Take Five: Classics from Joe Jackson

When Joe Jackson first appeared on the music scene in 1979, he was promoted as part of music’s new wave. But the British-born pianist, songwriter and singer has always been about much more than musical trends. His work has explored a wide range of styles, from punk to ska to jump blues, swing, jazz and modern classical.

Jackson’s biggest commercial success came with 1982’s Night and Day, an urbane, sophisticated and nuanced collection of songs with a New York City feel; five singles would be issued in the U.S. from that album; two of those – “Steppin’ Out” and “Breaking Us in Two” – would make it into Billboard’s Top Ten. But there are plenty other fantastic if lesser-known tracks from the prolific Jackson, who these days makes his home in Berlin. In celebration of his recent 70th birthday, here are five classics from Joe Jackson.

“Is She Really Going Out With Him?” from Look Sharp! (1979)
Jackson’s debut single really did sound like new wave, with a style and attitude that earned him praise, and comparisons to everyone from Elvis Costello to Graham Parker. Under the skinny-tie sheen, the song showed an intriguing sophistication that would be more fully explored in his subsequent work. It was a slow-burn success: On its first release in 1978, the single failed to chart anywhere in the world. Reissued a year later, “Is She Really Going Out With Him?” landed in the Top 40 in the UK, Australia, Canada, Ireland, the Netherlands and New Zealand, and climbed to #21 in the U.S.

“Is You Is or Is You Ain’t My Baby” from Joe Jackson’s Jumpin’ Jive (1981)
The jump blues and swing music of the 1940s is a kind of missing link between big band jazz and rock and roll. Later-day compilations helped listeners make that connection, but in 1981 when Jackson released an album of songs originally made famous by Louis Jordan and Cab Calloway, few understood. Though widely hailed by critics, Joe Jackson’s Jumpin’ Jive was only a modest commercial success in the U.S.

“You Can’t Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Want)” from Body and Soul (1984)
For his seventh studio album (not counting the overlooked Mike’s Murder soundtrack from 1983), Joe Jackson combined his pop-rock stylings with an exuberant horn section. Following on from the sound of Night and Day, Body and Soul boasted a “bigger” sonic palette and a live-in-the-studio feel that connected it to classic bop-era jazz LPs. The cover art did that, too: the photo and duotone-styled color scheme is an explicit nod to jazz great Sonny Rollins’ 1957 album Vol. 2. The album’s breakout single climbed to #15 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

“Nineteen Forever” from Blaze of Glory (1989)
After a trio of experiments – the live-with-silent-audience Big World (1986), a dense modern classical work (1987’s Will Power) and a Grammy-nominated soundtrack (Tucker: The Man and His Dream from 1988), Joe Jackson returned with a comparatively conventional release in Blaze of Glory. His uptempo, urbane and supremely tuneful approach was still a foundation of the album, exemplified by this sentimental and bouncy hit (#4 on Billboard’s Modern Rock singles chart). Vinnie Zummo’s electric sitar licks are a key to the tune’s appeal.

“It Don’t Mean a Thing (If it Ain’t Got That Swing)” from The Duke (2012)
Jackson’s deep love of classic jazz has shown up in his work throughout his career. And in 2012 he set aside his songwriting talents, recording an album in tribute to one of the 20th century’s greatest composers, Duke Ellington. The Duke deftly balanced musical reverence with Jackson’s desire to create a forward-looking and contemporary album. To wit, guitar shredder Steve Vai appears on two tracks. The classic “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If it Ain’t Got That Swing)” was first cut by Ellington in 1932, but for Jackson’s reading, he’s joined by a perhaps unlikely co-vocalist: Iggy Pop. Oddly enough, the pairing works, with the arrangement folding in elements of Parisian gypsy jazz.