Michael Gregory Jackson — Electric Git Box
Michael Gregory Jackson is a veteran American jazz guitarist whose output began during the original heydey of electric jazz in 1977 and has released infrequent recordings ever since. There was a bit of an extended hiatus in his career from the early 90s until 2010 or so, but in the last decade his releases have resumed. His new album Electric Git Box, a full record of solo guitar playing, follows last year's self-released Frequency Equilibrium Koan.
The straightforward album title and references to blues in the song names might indicate a different sound than the one I actually hear on this recording, one heavier on shredding and pentatonic tonality. There are few swaggering shred moments here, though Jackson certainly has the chops for it, as his occasional bursts of speed indicate. His chosen mood is melancholic and brooding, with mysterious, questioning chord choices one might hear in shoegaze or folk metal.
He is quite melodically inspired, changing moods and scales effortlessly, many times per song. These sound like composed pieces, rather than improvisation, as the unfolding of the melody is intelligent and precise. It may be that he adds improvisatory embellishments to what he composed, as well. If he is in fact able to improvise melodies this fluent, he is a genius.
He plays in a mostly clean tone with the slightest hint of overdrive, adding just a bit of bite when he applies more pressure to the strings. It's a versatile choice that allows the nuance of what he does to be heard.
The song "Sweet Rain Blues" does indeed live up to the classic imagery of its title, sounding more 70's than any other song here, almost like the more relaxed moments of Led Zeppelin. However, much of the music is surprisingly modern, and I'm often tempted to make comparisons to artists who began their careers long after Jackson. Admittedly, I'm likely unfamiliar with many of his original influences.
"Perserverance" almost sounds like a ballad written by a 90's punk band. Like the best of such bands, he brings forth aching feelings of nostalgia, giving a nod towards each memory before acknowledging that its time has gone. The heartstring-tugging feeling of this album is perhaps its best quality. Even on the first listen, it penetrated quickly into my mind and gave me chills.
Michael Gregory Jackson has created a fully engaging album of solo playing on a single instrument, which is no small feat. Few possess the range to create surprising moments throughout, but Jackson has done this by exploring a wide variety of moods and tonal idioms. He deeply understands the classic rock and fusion jazz of the 70s, of course, but moves on from there as well, into myriad hints of nearly every genre that has occurred since. It's a stirringly emotional album that is perfect for putting on after a long day of work.