David Nicholas George Jackson (born 15 April 1947), nicknamed Jaxon, is an English

progressive rock Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog) is a broad genre of rock music that primarily developed in the United Kingdom through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early-to-mid-1970s. Initially termed " progressive pop", the ...

saxophonist The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of Single-reed instrument, single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed (mouthpi ...

flautist The flute is a member of a family of musical instruments in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, producing sound with a vibrating column of air. Flutes produce sound when the player's air flows across an opening. In th ...

, and

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...

. He is best known for his work with the band

Van der Graaf Generator Van der Graaf Generator are an English progressive rock band, formed in 1967 in Manchester by singer-songwriters Peter Hammill and Judge Smith, Chris Judge Smith. They were the first act signed by Charisma Records. They did not experience much ...

and his work in Music and Disability. He has also worked with

Peter Gabriel Peter Brian Gabriel (born 13 February 1950) is an English singer, songwriter, musician, and human rights activist. He came to prominence as the original frontman of the rock band Genesis. He left the band in 1975 and launched a solo career wit ...

Keith Tippett Keith Graham Tippetts (25 August 1947 – 14 June 2020), known professionally as Keith Tippett, was a British jazz pianist and composer. According to AllMusic, Tippett's career "...spanned jazz-rock, progressive rock, improvised and contemporar ...

Osanna Osanna are an Italian progressive rock band. Origin The group originated in the Vomero neighborhood of Naples with the union of Lino Vairetti (voice), Danilo Rustici (guitar), Massimo Guarino (drums), Lello Brandi (bass), from the first line- ...

Judge Smith Christopher John Judge Smith (born 1 July 1948) is an English songwriter, author, composer and performer, and a founder member of progressive rock band Van der Graaf Generator. Initially working under the name Chris Judge Smith, he has been know ...

David Cross David Cross (born April 4, 1964) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and director. Cross is best known for his stand-up performances, the HBO sketch comedy series '' Mr. Show with Bob and David'' (1995–1998), his role as Ian Hawk ...

and others. His playing is characterized by the frequent use of double horns, wielding two saxophones at the same time, a style he emulates from

Rahsaan Roland Kirk Rahsaan Roland Kirk (born Ronald Theodore Kirk; August 7, 1935Kernfeld, Barry.Kirk, Roland" ''The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz'', 2nd ed. Ed. Barry Kernfeld. ''Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, Grove Music Online''. ''Grove Dictionary of M ...

(whose style and technique influenced Jackson). He also plays flutes and whistles. In the ''

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming and culture website, bimonthly magazine, and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a "Rock music, rock inkie", the ''NME'' would be ...

'', reviewer Jonathan Barnett called David Jackson "the Van Gogh of the saxophone – a renegade impressionist, dispensing distorted visions of the world outside from his private asylum window".

Van der Graaf Generator

Jackson was a member of the English progressive rock band

for most of the 1970s and for their 2005 reunion tour. His speciality was then electric saxophones, using

octave device Octave effect boxes are a type of special effects unit which mix the input signal with a synthesized signal whose musical tone is an octave lower or higher than the original. The synthesised octave signal is derived from the original input signa ...

s, wah-wah and powerful amplification.

Music projects

Jackson has collaborated with other musicians, frequently with other members of Van der Graaf Generator, as on ''

The Long Hello ''The Long Hello'' is a studio instrumental album by David Jackson, Hugh Banton, Guy Evans and Nic Potter recorded in August 1973 and released in Italy in 1974 (and Britain and Europe in 1976). All had been members of Van der Graaf Generator, but ...

'' project. He collaborated on a number of projects with VdGG co-founder

, and performed with

at the

Reading Festival The Reading and Leeds Festivals are a pair of annual music festivals that take place in Reading, Berkshire, Reading and Leeds in England. The events take place simultaneously on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the August bank holiday weekend ...

in 1979. Jackson works often with Italian rock musicians, most particularly

Alex Carpani Band Alex is a given name. Similar names are Alexander, Alexandra, Alexey or Alexis. People Multiple *Alex Brown (disambiguation), multiple people * Alex Cook (disambiguation), multiple people * Alex Forsyth (disambiguation), multiple people *Alexand ...

from Bologna and

from Naples. In 2012 and 2013 he toured the European and American continents with the Alex Carpani Band.

Education and Therapeutic Work

Jackson attended the

University of St Andrews The University of St Andrews (, ; abbreviated as St And in post-nominals) is a public university in St Andrews, Scotland. It is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, oldest of the four ancient universities of Scotland and, f ...

, reading psychology,Christopulos, J., and Smart, P.: "Van der Graaf Generator – The Book", page 52. Phil and Jim publishers, 2005. and

University of Surrey The University of Surrey is a public research university in Guildford, Surrey, England. The university received its Royal Charter, royal charter in 1966, along with a Plate glass university, number of other institutions following recommendations ...

, Roehampton, studying teaching. He has worked as a mathematics teacher for primary school children in the UK. He has also worked with physically and mentally disabled people, enabling them to make music through the use of a technology known as

Soundbeam Soundbeam is an interactive MIDI hardware and software system developed by The Soundbeam Project / EMS in which movement within a series of ultrasonic beams is used to control multimedia hardware and software. System Soundbeam uses a combinat ...

. He is also a Soundbeam trainer, system designer and builder. A documentary about his work with autistic children was broadcast on

BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. The station replaced the BBC Home Service on 30 September 1967 and broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes from the BBC's headquarters at Broadcasti ...

in 1998. Tonewall is the name for his idea. Apart from Soundbeams this also features Echo-Mirrors and Jellybean Eye. Jackson works together with groups of people of all levels of ability and even profound disability to create music together on stage, accompanied by musicians from diverse styles, such as

orchestral An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments: * String instruments, such as the violin, viola, cello, a ...

and

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

musicians,

Caribbean music Caribbean music genres are very diverse. They are each synthesis of African, European, Asian and Indigenous influences, largely created by descendants of African enslaved people (see Afro-Caribbean music), along with contributions from other c ...

, and much more.

Personal life

David Jackson was born in Stamford,

Lincolnshire Lincolnshire (), abbreviated ''Lincs'', is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber regions of England. It is bordered by the East Riding of Yorkshire across the Humber estuary to th ...

. His daughter is singer Dorie Jackson, who works with

Chris Difford Christopher Henry Difford (born 4 November 1954) is an English musician. He is a founding member and songwriter of the rock group Squeeze. Early life Difford was born in Greenwich, London, on 4 November 1954, the youngest of three sons. His m ...

Francis Dunnery Francis Dunnery (born 25 December 1962) is an English musician, singer-songwriter, record producer and record label owner. Dunnery was the lead singer and guitarist for British prog- pop band It Bites between 1982 and 1990. Since 1990 he has ...

and William Topley among others. His son is recording engineer Jake Jackson. A characteristic hallmark is Jackson's black leather

newsboy cap The newsboy cap, newsie cap, gatsby, jeff cap, or baker boy hat (British) is a casual-wear cap similar in style to the flat cap. It has a similar overall shape and stiff peak (visor) in front as a flat cap, but the body of the cap is rounder ...

with its visor that clings to his forehead decorated with several pins, which he has worn on stage for more than 50 years.

Discography

Van der Graaf Generator

* '' The Least We Can Do Is Wave to Each Other'' (1970) * ''

H to He, Who Am the Only One ''H to He, Who Am the Only One'' is the third album by the British progressive rock band Van der Graaf Generator. It was released on 20 December 1970 on Charisma Records. The band recorded the album in several stages throughout mid-1970 in Tr ...

'' (1970) * ''

Pawn Hearts ''Pawn Hearts'' is the fourth album by English progressive rock band Van der Graaf Generator, released on 12 November 1971 on Charisma Records. The original album features just three tracks, including the side-long suite "A Plague of Lighthouse ...

'' (1971) * ''

Godbluff ''Godbluff'' is the fifth album released by English progressive rock band Van der Graaf Generator, released on October 1975 via Charisma- Mercury. It was the first album after the band reformed in 1975 and was recorded after a European tour. As ...

'' (1975) * ''

Still Life A still life (: still lifes) is a work of art depicting mostly wikt:inanimate, inanimate subject matter, typically commonplace objects which are either natural (food, flowers, dead animals, plants, rocks, shells, etc.) or artificiality, human-m ...

'' (1976) * ''

World Record A world record is usually the best global and most important performance that is ever recorded and officially verified in a specific skill, sport, or other kind of activity. The book ''Guinness World Records'' and other world records organizatio ...

'' (1976) * ''

The Quiet Zone/The Pleasure Dome ''The Quiet Zone/The Pleasure Dome'' is the eighth album by British progressive rock band Van der Graaf Generator. Released in 1977, it was their last studio album before their 2005 reunion. The album features a more energetic, new wave sound th ...

'' (1977) * '' Vital'' (1978) * '' Time Vaults'' (1982) * ''

Maida Vale Maida Vale ( ) is an affluent residential district in North West London, England, north of Paddington, southwest of St John's Wood and south of Kilburn, on Edgware Road. It is part of the City of Westminster and is northwest of Charing C ...

'' (1994) * ''

Present The present is the period of time that is occurring now. The present is contrasted with the past, the period of time that has already occurred; and the future, the period of time that has yet to occur. It is sometimes represented as a hyperplan ...

'' (2005) * '' Real Time'' (2007)

Solo

*''Savages'' (cassette) (1990) *''Hazard Dream Sequence'' (EP) (1991) *''Tonewall Stands'' (1992) *''Fractal Bridge'' (1996)

DVD

*''Guastalla – Live Tonewall & Soundbeam'' (2003)

With Peter Hammill

*''

Fool's Mate The Fool's mate is the fastest checkmate in chess delivered after the fewest possible moves from the game's starting position. It arises from the following moves (minor variations are possible): :1. f3 e6 :2. g4?? Qh4 The mate can be achie ...

'' (1971) *'' Chameleon in the Shadow of the Night'' (1973) *''

The Silent Corner and the Empty Stage ''The Silent Corner and the Empty Stage'' is the third album by British singer-songwriter Peter Hammill. It was released on Charisma Records in 1974, during a hiatus in the activities of Hammill's progressive rock band Van der Graaf Generator. ...

'' (1974) *''

Nadir's Big Chance ''Nadir's Big Chance'' is the fifth solo album by Peter Hammill, released on Charisma Records in 1975. It was recorded shortly after a decision to re-form the band Van der Graaf Generator (of which Hammill was the singer and principal songwrite ...

'' (1975) *''

The Future Now ''The Future Now'' is the seventh studio album by Peter Hammill, released on Charisma Records in 1978. It was the first solo album Hammill released following the 1978 breakup of his band Van der Graaf Generator, although he had released numerous ...

'' (1978) *'' pH7'' (1979) *''

A Black Box ''A Black Box'' is the ninth studio album by Peter Hammill, released on S-Type Records in August 1980. Hammill performed nearly all the instrumentation himself, including the drum parts, a task he had first undertaken on his previous album '' ...

'' (1980) *'' Sitting Targets'' (1981) *'' Enter k'' (1982) *''

Patience or forbearance, is the ability to endure difficult or undesired long-term circumstances. Patience involves perseverance or tolerance in the face of delay, provocation, or stress without responding negatively, such as reacting with disrespect ...

'' (1983) *''

Skin Skin is the layer of usually soft, flexible outer tissue covering the body of a vertebrate animal, with three main functions: protection, regulation, and sensation. Other animal coverings, such as the arthropod exoskeleton, have different ...

'' (1986) *''

Out of Water ''Out of Water'' is the 17th studio album by Peter Hammill, originally released on Enigma Records in 1990 and subsequently re-released on Hammill's own Fie! label. Hammill himself considers this album to be a turning point from his mid-eighties s ...

'' (1990) *''

Fireships A fire ship or fireship is a large wooden vessel set on fire to be used against enemy ships during a ramming attack or similar maneuver. Fireships were used to great effect against wooden ships throughout naval military history up until the ad ...

'' (1992) *'' The Noise'' (1993) *''

Roaring Forties The Roaring Forties are strong westerlies, westerly winds that occur in the Southern Hemisphere, generally between the latitudes of 40th parallel south, 40° and 50th parallel south, 50° south. The strong eastward air currents are caused by ...

'' (1994) *'' X My Heart'' (1996) *''

This This may refer to: * ''This'', the singular proximal demonstrative pronoun Places * This (Egypt), or ''Thinis'', an ancient city in Upper Egypt * This, Ardennes, a commune in France * This, a country mentioned in the ''Periplus of the Erythraea ...

'' (1998) *'' What, Now?'' (2001) *''

Clutch A clutch is a mechanical device that allows an output shaft to be disconnected from a rotating input shaft. The clutch's input shaft is typically attached to a motor, while the clutch's output shaft is connected to the mechanism that does th ...

'' (2002) *'' Incoherence'' (2004)

With The Long Hello

*''

'' (

Hugh Banton Hugh Robert Banton (born 25 April 1949) is a British musician and electronic Organ (music), organ builder, most widely known for playing organ and keyboards with the group Van der Graaf Generator. Career Banton was born in April 1949 in Yeovil, ...

Guy Evans Guy Randolph Evans (born 17 June 1947) is an English drummer. He is best known as a member of the progressive rock band Van der Graaf Generator, appearing on each of their studio albums. He is also a member of Echo City and Subterraneans. Ca ...

, David Jackson; 1973) *''

The Long Hello Volume Two ''The Long Hello Volume Two'' is a studio instrumental album by Guy Evans and Nic Potter released 1981. It was recorded and mixed at Hidden Drive Studios. Track listing # "Surfing with Isabelle" (Nic Potter) – 4:12 # "Elsham Road" (Nic Potter) ...

'' (

Nic Potter Nic Potter (18 October 1951 – 16 January 2013) was a British bassist, composer and painter, best known for his work with the group Van der Graaf Generator in the 1970s. Biography Nic Potter was born in Wiltshire and left school at 15, origin ...

, Guy Evans; 1981) *''The Long Hello Volume Three'' (David Jackson, Guy Evans; 1982) *''The Long Hello Volume Four'' (David Jackson, Guy Evans, Life of Riley; 1983)

With Judge Smith

*''DemocraZy'' (1991) *''The House That Cried'' (live choral work, premiere 28 October 1993) *''

Curly's Airships ''Curly's Airships'' is a double CD by Judge Smith, released in October 2000. Smith regards the album as a new form of narrative rock music, which he calls "songstory". ''Curly's Airships'' tells about the R101 airship, crashing in France duri ...

'' (2000) *''Twinkle'' (stage musical, premiere 11 July 2007) *"The Light of the World/I Don't Know What I'm Doing" (single, as The Tribal Elders, 2007) *''

Orfeas Orfeas (), named after the mythical musician Orpheus, is a former municipality in the Evros regional unit, East Macedonia and Thrace, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Soufli, of which it is a munici ...

'' (2011)

With Kaprekar's Constant

*''Fate Outsmarts Desire'' (2017) *''Depth of Field'' (2019) *''The Murder Wall'' (2022)

Other collaborations

*''Come un vecchio incensiere all'alba di un villaggio deserto'' (with

Alan Sorrenti Alan Sorrenti (born 9 December 1950) is an Italian singer and composer. Biography Sorrenti was born in Naples, but his mother was Welsh, and he spent much of his childhood in Aberystwyth, Wales. As a result, he is fluent in both Italian an ...

, 1973) *''Dinner at the Ritz'' (with City Boy, 1976) *"The Night Has A Thousand Eyes" / "Something Tells Me" (single with

Jakko Jakszyk Michael "Jakko" Jakszyk ( , born Michael Lee Curran, 8 June 1958) is an English musician, record producer, and actor. He has released several solo albums as a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known as lead singer and se ...

, 1982) *"Straining Our Eyes" / "Fall To Pieces" (single with Jakko Jakszyk, 1982) *"Grab What You Can" / "Tell Me" / "Would I Be The Same" / "I'd Never Have Known" (single with Jakko Jakszyk, 1982) *"Dangerous Dreams" / "Opening Doors" (single with Jakko Jakszyk, 1983;

Stiff Records Stiff Records is a British independent record label formed in London by Dave Robinson (music executive), Dave Robinson and Jake Riviera. Originally active from 1976 to 1986, the label was reactivated in 2007. Established at the outset of the p ...

BUY 183) *"I Can't Stand This Pressure" / "Living on the Edge" / "Cover Up" (single with Jakko Jakszyk, 1984) *"Who's Fooling Who" / "A Grown Man Immersed in Tin-Tin" (single with Jakko Jakszyk, 1984; Stiff Records SBUY 193) *''Gentlemen Prefer Blues'' (Hugh Banton, Guy Evans, David Jackson) (1985) *''Sarah Jane Morris'' (with Sarah Jane Morris, 1988) *''Eyes of the Angel'' (with Magic Mushroom Band, 1989) *''Spaced Out'' (with Magic Mushroom Band, 1991) *''The Single (Grand Opening Song / Minutes of Peace)'' (cassette single with the Wildridings Primary School Choir, 1991) *''Beams & Bells: Live at the QEH'' (live with Treloar School & Ballard School, 2001) *''A to Z Healthy Choices'' (with St. John's CE (Aided) Primary School, 2003) *''Batteries Included'' (live with

René van Commenée René (''Born again (Christianity), born again'' or ''reborn'' in French language, French) is a common given name, first name in French-speaking, Spanish-speaking, and German-speaking countries. It derives from the Latin name Renatus. René is th ...

, 2003) *'' The Music That Died Alone'' (with

The Tangent The Tangent is a progressive rock group formed in 2002, led by keyboardist and singer Andy Tillison. History Formation The band was formed in 2002 by Parallel or 90 Degrees keyboardists Andy Tillison and Sam Baine and multi-instrumentalist Gu ...

, 2003) *'' Re-Collage'' (with

Tony Pagliuca Le Orme (Italian: "The Footprints") is an Italian progressive rock band formed in 1966 in Marghera, a ''frazione'' of Venice. The band was one of the major groups of the Italian progressive rock scene in the 1970s. They are one of few Italian ro ...

and

Massimo Donà Massimo () is a masculine Italian given name. Notable people with the name include: * Massimo Agostinelli (Max Agos) (born 1987), Swiss-based Italian American artist, entrepreneur and activist * Massimo Agostini (born 1964), Italian football man ...

Quintet, 2004) *''Lycanthrope'' (with

Mangala Vallis The Mangala Valles are a complex system of criss-crossing channels on Mars, located in the Tharsis region and in the Memnonia quadrangle. They originated in the Hesperian and Amazonian epochs. They are thought to be an outflow channel system, ...

, 2005) *''The Courting Ground'' (with Dorie Jackson, 2007) *''Distress Signal Code'' (with Lüüp, 2008) *''Prog family'' (with

, 2008) *''Live in Italy'' (with Nic Potter, 2008) *''Down in Shadows'' (with N.y.X, 2009) *''Meadow Rituals'' (with Lüüp, 2011) *''Jaxon Faces the Jury'' (with Le Jury, 2012) *''Gridlock'' (with

Mr Averell ''Mister'', usually written in its contracted form ''Mr.'' (American English) or ''Mr'' (British English), is a commonly used English honorific for men without a higher honorific, or professional title, or any of various designations of office. ...

, 2012) *''Playing the History'' (with

Marco Lo Muscio Marco Lo Muscio (born 1971) is an Italian organist, pianist and composer, who lives and works in Italy, Europe, Russian Federation and America. Biography Marco Lo Muscio was born in Rome, Italy. Marco Lo Muscio studied Piano at the Licinio ...

, John Hackett and Carlo Matteucci, 2013) *''In Hoc Signo'' (with Ingranaggi Della Valle, 2013) *''Live!'' (with ReaGente 6, 2014) *

and David Jackson: '' Another Day'' (2018) *''Ellesmere II - From Sea and Beyond'' (with Ellesmere, 2018) *

Fish A fish (: fish or fishes) is an aquatic animal, aquatic, Anamniotes, anamniotic, gill-bearing vertebrate animal with swimming fish fin, fins and craniate, a hard skull, but lacking limb (anatomy), limbs with digit (anatomy), digits. Fish can ...

: ''Weltschmerz'', 2020 *''Wyrd'' (with Ellesmere, 2020)

References

External links

*
Van der Graaf Generator fan site
* Live at the Mantova Nu Prog Fest II – Italy, 2012 {{DEFAULTSORT:Jackson, David 1947 births Living people Alumni of the University of St Andrews Alumni of the University of Surrey People from Stamford, Lincolnshire Musicians from Lincolnshire English rock saxophonists English male saxophonists Van der Graaf Generator members English rock flautists The Tangent members 21st-century English saxophonists 21st-century English male musicians 21st-century British flautists