A very expressive player, Jackson differentiated himself from other vibraphonists in his attention to variations on harmonics and rhythm. He was particularly fond of the twelve-bar blues at slow tempos. He preferred to set the vibraphone's oscillator to a low 3.3 revolutions per second (as opposed to Lionel Hampton's speed of 10 revolutions per second) for a more subtle vibrato. On occasion, Jackson would also sing and play piano professionally.
He was discovered by Dizzy Gillespie, who hired him for his sextet in 1946. He quickly acquired experience working with the most important figures in jazz of the era, including John Coltrane, Woody Herman, Howard McGhee, Thelonious Monk, and Charlie Parker. In the Gillespie big band one of his jobs was to play in a quartet with John Lewis, Percy Heath, and Kenny Clarke while the horn section took a break from the demanding high-register horn parts. This group became the Modern Jazz Quartet (MJQ), which had a long independent career of 20 years until disbanding in 1974 over financial problems (though it reformed in 1981). Jackson then toured alone, performing in various small combos.
From the mid-70s to the mid-80s, Jackson recorded for Norman Granz's Pablo Records, including the classic, "Jackson, Johnson, Brown & Company" (1983), featuring Jackson with J.J. Johnson on trombone, Ray Brown on bass, backed by Tom Ranier on piano, guitarist John Collins, and drummer Roy McCurdy.
He also guested on recordings by many leading jazz, blues and soul artists, such as B.B. King, Ray Charles, etc.
His composition "Bags' Groove" ("Bags" was his nickname, from the 'bags' under his eyes from staying up late) is a jazz standard. He has been featured on the NPR radio program Jazz Profiles.
I'll Remember April
Milt Jackson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We'll sigh goodbye to all we ever had
Alone where we have walked together
I'll remember April and be glad
I'll be content you loved me once in April
Your lips were warm and love and spring were new
I'm not afraid of autumn and her sorrow
The fire will dwindle into glowing ashes
For flames live such a little while
I won't forget but I won't be lonely
I'll remember April and smile
The lyrics of Milt Jackson's song "I'll Remember April" express a sense of nostalgia and reflection on a past love. The lyrics describe the passage of time, the passing of seasons, and the inevitable fading of a love affair. The first verse speaks of the lengthening of a lovely day into evening, which sets the tone of the song as one of contemplation and wistfulness. The second verse speaks of the memory of a past love in the month of April, when everything was new and full of promise. The line "I'm not afraid of autumn and her sorrow" suggests the inevitability of the end of a relationship and the sadness it brings, yet the singer finds solace in the memory of that love.
The final verse speaks of the impermanence of love, comparing it to a fire that "dwindles into glowing ashes." The singer acknowledges that the love may be gone but assures the listener that they will not be lonely, as the memory of April and that love will bring a smile. The lyrics encapsulate the bittersweet feeling of remembering a love that is now lost, yet finding joy in remembering and cherishing the moments shared.
Line by Line Meaning
This lovely day will lengthen into evening
The day will continue moving forward, transitioning into a beautiful evening
We'll sigh goodbye to all we ever had
We'll let go of everything we had in the past with a heavy heart
Alone where we have walked together
I'll be by myself in the places we used to go together
I'll remember April and be glad
But I'll still be happy because I'll always cherish the memories of April
I'll be content you loved me once in April
I'll feel satisfied knowing that you loved me during the time we spent together in April
Your lips were warm and love and spring were new
I remember your warm kisses and the feeling of falling in love during the fresh arrival of spring
I'm not afraid of autumn and her sorrow
I'm not scared of the melancholy fall season and its associated sadness
For I'll remember April and you
Because I'll always have the sweet memories of April, especially the ones with you
The fire will dwindle into glowing ashes
The passionate flame will soon die out and turn into soft, glowing embers
For flames live such a little while
Flames don't last long, despite their ferocity and intensity
I won't forget but I won't be lonely
I won't forget the past, but I won't feel lonely because I know that the memories will always be with me
I'll remember April and smile
When I think about April, I'll have a smile on my face because of the happiness and love that it brought me
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DON RAYE, GENE DE PAUL, PATRICIA JOHNSTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind