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.

The Look of Love
Milt Jackson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

The look of love
Is in your eyes
A look your smile can't
disguise

The look of love
Is saying so much more than
Just words could every say

And what my heart has heard
Well it takes my breath away

[Chorus]
I can hardly wait to hold you
Feel my arms around you
How long I have waited
Waited just to love you
Now that I have found you

You've got the look of love
It's on your face
A look that time can't erase
Baby be mine, tonight

Let this be just the start of
So many nights like this
Let's take a lovers vow
And seal it with a kiss

[Chorus]

Don't ever go
Don't ever go
I love you so
The look of love

Let this be just the start of
So many nights like this
Let's take a lover's vow
And baby we'll seal it with a kiss

[Chorus]

Overall Meaning

The Look of Love by Milt Jackson is a song that speaks to the power of non-verbal communication. The lyrics describe how the look of love in a person's eyes can speak volumes, saying more than any words ever could. This look is so powerful that it takes the singer's breath away. The chorus reveals the singer's longing to hold the person with the look of love, and how they have waited for so long to find this person. The song also speaks about the importance of sealing the love that has been found with a kiss, and taking a vow of love.

The song is a testament to the power of a look and how it can reveal feelings that words cannot express. The lyrics also emphasize the importance of seizing the moment and not letting love slip away. The promise of a lovers' vow is a declaration of commitment and a willingness to hold onto the love that has been found. The song concludes with the singer pleading with the person to never leave, expressing their deep love and passion.

Line by Line Meaning

The look of love
The expression on your face that indicates love

Is in your eyes
The indication of love is revealed by looking into your eyes

A look your smile can't disguise
Even though you try to hide it, your smile cannot conceal the expression of love

The look of love
The expression of love remains apparent

Is saying so much more than
The expression of love reveals more than

Just words could every say
What can be said with words cannot match what the expression of love reveals

And what my heart has heard
My heart can sense and understand the expression of love

Well it takes my breath away
The very existence of love leaves a profound impact on my being

I can hardly wait to hold you
I am eager to embrace you

Feel my arms around you
I yearn to hold you tightly

How long I have waited
The wait for you has been long