DEWEY JACKSON

It seems strange that Dewey Jackson made so few recordings because he was one of the biggest names in St. Louis jazz of the 1920's and was considered a legend for decades. Jackson played early on with the Odd Fellows Boys' Band (1912), Tommy Evans (1916-17) and George Reynolds' Keystone Band. After working on riverboats with Charles Creath, Jackson led his Golden Melody band (1920-23). During 1924-41 the trumpeter was a fixture on the riverboats, either heading his own groups (including the St. Louis Peacock Charleston Orchestra) or working as a sideman with Fate Marable and Charlie Creath. The one exception was a four-month stretch in 1926 when Jackson was with Andrew Preer's Orchestra at New York's Cotton Club. He was only a part-time player in the 1940's, having a day job, but then worked fairly frequently in the 1950's including with Singleton Palmer and Don Ewell's Trio (1951). Jackson read more...