“In Style” is a global music project with trumpeter Douglas A. Jackson. The project was funded in part by an Artist Support Grant from the North Carolina Arts Council administered by Laurie Edwards and The Art of the Albemarle in Elizabeth City, North Carolina.
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Douglas Jackson, a Elizabeth City State University Professor and long-time trumpeter, began his artistic journey in an orchestral class at elementary school and took him around the world musically.
Now he hopes to share parts of that journey with the listeners through his global music project “In Style”.
“The ‘In Style’ project is my idea of music as different sounds and colors from around the world,” said Jackson. “You will hear an Asian theme, some Spanish themes, some R&B and some technical stuff. You will also hear some traditional live sessions with musicians. “
“In Style” started in 2001 as a thesis. Now, 20 years later, was “In Style” digitized and made available for everyone to enjoy.
The overall goal of the album is to introduce listeners to the wide range of music that is out there in the world, Jackson said. After researching all of the music on his own, he found that much of world music was missing from traditional music education.
“When I teach music, I always tell students to remember that even in Mozart’s or Beethoven’s time, people in Asia, East Africa, the Polynesian Islands, etc. were making music,” said Jackson.
Jackson’s own musical education began at the age of eight when he enrolled in an orchestral class taught by a traveling music teacher. The trumpet immediately caught Jackson’s attention, and in middle and high school he played in the jazz ensemble.
While the trumpet was his first love, Jackson’s interests began to grow early in his career. His desire to explore came from his family – his older sister played the cello, his younger brother played drums, and his mother played the piano.
“I was already surrounded by music and was allowed to study music primarily as an intellectual exercise,” said Jackson.
He sat in big band jazz ensembles and heard jazz trumpeters like Miles Davis and Clifford Brown. In college he read about musicians like Charlie Parker and producers like Quincy Jones.
Despite the years he has spent playing and studying jazz music, Jackson does not identify as a jazz musician.
“I’m trying to call myself more of a world musician,” said Jackson.
When Jackson made progress in his life Music careerhe found new styles and genres to explore. During his studies he played as part of a reggae band. In graduate school, he explored Los Angeles and discovered Latin Jazz due to its vast Afro-Cuban, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Mexican, and El Salvadoran cultures.
He decided to merge these cultures – and many more – into one album. By using his network of close friends and fellow musicians, he was able to bring together all of their musical expertise. After nine months of writing, playing and producing music, “In Style” was done.
Jackson hopes “In Style” will widen listeners’ attention to a variety of instruments, musical styles and world beats. With the diversity of the album, Jackson is confident that everyone will find something that resonates with them.
“To borrow a term from Quincy Jones, it’s gumbo. Everything goes in the pot and comes out well, ”said Jackson. “If you play it you will find out that something is there for you!”
