Making music that matters

Thomas Jackson doesn’t spend time worrying about what is hip in music.

He isn’t about current trends or the cutting edge either.

He only worries about making good music because he knows if the music is good then it is inherently hip.

Bands like Led Zeppelin and the Beatles will always be cool because they were first good, he said.

Jackson has been a staple in the Hattiesburg music scene for more than 10 years and currently teaches guitar at Mississippi Music Inc. On any given weekend, you can find him playing in a dive bar or coffee shop around South Mississippi. And he always draws a crowd.

Jackson and his drummer, Jed Newell, have played steadily every week since they met. With the recent addition of bass player, Warren Ard, the Thomas Jackson Orchestra became a three-piece act.

It’s clear Jackson holds the musicians who back him up in high regard – he refers to them as “top-notch” and compliments them often. “A songwriter is only as good as his band,” Jackson confesses.

Anyone who has seen Jackson perform live knows well the raw, emotive quality in his voice. His lyrics and delivery are honest and sincere.

Besides the band, this may be his greatest weapon.

“My songs come from different places; a girl breaking my heart or something like that. Others just come to me. But I’m always writing to get better. The more you do it, the better you get. And if I feel like the song or lyrics is strained or forced, I give up and come back to it later,” said Jackson.

Jackson’s various projects have gone through several revolving members and incarnations. While this might be discouraging for some to have to regroup every few years, Jackson has spent that time honing and perfecting his craft. The result is a sound that is uniquely his own and rooted in Mississippi Delta Blues. It’s a sound that Thomas describes as “Southern Americana Rock.”

Whatever it’s called, Jackson’s music is rooted in blues. Several of his songs even have the word “blues” in the title. But while this may seem kitschy to some, Jackson’s music has an authenticity to it unlike anything playing on the radio. It’s also a sound some musicians spend their entire careers trying to imitate.

“When I was a kid I was into a lot of classic rock. You know, most kids are. It made me want to get a guitar. All of the classic rock guys were heavily influenced by the blues and I would read about them talking about (Delta blues giants) Robert Johnson and Charlie Patton. It made me curious about them. Once I figured out the 1-4-5 chord structure of blues it started feeling natural to me,” said Jackson.

A physical copy of the Thomas Jackson Orchestra’s CD is available at T-Bone Records on Hardy Street or CDBaby.com. If you prefer to download MP3’s you can get them from Napster.com. The Thomas Jackson Orchestra will also be performing at Seasons in Oak Grove on Oct. 29 and the Keg & Barrel on Nov. 21.