Detroit-born bassist and cellist Noah Jackson has steadily emerged as one of the more compelling young voices working across modern jazz’s ever-expanding spectrum. A GRAMMY-nominated composer, performer, and curator, Jackson has gained international recognition as a member of Abdullah Ibrahim’s ensemble Ekaya and the Abdullah Ibrahim Trio, appearing on Ibrahim’s albums The Balance (2019) and 3 (2024). Along the way, Jackson has shared stages and studios with a formidable list of collaborators including Branford Marsalis, Kenny Barron, Kenny Garrett, Terence Blanchard, Tyreek McDole, Isaiah Collier, and Nnenna Freelon. His work on Freelon’s 2021 album Time Traveler earned Jackson his first GRAMMY nomination, further cementing his reputation as a versatile and deeply musical collaborator. In 2025, he unveiled new original material as a featured artist alongside Barron at SFJAZZ.
Jackson’s touring résumé stretches from iconic New York venues like Blue Note Jazz Club and Jazz at Lincoln Center to major global gatherings such as the North Sea Jazz Festival, London Jazz Festival, Joy of Jazz, and the Nice Jazz Festival. He is also a member of the Recording Academy.
Beyond performance, Jackson has built a reputation as a thoughtful composer and cultural organizer. In 2017 he was commissioned to create original music for Practicing Silence at Grace Farms in collaboration with the American Ballet Theatre. Supported by grants from the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council and the State of New York, he later produced On A Turquoise Cloud, a project inspired by the music of Duke Ellington, presented at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in 2019 and at the The Cube at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in 2020. His ensemble Full Circle released the acclaimed Contemplations: A Suite in 2011, with a new self-titled album slated for 2026. Offstage, Jackson also helped shape Detroit’s jazz scene as curator and entertainment director at the storied Cliff Bell’s in 2021.
A graduate of Michigan State University, where he studied under Rodney Whitaker, and the Manhattan School of Music, where he studied with Larry Ridley, Jackson remains deeply committed to education. He regularly leads masterclasses worldwide and works with students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities through Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Black, Brown, and Beige initiative. A former summer student at Interlochen Arts Academy, Jackson continues to balance his Detroit roots with an increasingly global career, standing out as a prolific creative voice on today’s international jazz circuit.
Coming out April 24th, Full Circle is his first album in 15 years. The Full Circle band began during Jackson’s time in NYC, continuing during a weekly residency in Detroit, honing a style of jazz music for the people. Jackson intends for this music to be one that can be enjoyed not just in a jazz club but during a block party or a loft party in a warehouse. (It is acoustic music, no electronics here.) This kind of community-building, consciousness-raising music is also informed by his upbringing in the church and his current Buddhist practices. The music focuses on melody and harmony, leaning into strong emotional forces so listeners can connect their own experiences to the music. He wants to bring both musicians and fans into the moment through music.
Today, Glide is offering an exclusive premiere of the standout track “Centrifuge,” which finds Jackson and his talented band mates translating what they love about Detroit into a lively work of jazz. “This track embodies the energy, edge, and flavor of Detroit and its robust creative scene,” says Jackson. “I wrote this song while living in NYC initially as a tribute to Detroit, and then eventually it became a staple of my shows as an opener. It’s meant to move people, grab attention, and create the space for the Full Circle experience.” Indeed, the tune buzzes with the kind of musical momentum that pulls you along for the ride. There are twists and turns, propelled by the spicy interplay between saxophone, piano and trumpet all dancing over a steady rhythym and giving us a sound that feels endlessly surprising as it stretches past the seven minute marker.
LISTEN:
