D.D. Jackson Gears Up for December Toronto Concerts [Show Preview]

Moving between worlds is something D.D. Jackson is familiar with.

The well-known award-winning jazz pianist and composer continues to explore new genres, which include writing for film, teaching, and, most recently, composing Emmy Award-winning children’s music for television.

He perceives himself to be categorically Canadian and yet has lived in the U.S. for decades. Born of a Chinese mother (D.D. is a nickname that means “little brother” in Chinese) and a Black American father, he noted, “every one of my students at NYU (New York University) is from China. I’m pretty confident that some of them sought me out because they perceive me as Chinese.”

He also moves with ease to “Sistas’ Place,” an increasingly famous venue for the African American community in Bed Stuy (Bedford–Stuyvesant), Brooklyn, to play with Diaspora – Dispersions of the Spirit of Ra – led by Ahmed Abdullah and said, “I feel 100 percent part of that community when I’m in that environment.”

“In 2020, George Elliott Clarke approached, ‘an out-of-work composer’ as he called it,” Jackson laughed. “He sent me a collection of poetry that he’d written for his daughter and asked to compose music for it.” That was the inception of the Poetry Project.

Clarke kept sending him curated selections of poems by other writers. From these, Jackson chose those most amenable to musical accompaniment and composed “about one piece per month over the course of a year.” Jackson and Clarke wrote a couple of operas about 20 years ago: Québecité and Trudeau: Long March, Shining Path (the latter was last performed in 2007 in Halifax) and through this project have renewed their joyful collaborations.

In the process of recording the Poetry Project, “I blew the budget,” laughed Jackson. It was budgeted for recording where he lives, in the U.S.; however, he chose to return to Canada to work with “the cream of the crop” of Canadian musicians.

The album boasts so many of them, including Rich Brown (bass), Larnell Lewis (bass), George Koller (acoustic bass), Jane Bunnett (saxophone), singers Dean Bowman, Laila Biali, and Sammy Jackson (no relation). Instrumentation is deliciously varied and features, in addition to wonderful jazz musicians, a string quartet and the Czech National Symphony Orchestra.

D.D. Jackson ‘Poetry Project’ album artwork

“I even sing on a couple of tracks weirdly enough,” said Jackson. “The Father’s Dream” by poet Libby Scheier and Giovanna Riccio’s “Daedalus’ Lament” both feature Jackson’s rich, emotive tenor. “Fuller Terrace,” written by Clarke, is sung with wondrous depth and breadth by Dean Bowman; Ayesha Chatterjee’s “On Silence” features the dulcet tones of Sammy Jackson and the exuberant Biali is out front in the first track “Mavety Street.”

The album is startling and bright. It’s both profound and refreshing. To celebrate its release, Jackson, Clarke and Caliban Arts Theatre have created two performance nights in Toronto.

On December 6th, Jackson plays the works of Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, and his own compositions on a Bösendorfer piano. Toronto-born, New York-based vocalist Yoon Sun Choi will join him.

On December 7th, Clarke hosts 5 Poets Breaking Into Song and performs with poets Chatterjee, Riccio, Bruce Meyer, and CP Zemokhol.

The second set will feature the world premiere of the Poetry Project with Jackson (piano), Mark Hundevad (drums and vibraphone), Roberto Occhipinti (bass), Tom Fleming (guitar) and on vocals Sammy Jackson, Choi and Michael Dunston.

As we sign off on our call, Jackson said, “I hope to set up a Canadian tour if it’s not too late. My goal for the day is to pitch everybody.” More of this brilliant music to come!

Friday, December 6th @ 8pm (doors @ 7pm)
Jackson Plays Ellington, Monk & Jackson
The Redwood Theatre
1300 Gerrard St. E
Toronto, ON

Tickets: Early Bird $35 (until November 22nd)
Tickets: $45 (after November 22nd)
Ticket Link: https://www.calibanartstheatre.com/

Saturday, December 7th @ 8pm (doors @ 7pm)
Poetry Project Double-Bill, with George Elliott Clarke, D.D. Jackson and a host of Special Guests
The Redwood Theatre
1300 Gerrard St. E
Toronto, ON

Tickets: Early Bird $35 (until November 22nd)
Tickets: $45 (after November 22nd)
Ticket Link: https://www.calibanartstheatre.com/

Tickets for both concerts are $65 until November 22nd (and $85 after that date)
Ticket Link: https://www.calibanartstheatre.com/

For information on student and artist discounts, please email info@calibanartstheatre.com