Brian Jackson Reimagines Jazz Classics for New Listeners

Keyboardist Brian Jackson has released a new triple LP that reinterprets his classic 1970s compositions for contemporary audiences.

The album, titled Now More Than Ever, is available on double CD and high-resolution digital formats through the British label BBE Music. It contains 19 tracks produced by house music duo Masters at Work. The production team includes Kenny Dope and Louie Vega. The release extends several original songs to lengths exceeding ten minutes, specifically “The Bottle,” “Home is Where the Hatred Is,” and “Racetrack in France.” These extended versions are designed for dancefloor performance.

Jackson co-wrote the core material with Gil Scott-Heron. The new recording updates the original lyrics to reflect current events while maintaining the underlying themes. Black Thought of the Roots performs on the track “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.” Jackson explained that he asked Black Thought to update the references for younger listeners. Black Thought responded that he understood the assignment. The album also features a long list of contributors, including Raheem DeVaughn, Rahsaan Patterson, Josh Milan, Moodymann, Omar, J. Ivy, Rich Medina, Raquel Ra Brown, and Wes Felton.

Lisa Fischer provides vocals on “Home is Where the Hatred Is.” Carl Cornwell plays saxophone on the record’s only instrumental, “Moonshine (Live).” Jackson has maintained a musical career since the turn of the 21st century. He released a Jazz is Dead album in 2021 with Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad in Los Angeles. That earlier project was cataloged as JID 008.

Jackson described the years following the conclusion of his collaboration with Scott-Heron and the Midnight Band. During that period, record deals and live bookings were difficult to secure. DJs and house music producers eventually embraced his work. They revered his earlier contributions to jazz fusion. This acceptance helped shape the new project’s sonic direction.

Jackson attributes his current creative output to the influence of other artists. He stated that he is inspired by the ideas and vision of others. He noted that without the artistic contributions of the past and present, he would not be producing music today. The album serves as a bridge between his early radical jazz roots and the modern spoken word and jazz audiences.