply personal, outspoken and socially conscious with occasional forays into rap and spoken word from Clark himself. The sonics are immersive, verging on modern groove-oriented psychedelia with hip-hop driven beats in verses giving way to anthemic choruses, rich with power-chording and wide fuzz riffage.
JPEG RAW is Clark’s first album since 2019’s critically lauded This Land, which became his third consecutive top 10 on the Billboard 200 chart and garnered three Grammy Awards, including Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance (“This Land”) and Best Contemporary Blues Album (This Land). Clark’s first Grammy win was awarded in 2014 for Best Traditional R&B Performance (“Please Come Home”).
Since its release, the singer-songwriter has toured extensively and stretched his wings as an actor, playing American blues legend Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis, which received eight Academy Award nominations. Clark also served as the official Music Director for Jon Stewart’s acceptance of the 23rd Annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall. In addition to programming the event, he delivered a powerful tribute on stage, which aired on PBS nationwide.
Now, as Clark prepares to hit the road and introduce fans to JPEG RAW, a new era begins for the acclaimed performer—one with ever-expanding horizons, and music that needs to be heard live and in person.
Upcoming Gark Clark Jr. Tour Dates
May 8 — Fort Worth, TX — Will Rogers Auditorium
May 9 — Dallas, TX — Majestic Theatre
May 11 — Durant, OK — Choctaw Grand Theater
May 13 — Morrison, CO — Red Rocks Amphitheatre *
May 15 — Kansas City, MO — The Midland Theatre
May 16 — St. Louis, MO — The Factory
May 18 — Indianapolis, IN — I Made Rock’n’Roll Festival *
May 20 — Chicago, IL — The Salt Shed
May 21 — Detroit, MI — The Fillmore Detroit
May 22 — Louisville, KY — The Louisville Palace
May 24 — Cleveland, OH — Jacobs Pavilion
May 25 — Lewiston, NY — Artpark Mainstage Theater
May 26 — Toronto, ON — History
May 30 — Portland, ME — Merrill Auditorium
June 1 — Albany, NY — Palace Theatre
June 2 — New Haven, CT — Shubert Theater
June 4 — LaFayette, NY — Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards
June 6 — Deerfield, MA — Treehouse Brewing Company
June 7 — Boston, MA — MGM Music Hall at Fenway
June 8 — Philadelphia, PA — The Met Philadelphia
June 9 — Washington, D.C. — Wolf Trap
June 11 — New York, NY — Radio City Music Hall
June 13 — Raleigh, NC — Red Hat Amphitheater
June 14 — Manchester, TN — Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival *
Aug 21 — Los Angeles, CA — Venue TBD ^
* On sale now
^ On-sale date TBD
Credit: Mike Miller Hi-res download HERE
About Gary Clark Jr.:
Clark achieved global impact following his first Grammy Award® in 2014, winning Best Traditional R&B Performance for the track “Please Come Home” from his Warner Records debut album Blak And Blu, and seemingly never left the road. 2015’s The Story Of Sonny Boy Slim wrought hard-won international acclaim as a critical force to be reckoned with. Throughout 2019, Clark ascended to greater heights with the release of This Land – his third full-length studio album which bowed at #6 on the Billboard 200 chart, marking his third consecutive Top 10 debut. The album and single of the same name attracted acclaim from the likes of The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, Rolling Stone, Pitchfork and more. He has performed on Saturday Night Live, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Late Late Show with James Corden, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Good Morning America, CBS News Sunday, CBS This Morning, The Today Show, Late Night with Seth Meyers, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, The Howard Stern Show, WTF with Marc Maron, and more. Clark’s domestic tours became instant sell-outs and his international profile found him topping bills at legendary festivals around the world and venues including the Hollywood Bowl, along with multiple appearances in stadiums supporting and sharing the stage with The Rolling Stones. Most recently, Clark won three more Grammy Awards, including Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song for “This Land,” and Best Contemporary Blues Album for This Land. Clark also performed his award-winning single “This Land” backed by The Roots at the 2020 Grammy Award ceremony and released their version of the track. Countless collaborations have been recorded with Stevie Wonder, Andra Day, John Legend, Alicia Keys, Foo Fighters, Nas, Sheryl Crow, Brandi Carlile, Eric Clapton, Gustavo Santaolalla, Booker T. Jones, and many more. To date, Clark has been nominated for six Grammy Awards and won four. Clark has just completed his fourth and most compelling body of work to date, titled JPEG RAW, set for release in March 2024 via Warner Records.
EQX Presents Andrew Bird at The Frog Alley Brewing Summer Stage
August 13th
WEQX PRESENTS
A LA SALA TOUR
KHRUANGBIN
WITH SPECIAL GUEST
JOHN CARROLL KIRBY
MAY 26TH
8 PM
For emo music lovers and orchestra aficionados alike, Emo Orchestra is a new live experience that brings some of the most beloved emo songs of your youth to the theater stage with a full orchestra arrangement. This show features a band from the massively resurging Emo genre and pairs them with a thoughtfully curated, world-class orchestra. This Spring, Emo Orchestra welcomes ESCAPE THE FATE as the featured guest. The set list includes four songs from the featured artist’s catalog in addition to 13-15 other hits from the genre. Fans will hear ESCAPE THE FATE perform their own hits as well as songs by Evanescence, My Chemical Romance, Good Charlotte, and many more.
On sale 2/16
On sale 2/16
about the artist
Joe Jackson was born on August 11 1954 in Burton-on-Trent, England, but grew up in the South Coast naval port city of Portsmouth
At age 16 Joe played his first paying gig, as pianist in a pub next door to a glue factory just outside of Portsmouth. This was followed by other pub gigs (in which he was often trying to entertain crowds of drunken, bottle-throwing sailors) and accompanying a bouzouki player in a Greek restaurant.
At age 18 Joe won a scholarship to study Composition, Piano, and Percussion at London’s Royal Academy of Music.
By 1978 Joe was living in London and hawking an album-length demo, with his own band (Graham Maby, Bass; Dave Houghton, Drums; Gary Sanford, Guitar) standing by. That demo — already called Look Sharp — eventually found its way to American producer David Kershenbaum, who was in London in the capacity of talent scout for A&M Records. Joe was immediately signed and Look Sharp more professionally re-recorded in August ’78. The Joe Jackson Band finally started to play regular gigs and the album was released in January 1979.
– – – – – – – – – –
Joe Jackson’s story up to this point is much more fully, fascinatingly, and hilariously recounted in his book A CURE FOR GRAVITY. From here on, though, it becomes more a matter of public record. Look Sharp was followed within a year by the very similar I’m The Man, and in 1980 by the darker, more reggae-influenced Beat Crazy. At the end of 1980, drummer Houghton decided to quit, and Joe decided to dissolve the band and try something new.
In 1981 Jackson recorded Jumpin’ Jive, a ‘musical vacation’ paying tribute to Swing and Jump Blues artists such as Louis Jordan and Cab Calloway. Returning to songwriting, Joe spent a large chunk of 1982 in New York. The result was Night and Day, a more sophisticated and melodic record built around keyboards and Latin percussion, rather than guitars. With a new guitar-less band, Jackson hit the road for a whole year, and the album became his biggest success, going platinum in the US. During the tour Joe also somehow found time to write his first film score, for James Bridges’Mike’s Murder. (He would go on to write several more, including most notably for Francis Ford Coppola’s Tucker in 1988).
Jackson’s next album Body and Soul(1984) was in a similar vein to Night and Day but featured a horn section (which, along with the Blue Note-inspired cover art, led many people to wrongly assume he’d made a jazz record). For Big World (1986) Jackson stripped everything down to a 4-piece again, and recorded live, direct to 2-track master. In 1989 he went in the opposite direction with the majestic, semi-autobiographical Blaze of Glory, and toured with an 11-piece band. Laughter and Lust (1991) was more like a mainstream (though still idiosyncratic) rock record, but yet another lengthy world tour left Jackson exhausted and at a creative dead end. As he sees it, his workaholic phase — which also included several film scores, a live album (Live 1980-86), an instrumental album (Will Power, 1987), guest appearances with Suzanne Vega, Ruben Blades and Joan Armatrading, and endless touring — was over.
The 1990s brought some of his most challenging and eclectic works: the gentle, soul-searching Night Music (1994), the ambitious and original song-cycle based on the Seven Deadly Sins, Heaven and Hell (1997), and the album Joe considers his best (and most underrated): Night and Day II (2000). The turn of the century saw a burst of creativity: Jackson won his first Grammy (Best Pop Instrumental Album for the non-traditional, non-orchestral Symphony No.1) and published his book A Cure For Gravity.
– – – – – – – – – –
In 2003 Joe re formed the original Joe Jackson Band for a stunning new album, Volume 4, and a lengthy tour. The reunion was always intended as a one-off, but it also produced a live album, Afterlife, in 2004.
By this time Jackson was living mostly back in London. He made quite a few solo appearances, including on an unusual triple-bill tour with Todd Rundgren and the string quartet Ethel. He sang and played piano on Rickie Lee Jones’ It’s Like That and William Shatner’s Has Been (produced, arranged and co-written by Ben Folds). He was also awarded a Fellowship by the Royal Academy of Music and an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Portsmouth.
In 2006 Joe turned his attention back to pure songwriting and did a short Trio tour with Graham Maby and Dave Houghton. Having failed to happily re-establish himself in London, he moved to Berlin, where his next album Rain was recorded in 2007. Consisting of ten powerful, timeless new songs, Rain creates a surprisingly epic sound with just voices, piano, bass and drums. The trio toured for the next three years. A live album, Live Music, was released in 2011.
– – – – – – – – – –
in 2012 Joe released a tribute to one of his greatest musical heroes, Duke Ellington. The Duke is an often radical re-interpretation of fifteen Ellington classics, arranged into ten tracks, and featuring an eclectic roster of guest artists including Iggy Pop, Ahmir ‘Questlove’ Thompson and other members of The Roots, Sharon Jones, Steve Vai, and jazz violin star Regina Carter, who joined Joe on the subsequent tour.
In 2015, Jackson announced the completion of his follow-up to The Duke via his official website. The album’s title, Fast Forward, and track list were confirmed in addition to North American tour dates. The titular first single was released for streaming via his official SoundCloud page.
On 18 January 2019, Jackson released the album Fool. Jackson said about the album on his website: “One of my inspirations for this album was the band I’ve been touring with on and off for the last 3 years. I’ve had many different line-ups but this one is special.” Jackson and the band performed “Fabulously Absolute” on Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show on 21 January 2019.[20] Fool debuted in the top 20 album charts in Holland, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland. In the US, it debuted at No. 25 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales Chart. In the UK, it entered the Indie Albums Chart at No. 13.
After a Covid induced layofff Joe toured the US and Europe in 2022 for a tour named “Sing, You Sinners!” featuring songs from his catalog plus a few select covers. The tour featured his band Graham Maby on Bass, Teddy Kumpel on Guitar and Doug Yowell on Drums.
Nov 24th 2023 saw the release of “Mr Joe Jackson Presents “What A Racket”: The Music Of Max Champion,” a collection of songs written by the long forgotten Music Hall performer Max Champion.
Joe will be out on the road during 2024 touring both the US and Europe performing a 2 part set. First part will be solo performances from his catalog. The second part will feature songs from the “What A Racket” album performed with a 9 piece band.
Jackson splits his time between New York, Portsmouth UK and Berlin.
This Vermont-based trio has cultivated a unique and instantly identifiable brand of music, incorporating styles and genres from all corners of the sonic spectrum and the globe. Catch their set live at The Coffee Bar in downtown Bennington, Vermont on Friday, February 9th.
