Brian Jackson ‘Now More Than Ever’ – The Liner Notes Deep Dive by Akin Shenbanjo Jr
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We’re excited to share the full liner notes for Brians Jacksons, Master At Work produced album Now More Than Ever
Brian Jackson – Now More Than Ever
Album Liner Notes BY Akin Shenbanjo Jr
Classically trained jazz pianist virtuoso, flautist, songwriter, arranger/producer, musical director and trail blazing creative visionary. Brian Jackson’s resume more than speaks for itself; an impressive, musically fruitful trajectory in a career that has spanned well beyond 5 decades. Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York City born and raised, a child prodigy with a talent nurtured and molded firmly within Black America’s rich jazz tradition (inspired by such blues, swing, bebop and post-bop greats as Clifford Brown, Ella Fitzgerald, Joe Williams, John Coltrane); one that would be fine honed in later years by the supernatural-like funk, soul and rock sounds of music contemporaries Stevie Wonder, Jimi Hendrix, Marvin Gaye, and Curtis Mayfield.
As one half of Gil-Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson, he would be the music alchemist to his lyrically gifted and charismatic partner’s prescient, blues-laden observational musings, forged deep in the crucible of the post WWII Black Arts Movement responsible for such literary and performative talents as Langston Hughes, Amiri Baraka, Sonia Sanchez, Oscar Brown Jr, Nikki Giovanni, and The Last Poets. Theirs would be a collaborative partnership like no other: a reality ‘truth to power’ manifesto on politics, culture and everyday life, delivered through song via an equally unapologetic blues, jazz and funk rhythm template. Two modern day griots, embedded firmly in that time-honoured African tradition of disseminating news and sharing information.
‘Now More Than Ever’ is Brian Jackson’s latest offering for BBE Music. It takes up the legacy baton some two years on from where ‘This Is Brian Jackson’ (his impressive debut for the label) left off. Where ‘This Is’ comprised unreleased demo material from the duo’s mid ’70s heyday with newer songs that wisely referenced Jackson’s funk and jazz heritage, this latest all-new offering pays direct homage to the very songs of that famed partnership. The album’s title (taking its cue from the opening chant on ”Peace Go With You Brother”), is an appreciative nod to the enduring relevance of Jackson and Scott-Heron’s inspirational gift to the world; songs that are now over 5 decades old, though which speak ‘more than ever’ before to those major topical issues that afflict our markedly fractured, conflict-ridden and polarised present day world.
Globally celebrated dance floor hit makers Masters of Work (‘Little’ Louie Vega and Kenny ‘Dope’ Gonzalez), have been recruited as producers for the project, recorded over a two month period at Manhattan Center Studios, New York City in February and March of 2024, mixed by Dave Darlington and mastered by the legendary Herb Powers Jr. The album boasts an impressive array of Big Apple session talent, among them Nuyorican Soul/Elements of Life alumni – Gene Perez (electric bass), latin jazz virtuosos John Benitez (upright bass) and Luisito Quintero (various percussion), Axel Tosca (keyboards), as well as session guitar stalwarts William Sherrod Barnes, and Clarence ‘Binky’ Brice. It features a horn section comprising Ivan Renta (sax and flute) and Alex Norris (trumpet), and (one-time Midnight Band member) reedman Carl Cornwell. Backing vocals are exquisitely handled by Lisa Fischer, Cindy Mizelle, Ramona Dunlap and Dawn Tallman, all four singers individually having carved out successful solo careers. Supplementing the rhythm section, adding mood and ethereal texture to the songs is The Apple Hill String Quartet under the inspired direction of globally revered Harlem, NYC vocalist/pianist/songwriter/arranger/producer Leroy Burgess.
For multi-instrumentalist Jackson, the project heralds the coming to fruition of a long-standing idea for a definitive ‘re-imagining’ of the Jackson/Scott-Heron songbook, one that envisioned newly developed arrangements where contemporary artists would be carefully selected to put their own stamp on the original songs. ‘As a musician I have a difficulty playing the same thing twice. When I hear those old albums I think, “What would happen if I did it this way or another way, and if this or that artist did our music?” After working with Pete Adarkwah from BBE and completing the first album, I began to tell him about this vision I’d had for years about re-visiting the old songs, and he said…..”Why don’t we just re-do the songs ourselves, since you’re already here (to make it happen)!?”‘
The torch would thus be lit, though on the strict proviso an outside producer would be brought in to supervise the new project. ‘I enjoyed the process of working with a producer on the first album and I really wanted to see what happened if I let go of this music that I’ve played and know so well, and hear how it flowed through the consciousness of some of the most gifted artists that I have come to admire over the years. Of course I’m all over the album, but I felt that if I’d produced it, I would have subconsciously gone down some of the same roads that I had been going down all my life and wouldn’t have pushed it In as many different directions, and I needed a new perspective. In the end, Pete had a great idea, to get Louie and Kenny to produce these tracks. I had hooked up with Kenny In the early 2000s, and we’ve remained friends for all that time.’
So to the album, many of the featured songs being well-known to the celebrated duo’s global fan base, though with the welcome inclusion of the not so familiar, as well as newly composed material. Between them, messrs Vega, Gonzalez and Adarkwah have assembled a stellar cast of present day heavy hitters from the varied, though interconnecting worlds of soul/r&b, jazz, electronic dance, performance poetry and hip hop to re-interpret and breathe new life into the Scott-Heron-Jackson song canon, while respecting the blues, jazz and funk sensibilities of the original material.
Included in the distinguished roll call are celebrated Washington DC soul/r&b man Raheem Devaughn, aforementioned NYC singer/songwriter Lisa Fischer, New Jersey’s very own house maestro Josh Milan, the soulfully gifted Rahsaan Patterson, and the UK’s numero uno soul ambassador Omar. The featured wordsmiths bringing inspirational pearls of insight, wisdom and verbal dexterity via performance prose are Philadelphia’s own hip hop lyrical truth sayer Black Thought from The Roots, New Jersey poet, music maker and dj Rich Medina, Detroit’s very own mercurial house dance master Moodymann, Chi-Town Def Poetry Jam alumni J. Ivy, and Washington DC based spoken word performers Raquel Ra Brown (via North Philly) and Wes Felton (son of jazz pianist Hilton ‘A Man for All Seasons’ Felton); the two latter appearing on the album’s four featured interlude segments.
The album begins with the interlude Poetic Sands, an esoteric-primed acoustic piano melody setting the tone over a steady looped drum and conga riff over which DC City poet Wes Felton adeptly sets the scene under the thematic banner ‘Is That Jazz’.
It’s Your World the album’s debut single, sees the prodigiously talented Raheem DeVaughn take the helm, who righteously commits to the cause on Jackson’s self-penned, positive-affirming message funk/jazz dancer, given a fresh new arrangement here. Devaughn is in sublime ‘Marvinesque’ form here, his silk as smooth vocal flowing effortlessly over the song’s stellar arrangement. Gene Perez’s warm and fluid electric bass admirably drives the rhythm section, with some exquisite fender rhodes, acoustic piano and various synthesisers giving texture and sonic depth, and an impressive sax contribution from Ivan Renta; all complemented by Burgess’s inspired string arrangement that takes the song to a whole other worldly dimension. Enter Grammy Award winning wordsmith J. Ivey who exhorts us all to ‘Wake up!’, earnestly letting us know, ‘When we close our eyes, we have to remember to be righteous and refined, we have to re-wire the mind, tap into the source, re-write the time line, and know the world is yours, the world is mine…..!’
We Almost Lost Detroit from the 1977 release ‘Bridges’, draws inspiration from the Southern ‘Memphis stewed’ soul sounds pioneered in the 1960s and ’70s at both Stax and Fame studios. Detroit’s own ‘Native Son’ Moodymann recites Scott-Heron’s musical interpretation of John G. Fuller’s book of the same name, chronicling the partial meltdown in 1966 of Enrico Ferni Nuclear Generating Station, just 30 miles from the ‘Motor City’. An exquisite string accompaniment complements the mid-paced rhythm section, the song building steadily along as Moodymann coolly lays down his measured, semi-spoken lead. Featured background vocalists Fischer and Mizelle come into their inspirational own during the song’s final segment in a rousing ‘call and response’ exchange, bringing a palpable sense of drama to both music and the song’s disturbing subject matter.
The Bottle, Jackson and Scott-Heron’s dance floor magnum opus, becomes a wah-wah guitar led ‘disco extravaganza’ with a more than cursory nod in the direction of Hamilton Bohannon in his ‘Let’s Start The Dance’ phase. A top notch symphonic string arrangement a la Patrick Adams circa the legendary Harlem, NYC arranger/producer’s 1970s disco prime enhances the audio experience, in which concertmaster Burgess pays due homage to his legendary studio mentor, skilfully aided by the band’s horn section. Jackson’s fender rhodes is as good as it’s ever sounded (replete with song’s signature vamp), who assumes lead vocal duties alongside South London soul man Omar, on the duo’s movingly graphic narrative on alcohol abuse. Both singers are in inspired form, elevated considerably by some clever vocal interplay between the respective leads and formidable gospel styling of background trio Mizelle, Dunlap & Tallman.
Peace Go With You Brother has Wes Felton provide an introductory monologue alongside a ‘low end’ frequency fender rhodes played by Tosca that begins with the communal clarion call, ‘Now more than ever, all family must be together, every brother every where, feels the time is in the air, common blood flows through common veins’. Raheem Devaughn features once again; whose piercing, multi-layered lead and background colourings are perfectly suited for the sombre message ballad. A guitar led, full-bodied ’90s ‘hip hop soul’ arrangement underpins the rhythm section, the Apple Hill String Quartet contributing a tastefiully handled string accompaniment that favourably enhances the song’s melancholy mood.
Interlude Beautiful Dame is the first offering from multi-talented poet, writer, artist Raquel Ra Brown, the ‘Beautiful Dame’ being none other than that elusively definable thing called ‘music’. Ra Brown’s rich, velvet-toned vocal beguilingly lays bare her introspective thoughts on music’s primacy in the African-American paradigm. ‘Music is a muse to our dreams, inspired them to play out loud like we live’, she informs, ‘That music is that beautiful dame, that debonair dude that coaxed me out of pretty lace words from under where life is always a poem….Music is utterly, devastatingly, divinely the actual sound of life; just listen.’
Lady Day & John Coltrane has Manhattan, NYC singer/songwriter Rahsaan Patterson paying homage to two all-time jazz giants Billie Holiday and ‘Trane, whose individual artistic contributions came to re-define the very sound and trajectory of music. The celebrated Big Apple soul survivor takes the song on an all-new explorative journey, his broad ranged first tenor consummately at ease over the song’s percussively driven, syncopated soul-jazz arrangement, with some inspired soloing from Jackson and Renta respectively on fender rhodes and flute.
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised allows Black Thought from The Roots to enter into the fray, pulling no punches in a powerful re-configuring of Scott-Heron’s satirical masterpiece on the social engineering of popular consent. The Roots’ charismatic lead man brings the song right up to date, with ‘Drones’, ‘QR codes’, ‘Ebay’, ‘Amazon’, and ‘Fox News’, all getting their unceremonious calling out! ‘The revolution is the solution,’ the Philly-based wordsmith stridently proclaims, ‘It is both the question and the answer in these uncertain times…..because like evolution, the revolution has long been in effect!’ This latest offering reprises the original’s signature flute accompaniment, both Jackson and Renta sharing flautist duties who seamlessly flow through the song’s minimalist bass and drum rhythm backdrop.
Addiction (Interlude) sees talented wordsmith Raquel Ra Brown in rapid fire prose over a haunting sparse jazz arrangement, who offers a no-holds barred observational commentary on the perils of substance abuse and America’s woeful track record in addressing the matter. ‘People became addicted to the lie,’ the poet opines, ‘locking away Black and brown men, addicted to the flood of crack filling voids to destroying the lives of Black women and men, babies born addicted to crack, today it’s meth and opioids; it’s a crisis’.
Next is seasoned songstress Lisa Fischer, who stirringly engages on the compelling substance abuse themed Home Is Where The Hatred Is, originally recorded for ‘Pieces Of A Man.’ Set to a solidly propelled bass and backbeat drum rhythm section, this latest symphonic soul rendering scales impressive new heights, with phenomenal solos from both Jackson on fender rhodes and guitarist Sherrod Barnes, and a melodically ear-catching exchange between Fisher and the backing vocalists (Fischer and Mizelle) as the song reaches its ‘grand finale’ end phase. Burgess’s string orchestration brings depth and character to the song; a firm contender for Fisher’s finest ever recording as lead to date.
Raheem Devaughn returns a final time for Madison Avenue, this time drawing inspiration from the ‘purple-hued’ funk of Minneapolis, Minnesota, coating the song with a whole alternate feel. Scott-Heron and Jackson’s commentary on mass consumerism released on the duo’s ‘Secrets’ album is an infectiously uptempo affair; thoughtfully deposited strings complement both singer and rhythm section, and some impressive keyboard solo work from Jackson.
The lesser known Is That Jazz (from Gil Scott-Heron’s ‘Reflections’ 1981 solo effort), retains the original song’s acoustic ‘swing’ feel, albeit with a far punchier rhythm arrangement. Rahsaan Patterson is the featured vocalist who is in outstanding form, giving full reign to those under utilised jazz chops, accompanied by the equally above par female backing vocal quartet, and enjoyable flourishes from Jackson on acoustic piano over John Benitez’s deftly executed upright bass.
More Than Ever (Interlude) has Raquel Ra Brown’s smooth textured vocal enter into a transcendental realm all of its own, as she offers her own personal declaration of a mother’s unconditional love for her (as yet to be born) son. Jackson’s ‘warm to the touch’ fender rhodes is partnered with Benitez’s perfectly attuned acoustic bass and a sublime string arrangement that sets the tone for the talented ‘DC via North Philly’ wordsmith to weave a lyrical magic spell like no other.
The all-new title track Now More Than Ever is a half-spoken / half sung affair, set to a modern day polyrhythmic ‘drum and bass’ arrangement. Jackson combines the spoken prose styling of Maya Angelou with the righteous-imbued falsetto of Curtis Mayfield; its semi-chanted chorus, ‘It’s Now! Now more than ever, all the family got to be together’, being vaguely reminiscent of fellow NYC soul man Tashan in his mid-late 1980s Def Jam prime. A refreshingly welcome addition to the Jackson songbook that pays respectful homage to two of Black America’s greatest ever 20th century creative talents.
Home Is Where The Hatred Is (Brian on lead vocal) gets a second re-visit, Jackson taking the vocal lead this time round over a guitar-driven jazz-funk arrangement, the fender rhodes centre stage on this occasion; evocative of that memorable Gil-Scott Heron and Brian Jackson, July 1976 live recording at Paul’s Mall, Boston as featured on ‘It’s Your World’.
Moonshine picks up the inspirational baton from Jackson’s own vocal of ‘Home Is Where the Hatred Is’; a groove-laden funk/jazz instrumental workout that harks directly back to The Midnight Band in its full mid-’70s rhythmic pomp. Jackson and the band are in fine improvisational form, that has some inspired soloing from Carl Cornwell on tenor sax.
Racetrack In France from ‘Bridges’ gets itself an MAW bass foot-pedal bumpin’ ‘4 to the floor’ makeover, with underground house masters Josh Milan and Moodymann given the reigns that will have club dancers worldwide groovin’ to their ‘Body & Soul’ hearts delight. J. Ivy appears once again to give the lowdown on that star-studded event back in 1976 that co-featured ‘Eddie Palmieri, Larry Coryell, Taj Mahal, Ray Barretto, Dave Liebman, Tom Scott’, and where, ‘The music ain’t stop!’
Winter In America is brought straight into the present day millennia, re-imagined with an all-new Kenny Dope ‘broken’ club dance floor styled arrangement that shoots straight to the sonic jugular. Josh Milan’s gospel-tinged vocals, given an atmospheric over-dub, underpin Rich Medina’s mellifluous, semi-spoken baritone who truly shines on the song as he grimly declares, ‘Like the peace sign that filtered in our dreams, that never had a chance to grow, somebody ought to go tell them, that it is winter, cold, like winter in America, A time when all the healer’s have been killed, betrayed’. A powerfully delivered re-crafting that will impact both old fans and newer converts in equal appreciative measure.
The album’s final offering New York City, gets re-birthed here as a mid-paced, bass-driven, disco-funk dancer. ‘Little’ Louie Vega imprints his Elements of Life creative stamp on the song’s rhythm and background vocal arrangement, giving a new lease of life to one of Scott-Heron and Jackson’s most well known outings. Jackson’s richly hued baritone impressively resonates on his former music partner’s optimistic ode to the city of Jackson’s birth. Vega’s soulful-styled EOL arrangement makes it every bit a Big Apple music affair, supplemented with impeccable ‘call and response’ background vocal support from Mizelle, Dunlap and Tallman that fittingly brings proceedings to a close.
For Jackson, ‘Now More Than Ever’ is also an ode to those musicians collectively known as The Midnight Band, those who were part of the essence of it – some of the group’s personnel having comprised the nucleus of ‘Blacks & Blues’, a band Scott-Heron and Jackson came to work together in circa 1969-70 at Lincoln University. ‘One of the things I hope this album does is give some respect back to them. I want this album to honour them for what they did. Without The Midnight Band, there wouldn’t have been that sound. Thanks to Charlie Saunders, Eddie Knowles, Victor Brown, David Barnes, Jackie Brown, David Oates, Reggie Williams, Delbert Taylor, Tony Green, Alan Barnes, Bilal Sunni Ali, Bob Adams, Danny Bowens, Barnett Williams, Tony Duncanson, Ed Brady, Siggie Dillard, Leon Clark, Robbie Gordon, Carl Cornwell, Kenny Wright and Reggie Brisbane. There are so many people who had so much to do with this music, some who have sadly passed away. This album is as much a tribute to them.’
While honouring the past, the album is every bit a contemporary endeavour, one of creative re-invention made demonstrably complete by the grand sum of all its parts. It is a timely reminder of what can be achieved when exceptionally gifted singers, street poet wordsmiths and players of instruments are communally brought together, unfettered by commercial impulses and artistic constraint; in this instance where equipped with socially conscious songs of liberation and hope for a better world that still deeply resonate in our all-too turbulent present. ‘This is a collective work of love,’ Jackson respectfully affirms, ‘It’s been one of the greatest opportunities of my life to work with these great artists and musicians. I have to give a special mention to Pete Adarkwah whose invaluable input and unwavering support of the project from the very outset all the way through to completion has been nothing short of admirable.’
‘Now More Than Ever’ heralds a much welcome addition in the African-American music continuum by one of its foremost living sons; a work of artistic excellence conceived and respectfully crafted in a contemporary cultural milieu where all too often hyped mediocrity has reigned over substance. It will be warmly embraced by blues, jazz, soul and funk folk long loyal to the cause and the profound messages enshrined within the songs, while appealing to a newer generation of listeners attuned to more contemporary sounds that Jackson has instinctively embraced; one that will stand time’s passage beyond the mere here and now. Immerse yourself in and enjoy this impressively rendered, musically dynamic latest chapter in the Brian Jackson odyssey.
