Sat 1st June, 2019
8:00 pm - 10:30 pm (Doors: 7:30pm)
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Luke Jackson is an un-pidgeonhole-able (is that a word?) singer songwriter who has travelled a fair few thousand miles around the British Isles, initially with his dad Paul into pubs and bars, well run house concerts and more recently into folk & blues clubs, venues and festivals.
Luke’s songwriting draws on his experiences, family life, poignant stories he’s been told and fortunately, they’re all written in English as in his own words, he’s dreadful at languages!
His performance style and songwriting skills are constantly developing and improving as confirmed by him winning the Male Artist Of The Year from Fatea in 2014 and 2016 and being nominated in 2013 for the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards Best Emerging Talent and Young Folk Categories.
An accomplished performer who impresses from the outset and takes his audience on a shared journey with a full bus down the bye-ways of love, hope, sorrow, and melancholy via the service stations of folk, roots, blues, Americana and soul.
Playing solo, as a duo with Andy Sharps or as a trio with Elliott Norris, he regularly tours Belgium, Netherlands, Germany and all points of the UK as well as showcasing at the International Folk Alliance conference in Kansas, a residential songwriting train journey from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Montreal, Ontario in Canada.
Luke can fill rooms, with people leaving after the concert feeling refreshed and impressed by the ‘originality’ of the sound and shocked with how ‘full’ and ‘complete’ the trio sound with three part harmonies and the ability to have the crowd, clapping, stomping and singing along.
Luke also headlines with other artists such as Grammy award winning Amy Wadge, Folk Award winning duo Greg Russel and Ciaran Algar and NBCs The Voice star Rebecca Loebe.
Luke’s journey has been eventful but never to the point of being in danger of not being found! – his travels have seen him open for Fairport Convention, Glen Tillbrook, Show of Hands, Martyn Joseph, Paul Brady, Seth Lakeman, Marillion, Karine Polwart, and The Oysterband among others, with the odd mishap along the way such as when he once fell over very slowly and awkwardly in the middle of an airport. He didn’t find it funny, however his bass player Andy really did.
He implores you to ask him about it without him laughing about it again to the point of crying!
Always wanting to stretch himself and entertain his audience, Luke did once cover a Michael Jackson song and went for the classic MJ kick … but just put his size 91/2 boot through his mic stand and knocked it over! but has since perfected the art of a flawless performance, whether it’s his own original material or a well chosen and executed cover such as Prince’s Purple Rain. A long way from his first cover song in front of an audience which was House Of The Rising Sun at his Primary School leavers assembly!
His debut album ‘More Than Boys’, produced by the acclaimed Welsh Singer-Songwriter Martyn Joseph, was released in 2012 to great reviews, as was the follow up ‘Fumes and Faith’ in early 2014. In 2015 he released a 7 track EP with his trio, ‘This Family Tree’, which was described in a 5 star Maverick review as ”Two words. Bloody brilliant” and it further reflected his development as both a writer and performer
November 2016 saw the release of Luke’s 3rd full studio album, “Tall Tales and Rumours” to universal critical acclaim, which Maverick, in a 5 star review, described as “a brilliant, thoughtful album – Jackson shows talent beyond his years”. Whilst Acoustic Magazine noted “Jackson has been compared to a young Richard Thompson and for once these are not empty words”
In February 2018 Luke put out his first live album ‘Solo:Duo:Trio’ which again has been enthusiastically received, with Mike Harding noting “That’s got to be one of the most faultless live recordings ever in my opinion- he’s a great songwriter with a great voice and boy can he sing the blues”
Luke is an ever present in the live music scene, gigging relentlessly all over, and he remains a prolific songwriter in demand across the United Kingdom and Europe.
What They Say:
“Luke Jackson will win over your audience within minutes. A charming and charismatic performer of the highest quality. A true professional” Charles Devlin, Director, Ireby Festival..
“Jackson is one of the most dynamic and exciting live performers of his generation” Folk Radio
“Reminds me of Jeff Buckley, which can only be a good thing” – Mark Radcliffe BBC Radio 2
Every so often a new voice emerges, one so stunning that it knocks you sideways. Jackson has been compared to a young Richard Thompson and for once these are not empty words – Acoustic Magazine
Two words, bloody brilliant – Maverick 5 star review
Luke has already acquired both an unmistakable voice and a strikingly individual vision – fRoots Magazine
It comes as no surprise that Luke Jackson is continually feted as one of the British folk scene’s bright young things – R2 Magazine
One of the great voices of the new youngsters on the folk scene – and a terrific songwriter too – Mike Harding
“I always think of this song like a coming of age novel.” After the play he says: “That’s got to be one of the most faultless live recordings ever in my opinion – he’s a great songwriter with a great voice and boy can he sing the blues!” Mike Harding
He has a stage presence that many artists would kill for and a voice and guitar style that make you think that he’s a sixty year veteran who happens to have discovered the fountain of eternal youth – Fatea Magazine
If you think previous comparisons to Richard Thompson jump the gun, think again; because there’s something that sets this performance a discreet cut above the rest – Edinburgh Fringe Festival Review
Very powerful-impressive songs, individual playing and the singing-oh man the singing! – Folkcast
A sumptuous voice loaded with maturity and a melodically blessed guitar style – Spiral Earth
Luke Jackson sings with an extraordinarily rich voice and possesses a guitar technique astonishing for one so young. I first heard him sing four years ago and even then his songwriting suggested a performer of rare promise” – Steve Knightley, Show of Hands
Luke Jackson has an incredibly mature and expressive voice that can holler the blues or give sensitive treatment to his own more personal tales – R2 magazine