Chicago Reader review of A Round Goal
The talent of Chicago's Keefe Jackson as an improvising reedist has long been beyond reproach. His work as sideman in groups led by Jason Stein, Pandelis Karayorgis, and Josh Berman, to say nothing of his key participation in the collective Fast Citizens has been astonishing—a consistent source of elegantly constructed, logically flowing improvisations that move easily between postbop and free jazz.
--Peter Margasak, Chicago Reader
A Round Goal release party
Release party concert for A Round Goal. Featuring the Chicago lineup of Likely So: Nick Mazzarella, Dave Rempis, Mars Williams, James Falzone, Jeff Kimmel, Guillermo Gregorio, Jason Stein, Keefe Jackson. Also appearing, Paul Giallorenzo's GitGo, with Mars Williams, Anton Hatwich, Quin Kirchner, Jeb Bishop.
Poster by Lisa Armstrong and Chris Kalis, for sale:
Duope fall tour
Fall tour 2013
Christoph Erb, Tomeka Reid and Keefe Jackson are touring the eastern US October 27th - November 5th to support the new CD 'Duope' from Veto Records/Exchange. We'll play in Lexington, the Carolinas, Baltimore, Brooklyn and Ohio. Special guests Jeb Bishop, Jaimie Branch, and Nate Wooley will be joining us on certain shows. See the shows page for complete details.
Keefe Jackson, saxophonist/clarinetist/improvisor/composer, arrived in Chicago in 2001 from his native Fayettevile, Arkansas. He performs regularly in the U.S. and in Europe with many musicians including Tim Daisy, Dave Rempis, Jeb Bishop, Jason Roebke, Guillermo Gregorio, Jason Adasiewicz, Mike Reed, Jason Stein, Josh Berman, Aram Shelton, Fred Lonberg-Holm, Frank Rosaly, Jason Roebke, Anton Hatwich, and Marc Unternaehrer in groups such as the Fast Citizens, Chicago Luzern Exchange, and Keefe Jackson's Project Project (big band) and Likely So (reed septet). He has also appeared with Michael Moore, Ab Baars, Michiel Braam, Satoko Fujii, and Anthony Coleman. Bill Meyer, writing in the Chicago Reader, commended: "...the impeccable logic of his lines and the richness of his tone leave you wanting more... Jackson's high-register squiggles and coarsely voiced, rippling runs push the limits of the tenor's tonal envelope." Frank van Herk, writing in de Volkskrant (Amsterdam), asserted that "...[Jackson] has an old-fashioned, warm-woolly sound, and a feeling for melodic lines that take their time in unfolding." He was mentioned in the 2012 DownBeat Critics Poll in the Rising Star Tenor Saxophone category. Recordings are available on Delmark and Clean Feed Records.