Press and Praise for George Jackson’s Albums
“New Zealand fiddle phenom George Jackson has a new album … Center of the Universe, with a group he assembled for this purpose called Local Trio. [On] Cumberland Gap George and Trio perfectly capture the hypnotic groove this tune possesses.” - Bluegrass Today
“Throughout, the interplay of fiddle and banjo tells a whole story from start to finish, and as with all instrumental music, it’s the listener’s role to imagine the story being told… Jackson writes songs with an ear for narrative just as much as for melody.” - No Depression
“…the smoothness of Jackson’s playing despite the fast tempo of the song could easily be mistaken for a fiddling legend like Kenny Baker”. “Without prior knowledge, it’s hard to distinguish between the new tunes and their traditional counterparts, and that’s exactly how Jackson likes it.” - Nashville Scene
“Like all of the original tunes on the album, Jackson wrote "Turtle Rock" for the banjo player he wanted to play it with. With its blend of precision and undulating mellow rhythm, there is no question that "Turtle Rock" was written for Uma Peters.”- Bluegrass Pride
“This is an outstanding baker’s dozen of fiddle tunes, all of them originals and all of them with a firm grasp of the tradition. What is even more remarkable is that the writer of these tunes is originally from New Zealand. Jackson moved to Nashville after going to university for jazz studies in Australia. There is no indication of an outright jazz influence other than in the subtle chord choices from time to time and the fine arrangements of each tune.”- Bluegrass Unlimited
“His tunes have the same buoyant energy of traditional old-time music, the groove is elastic, and the band (of combined nationality) has a matching ruffled timbre. So while deeply honoring the form, the new compositions and traces of the stylistic scope that George and the other players embody bring a freshness — it still smells like an old guitar, but with a new set of strings.”- Nashville Scene
“It continues: the year that instrumental music totally demolished and owned the landscape of “amazing records that were released” and George Jackson‘s ‘Time and Place’ hits that nail directly on the head…and sends it through the floorboards and digs itself down into the earth, unwavering in its delivery and sticking there for the long haul… Jackson’s arrangements and tunes are standouts in their melodic catchiness and overall vibe. They have a movement to them. You get caught up in the tidal wave of sound, but never lose sight of that melody. Sounding and feeling like traditional songs you have played around jams for decades, but there is something more.”- Redline Roots
“Time and Place is a timeless sounding album, springing forth from Jackson's fiddle like an old-time tune you know intimately, but at the same time delivered with a sense of freshness and vitality that brings each song to life.” - Tim Newby
“These tunes sit effortlessly along old-time classics while being steeped in Jackson’s own personality” - Songlines Magazine, UK
Interviews and articles:
NO DEPRESSION ARTICLE: CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE (ON AI AND MAKING ART IN TODAY’S CLIMATE) - READ HERE
NO DEPRESSION ARTICLE: WHY MAKE A FIDDLE ALBUM -READ HERE
Bluegrass Today Premiere: Neighbor Mike HERE
The Bluegrass Situation Premiere: Mississippi Sawyer HERE
Interview and tunes with Oldtime Central
Essay in No Depression “Can an Immigrant Play American Music? A Fiddlers Thoughts on Authenticity.”
Excerpt from piece in No Depression “Violins of Hope”.
https://www.nodepression.com/violins-hope-voice-stories-past/