Milton "Bags" Jackson (January 1, 1923 – October 9, 1999) was an American j… Read Full Bio ↴Milton "Bags" Jackson (January 1, 1923 – October 9, 1999) was an American jazz vibraphonist, usually thought of as a bebop player, although he performed in several jazz idioms. He is especially remembered for his cool swinging solos as a member of the Modern Jazz Quartet and his penchant for collaborating with several hard bop and post-bop players.

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.

Star Eyes
Milt Jackson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Star eyes,
That to me is what your eyes are,
Soft as stars in April skies are,
Tell me some day you'll fulfill
Their promise of a thrill.

Star eyes,
Flashing eyes in which my hopes rise,

Let me show you where my heart lies.
Let me prove that it adores
That loveliness of yours.

All my life I've felt
Content to stargaze at the skies.
Now I only want to to melt
The stardust in your eyes.

Star eyes,
When if ever, will my lips know
If it's me for whom those eyes glow?
Makes no diff'rence where you are,

Your eyes still hold my wishing star,
Oh, star eyes, how lovely you are.

Overall Meaning

The song Star Eyes by Milt Jackson Orchestra is essentially a love song, with the singer expressing a deep admiration and attraction to someone with captivating, star-like eyes. The use of celestial imagery throughout the song evokes a sense of wonder and beauty, comparing the softness of the person's eyes to stars in the April skies. The singer is clearly enamored with this person, hoping that one day they will fulfill the promise of a thrill that their eyes seem to hold. The chorus repeats the phrase "Star eyes" several times, emphasizing the significance and power of the person's gaze. Despite the uncertainty of whether or not the person reciprocates the singer's feelings, they remain smitten, with their heart lying in the same place as the person's flashing eyes.

The lyrics of Star Eyes provide a vivid picture of a romantic attraction and the longing associated with it. The use of rich imagery, including stars and the night sky, further intensify the sense of awe and admiration the singer has for the person with star-like eyes. The song highlights the power of a single feature, such as captivating eyes, to hold someone's attention and affection. Overall, the lyrics of Star Eyes encapsulate the feeling of being completely entranced by someone, admiring their beauty and hoping for the chance to experience a thrilling connection with them.

Line by Line Meaning

Star eyes
Your eyes resemble stars

That to me is what your eyes are
In my eyes, your eyes are like stars

Soft as stars in April skies are
Your eyes are as soft as stars seen in April skies

Tell me some day you'll fulfill
Promise me that someday you'll fulfill

Their promise of a thrill
Your eyes have promised to thrill me

Flashing eyes in which my hopes rise
When your eyes flash, my hopes rise

Let me show you where my heart lies
Allow me to show you where my heart truly is

Let me prove that it adores
Let me prove that my heart truly adores

That loveliness of yours
The loveliness that you possess

All my life I've felt
Throughout my life, I've always felt

Content to stargaze at the skies
Satisfied with just stargazing up into the sky