On the heels of his acclaimed two-album collaboration with the late poet and activist Nikki Giovanni, tenor saxophonist Javon Jackson embarks on a new project paying tribute to one of America’s most revered songwriters, whose own work has been hailed for its intricate poetry and outspoken politics. With Jackson Plays Dylan, scheduled for release on April 10, 2026 via his own Solid Jackson Records imprint in a collaboration with Palmetto Records, the saxophonist explores the music of the iconic singer-songwriter, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winner Bob Dylan. Jackson Plays Dylan finds the saxophonist delving into songs spanning more than 3 decades of the legendary songwriter’s career, from still-poignant folk anthems to incisive & timeless love songs. Jackson is joined on the album by pianist & keyboardist Jeremy Manasia, bassist Isaac Levine, drummer Ryan Sands, and Grammy-winning guest vocalists Lisa Fischer & Nicole Zuraitis. The jazz-focused saxophonist had grown up with almost no awareness of rock music, unfamiliar with even a cultural icon on the level of Bob Dylan. That didn’t change until he was in his 20s and joined the ranks of the final incarnation of the Jazz Messengers. Mr. Blakey’s attorney was a Dylan fan and introduced Javon to the music and the film Hurricane came out in 1999. That drama starred Denzel Washington as Rubin “Hurricane” Carter, a black middleweight boxer who spent more than 18 years in prison for a murder that he didn’t commit. The film brought renewed attention to Dylan’s 1976 song “Hurricane,” which strongly denounces the criminal justice system and its use of racial profiling to falsely convict Carter. The song provided Jackson with a renewed insight into the bold strain of social justice that has illuminated so much of Dylan’s work. In that sense, Dylan’s work parallels that of Nikki Giovanni, with whom Jackson formed a strong bond over the course of their 2 critically acclaimed collaborations: The Gospel According to Nikki Giovanni (2022) & Javon and Nikki Go to the Movies (2024). Though the idea of a Dylan tribute had been in the back of Jackson’s mind since he discovered “Hurricane,” the present project was conceived with Giovanni’s participation in mind, but sadly, those plans came to an unfortunate end on December 9, 2024, when Giovanni passed away from complications of lung cancer. Jackson Plays Dylan thus became a dual tribute – a celebration of Bob Dylan’s music and a posthumous continuation of the work that Jackson & Giovanni had embarked upon together.
About Javon:
Missouri-born tenor saxophonist Javon Jackson left his studies at Berklee College of Music in 1986 to join Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, where he remained a fixture until Blakey’s passing in 1990. In 1991, Jackson made his recording debut with Me and Mr. Jones, featuring James Williams, Christian McBride, & master drummer Elvin Jones. He joined Jones’ group in 1992, appearing on the great drummer’s albums Youngblood & Going Home. Jackson’s 1994 Blue Note debut, When the Time Is Right, was a straight-ahead affair produced by iconic jazz vocalist & bandleader Betty Carter. His subsequent 4 Blue Note recordings featured wildly eclectic programs ranging from Caetano Veloso, Frank Zappa & Santana to Muddy Waters, Al Green & Serge Gainsbourg. For the Palmetto label he explored a blend of funk, jazz & soul with such stellar sidemen as organist Dr. Lonnie Smith, guitarists Mark Whitfield & David Gilmore, trombonist Fred Wesley & drummer Lenny White. In 2012, he launched his own Solid Jackson Records with Celebrating John Coltrane.
