Biography
The moniker Jackson and His Southern Stompers evokes images of hardened thugs expelling counterculture types from Mississippi, yet the name actually belongs to a little-documented 1920s ensemble that continues to puzzle record collectors and scholars alike. Although certain researchers contend that Jackson served merely as an alias frequently adopted by an unnamed producer, substantial indications point instead to pianist Mike Jackson as the ensemble’s director.
In 1928 the group cut two titles in New York City—“Dusky Stevedore” and “Take Your Tommorow and Give Me Today”—for the Marathon label. The arrangements spotlight piano supported by drums, banjo, saxophone, trumpet, and brass bass, though session documentation leaves all supporting players anonymous. Both numbers originated with the prolific songwriting partnership of Andy Razaf and J.C. Johnson; “Dusky Stevedore” had first been marketed to hillbilly audiences by vocalist Roy Evans before Columbia reissued it within its mainstream popular series. No evidence confirms whether the band ever appeared in live performance. Unrelated ensembles sharing superficially similar names include the electronic project Jackson & His Computer Band and the rock group Mike Jackson and the Soul Providers.
In 1928 the group cut two titles in New York City—“Dusky Stevedore” and “Take Your Tommorow and Give Me Today”—for the Marathon label. The arrangements spotlight piano supported by drums, banjo, saxophone, trumpet, and brass bass, though session documentation leaves all supporting players anonymous. Both numbers originated with the prolific songwriting partnership of Andy Razaf and J.C. Johnson; “Dusky Stevedore” had first been marketed to hillbilly audiences by vocalist Roy Evans before Columbia reissued it within its mainstream popular series. No evidence confirms whether the band ever appeared in live performance. Unrelated ensembles sharing superficially similar names include the electronic project Jackson & His Computer Band and the rock group Mike Jackson and the Soul Providers.