Great Live Moments - Milt Jackson

April 16, 2008. Posted by Joshua Jackson.

Add new comment | Filed under: detroit hometown, dinah washington, ella fitzgerald, etta jones, gospel group, Jazz Alive, jazz concert series, jazz instrument, lady legends, lionel hampton, Listening Post, Live Music, mickey roker, mike ledonne, milt jackson, monumental contributions, music bags, pianist peter, red norvo, spirit of jazz, vibraharp, vibraphonist, wbgo
detroit hometown

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ella fitzgerald

etta jones

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Jazz Alive

jazz concert series

jazz instrument

lady legends

lionel hampton

Listening Post

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mike ledonne

milt jackson

monumental contributions

music bags

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red norvo

spirit of jazz

vibraharp

vibraphonist

wbgo

WBGO staffers have big love for vibraphonist Milt Jackson. Among the monumental contributions to jazz music, "Bags" turned a set of percussive steel bars into a more versatile jazz instrument. His was an altogether different sound for the vibraharp, sonically more warm and mellow than his predecessors, Lionel Hampton and Red Norvo. Milt Jackson made the vibes sing.

It's no wonder that Milt Jackson was himself a singer, a teenaged tenor in a gospel group, The Evangelist Singers, in his Detroit hometown. He loved the sound of the voice, and he accompanied many singers throughout his career. One of his last records was Sa Va Bella (For Lady Legends), a tribute to the leading ladies of jazz that Milt Jackson loved so much - Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington, and Etta Jones.

WBGO recorded Milt Jackson's Quartet in the summer of 1996. The concert was part of the Oris Spirit of Jazz concert series (of which we are still proudly associated). Mike LeDonne is the pianist, Peter Washington the bassist, and Mickey Roker the drummer.

Listen to Milt Jackson's Sa Va Bella from the WBGO Archives.
© 2008 WBGO

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