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.
Love Is
Milt Jackson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Til you've learned the meaning of the blues
Until you've loved a love you've had to lose,
You don't know what love is.
You don't know how lips hurt
Until you've kissed and had to pay the cost,
Until you've flipped your heart and you have lost,
Do you know how a lost heart fears
At the thought of reminiscing,
And how lips that taste of tears
Lose their taste for kissing?
You don't know how hearts burn
For love that can, not live yet never dies.
Until you've faced each dawn with sleepless eyes,
You don't know what love is.
Milt Jackson’s song, “Love Is” is an emotionally profound and insightful commentary on the nature of love. The lyrics of the song are masterfully crafted and convey a sense of depth and complexity surrounding the idea of love. The opening line, “You don’t know what love is, Until you’ve learned the meaning of the blues,” highlights the emotional pain that often accompanies love. The blues, a genre of music known for its melancholic and soulful sound, is used as a metaphor for the difficult and often heart-wrenching aspects of love that are necessary to experience in order to truly understand it.
The second stanza further emphasizes this point by stating that “Until you’ve loved a love you’ve had to lose, You don’t know what love is.” Love, in all its power and beauty, is necessarily linked to its inverse - heartbreak. The lyrics convey that one cannot really understand the depth and complexity of love until they have experienced the full range of emotions it can produce, including the pain of loss.
The third stanza touches on the physicality of love, particularly the kiss. It talks about how a kiss can be both beautiful and painful, and how heartache can leave one feeling completely lost. The final stanza drives home the point that love is a powerful force that can consume and overwhelm us. It speaks to the agony of sleepless nights, the yearning for a love that is no more, and the emotional turmoil that we can experience when we truly love someone.
Overall, “Love Is” is a beautiful expression of the complex and multifaceted nature of love. It highlights the beauty and joy that can come from love, while also acknowledging the very real pain and heartache that often accompany it. The song’s ability to capture the emotional complexities of love has made it a classic and enduring piece of music.
Line by Line Meaning
You don't know what love is
Until you experience its true essence, you cannot understand or grasp its meaning.
'Til you've learned the meaning of the blues
You must understand the depths of sadness and heartache to fully comprehend what love truly is.
Until you've loved a love you've had to lose,
Experiencing the pain of losing someone you deeply loved is necessary to understand the true nature of love.
You don't know how lips hurt
The physical pain of heartache and loss is often felt in different parts of the body, including the lips.
Until you've kissed and had to pay the cost,
The price of love can be high, and until you've experienced it firsthand, you cannot fully understand its weight.
Until you've flipped your heart and you have lost,
The heartache of losing someone you love is indescribable and must be experienced to comprehend.
Do you know how a lost heart fears
The fear of losing someone you love is all-consuming and can be overwhelming.
At the thought of reminiscing,
The mere thought of reflecting on past memories can be terrifying for someone with a broken heart.
And how lips that taste of tears
Tears are a physical reminder of heartache and loss, and the memory of them can make kissing unbearable.
Lose their taste for kissing?
When someone experiences heartache and loss, their desire for physical intimacy, such as kissing, can diminish greatly.
You don't know how hearts burn
The pain of heartache can manifest as a physical and emotional burn that can feel never-ending.
For love that can, not live yet never dies.
The love for someone who is no longer present in your life can feel eternal and unending.
Until you've faced each dawn with sleepless eyes,
The all-encompassing pain of heartache can keep someone up all night, unable to sleep or find peace.
You don't know what love is.
Without experiencing the full spectrum of love, including its pain and heartache, one cannot truly understand what love really is.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DON RAYE, GENE DE PAUL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ivamar Alves
Que disco fantástico! E nem poderia deixar de ser, considerando-se os gênios nele presentes, como Milt Jackson, Herbie Hancock, Freddie Hubbard, Ron Carter, Billy Cobham, Jay Berliner. Música instrumental em momento sublime.
Robert Perry
So many memories. This was an album I lost to hurricane Katrina. Perhaps I last heard this 20 years ago. Thanks Milt and Youtube
silvanusslaughter
An exceptional album. This cut especially.
seaetch
One of my favourites for ever! beautiful melancholy...reminds you of another time when you had walked the same road with someone who's not there anymore!
Tommy .Gibbons
seaetch Geez, 8yrs. ago!
Roberto oliveira melo filho
Um mergulho profundo nas possibilidades combinatórias, quando os instrumentos conversam naturalmente entre si, produzindo essa maravilha para a sensibilidade musical. Simplesmente flui...
Altair Chaves da Silva
Não há site que se iguale ao YOUTUBE!!! Aqui é possível encontrar perólas raríssimas e de bom gosto com esse clássico. Quem dera fosse usado apenas para a proliferação da cultura sensível e educativa... Talvez influenciasse que maneira bem mais positiva esse mundo tão conturbado. PARABÉNS !!!
eloisabreu
Minha predileta, não há igual. Para almas muito sensíveis. Obrigada pela postagem.
Ronald L Whitaker
This is the music you play when you want her to know the truth about how you feel about her!
luis andres paniagua rodriguez
Milton, Herbie, Freddie, Ron y Billy... ¡tremendo trabuco!... solo podía desembocar en una obra maestra... ¡bravo!