In the late ‘60s and early ‘70s an abundance of musical talent was emerging from the Twin Cities. This very powerful and dynamic Rhythm & Blues movement helped put the Twin Cities on the national musical map; producing hard hitting grooves. At the very core of its inception, keyboardist and multi-instrumentalist (mandolin, fiddle, dobro, banjo, harmonica and accordion) Bruce Jackson became an integral part of this legacy.
The magnanimous and rapturous Bruce Jackson is a musician, songwriter, bandleader, certified piano tuner and music educator. He and his partner, Beth Ann Hedman Dodds are recent arrivals to Camden.
Beth is a vocalist, formally singing with the choir at St. Georges Episcopal Church in St. Louis Park. She is the site coordinator for the Loaves and Fishes dining facility in Coon Rapids and sub-coordinator in Richfield. Beth invites musicians to perform at the soup kitchens. She says, “We are always looking for musicians to serve the community. Bruce and I “cook and play,” and along with other musicians have prepared meals for up to 150 people and then play music afterwards.”
Bruce and Beth are members of a jazzy, funky, folky, bluesy music project called MOONDOGS88, conceived in 2001. The band is hoping to release their first CD this summer. Sample their music or contact Bruce for bookings at moondogs88.com/moondogs88.com/Welcome.html.
Bruce was among the plethora of outstanding musicians that emanated from the White Bear Lake area. He grew up a half a mile from the preeminent vocalist Doug Maynard, and together they performed, recorded and created songs for about a decade.
Music was abundant in Bruce’s childhood. He recalls at about age five hearing the delightful turn-of-the-century, parlor-music piano-playing of his grandmother, Loretta Pearl Jackson. “I remember hearing Cotton Fields and country music like Hank Williams and Marty Robbins. And I’ve got old reel-to-reel tapes of her singing. Then there was Aunt Betty Jean, the meat-and-potatoes piano player whose rich lush chords implemented sixths and seconds. Betty Jean would play music of jazz giant George Shearing.”
By age 12, Bruce was playing guitar, emulating the Beach Boys and Beatles. He played at talent shows and car shows. At age 15-16, Bruce was playing a red-Italian Farfisa electric keyboard. His first band was The Uncalled Four. And by high school he had a more serious project; an R&B soul band called Soul Syndicate. “I went from rock to R&B to Miles Davis.”
In 1970-71 Bruce joined the Marauders with Doug Maynard, performing jazz and R&B. Later the band turned into a space funk group called Yak Yak Boom without Maynard, leaving other members to cover the vocals. “Whatever we did, we took it out. Never did a song for three minutes, we jammed it out! I got connected with the whole Minneapolis music industry—we were hooked up!”
Bruce continued to work with Maynard in the Space Heaters at the 400 bar and later with the Doug Maynard Band. Maynard released an album called Lullaby. And together they co-wrote a cut on the album, Angel in the Garden; produced on Cold Wind Records, by Tim “Dr. Dog” Bradach (coldwind.com).
While studying music theory at Lakewood Junior College in 1977, Bruce’s career became permanently transformed. Bruce started taking piano lessons with a legally blind bossa nova jazz pianist and keyboardist from São Paulo, Brazil; Manfredo Fest. “He would sit you down on the same piano bench that he was seated at, turn the cassette deck on and start playing up and down the 88’s. He taught me how to really play! Manfredo showed me how to create your own mix. In 1999 my dad passed away and two weeks later Manfredo also died; I was devastated!”
From 1980-88 Bruce worked at Torp’s Music in St. Paul, a musician’s instrument staple at the time. In 1987-88 he worked with Mambos Combo. And in 1990 joined the reggae band Ipso Facto. Ipso won the Best Unsigned Band in the World award and obtained a recording contract from Epic Records. Later in the ‘90s Bruce worked with the 617 House Band.
Bruce teaches at Evans Music in White Bear Lake, and starts teaching very soon at Camden Music School, 3751 Sheridan Ave., 612-618-0219. MOONDOGS88 currently performs at Manitou Station Resturant, 617 Lounge, Tally’s Dockside and Admiral D’s, all in White Bear Lake. Beth and Bruce have been writing music together and want to “Get the one on the wall that sticks.” They have a great bunch of guys in the group and are constantly looking for new places to perform. Bruce says, “In music, the more you know, the less you know—the deeper it gets.”