Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Theo Jackson: Shoeless And The Girl

Theo Jackson: Shoeless And The Girl

By Bruce Lindsay
May 2, 2015
View read count

Theo Jackson's second album, Shoeless And The Girl, is an old-fashioned kind of record. That's "old-fashioned" as in melodic, swinging, understated, lyrically engaging—old-fashioned in a really good way.

Jackson's debut, Jericho (Self Produced, 2012), was impressive but the lengthy songs sometimes lost focus. Shoeless And The Girl is a more mature, more savvy, album: the songs all come in at under 5.40, the arrangements are tight and Jackson's lyrics are given the primacy they deserve. Bassist

Huntly Gordon

" data-original-title="" title="">Huntly Gordon and percussionist

Marco Quarantotto

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Marco Quarantotto form a reliable partnership, their subtle playing fitting Jackson's songs beautifully (their work on "Lonesome George" is exquisite).

Mostly this is a trio album: horns appear on just four of the songs. Altoist

Nathaniel Facey

saxophone, alto

" data-original-title="" title="">Nathaniel Facey—the only member of the Jericho band to make an appearance here—adds tension and urgency to the swinging "Little Do You Know" with his dynamic solo;

Leo Richardson

" data-original-title="" title="">Leo Richardson's smoky tenor heightens the late-night atmosphere of "Peu M'Importe" and the warmth of the lovely but slightly strange "Moonchild";

Quentin Collins

flugelhorn

" data-original-title="" title="">Quentin Collins' bright flugelhorn gives "Shoeless And The Girl" added positivity.

Jackson's voice has matured since his debut, gaining resonance and lower-register strength. He's developing into a superb singer, a stylist whose voice communicates with a welcome clarity. He's not afraid to whistle either, opening and closing "Moonchild" with a few bars of that almost forgotten vocal art (although he's no Ronnie Ronalde).

Jackson gives lyrics to two

Wayne Shorter

saxophone
1933 - 2023

" data-original-title="" title="">Wayne Shorter tunes—Shorter has given his blessing to both. "Footprints" is a mid-tempo trio number: "Wild Flower," a solo performance, is subdued and melancholy, Jackson giving one of his best vocals of the set.

The lyrics deal with universal themes—love, loneliness, romance, sadness—but they often have a pleasing quirkiness. The sad and lonely narrator of "Lonesome George" could well be an old man reflecting on a life nearing its end but it's actually the tale of a sad and lonely Galapagos tortoise. "Love And A Shoestring," another strong solo performance, combines a ragtime-y piano hook with lyrics that take a somewhat earthy view of love and life on a limited budget: "Camberwell Butterfly" alludes to the life of a butterfly in telling the tale of a young woman finding her independence.

Fans of baseball legends might be disappointed to discover that Shoeless And The Girl makes no reference to Shoeless Joe Jackson—despite the probably tenuous chance of a family connection. Fans of melody, swing, engaging lyrics and understated musicality will encounter no such disappointment with the great songs and great performances on Shoeless And The Girl.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Little Do You Know; Moonchild; Lonesome George; Shoeless And The Girl; Footprints; Bella's Coming Home; Wild Flower; Peu M'Importe; Love And A Shoestring; Camberwell Butterfly.

Personnel

Theo Jackson

vocals

Theo Jackson: vocals, piano; Huntly Gordon: double bass; Marco Quarantotto: drums, percussion; Nathaniel Facey: alto saxophone (1); Leo Richardson: tenor saxophone (2, 8); Quentin Collins: flugelhorn (4).

Album information

Title: Shoeless And The Girl | Year Released: 2015 | Record Label: Dot Time Records

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Live At Okuden
< Previous

Johnny Winter And Live
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.