Music
Press
Durham's Jami Jackson
tells listeners to "Call
My Name" on her
debut CD by way of Blacque
Records, an independent Bull
City label.
The girl who has twice sung
the national anthem before Durham Bulls games is all grown up and ready to go full tilt with this music thing.
"I'm actually moving to New York," said Jami, who was in the Big Apple for college at Columbia University. She just graduated in May.
The 2003 Jordan High School grad had plans for dental school. But the music bug's been biting hard, and Jami's developed an itch. She's determined to scratch it.
"Music is my first love," said Jami, the daughter of Caesar and Sandra Jackson, a dean and associate professor, respectively, at N.C. Central University.
Like many singers with roots in the church, Jami, 22, ventures into the secular realm on her CD with sensual cuts like "Call My Name" and "Hit and Run."
But God's Fingerprints," featuring the choir from NCCU, is more in line with what she grew up hearing from pastor W.E. Daye over there at Peace Missionary Baptist Church.
You can find Jami's music at www.jamijackson.net. - Herald Sun
Discography
Call My Name
The single "Sista Girl" was previously played on NC A&T's radio station.
Photos
Bio
Jami Jackson came to the Big Apple with a mission, plan, and a mantra. Her mantra is “live for today, hope for tomorrow, and never look back on the past.” With this dedication, Jackson graduated from Columbia University and scored a prestigious research coordinator position in Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. She also dedicates a multitude of hours each day pursuing her passion – music. The word determination comes to mind, however, that would still be an inadequate description for a 23 year old on a mission.
The native of Durham, North Carolina, began to dabble with the piano at the tender age of 5. Jackson is classically trained, as well as a student of Jazz and Gospel music. Her family knew she had a gift and encouraged her to express herself by writing and taking lessons. At first she penned poems, which became lyrics and then added music with her love of instruments. “I like to describe my music as a soulful blend of rock, R&B, and pop that delivers a live and engaging message, “ says the renaissance singer/songwriter, who counts among her musical favorites a diverse range of artists – from Alicia Keys and Coldplay to Etta James and The Killers.
By night, this gifted singer is performing around the Big Apple at such notable venues as The Apollo Theatre, the Nuyorican Poet’s Café, Ashford and Simpson’s Sugar Bar, The Bitter End, and Don’t Tell Mama, among others. Jackson books her schedule months in advance and relies on her Blackberry PDA to keep her punctual and prepared. “I am so blessed to be in-demand for live gigs given the economy says Jackson, and that’s why I always want to give my all.” Her talent is undeniable and her powerful declaration of love and motivational songs have Jackson solidly booked for weddings, churches, corporate events and social causes, such as, LIFEbeat, (an HIV/AIDS advocacy group).
Already a media darling - featured and profiled in such prestigious national media outlets as: MTV, BET, New York Times, Seventeen, NY Daily News, numerous regional print outlets, and, major radio stations in Top markets such as: Detroit, North Carolina and Baltimore. Ms. Jackson also became a reality documentary star, with the airing of Are You Positive?, which was seen by 5.1 million people on World AIDS Day, on the popular Black Entertainment Television (BET), sponsored by the Kaiser Foundation. "Jami had just what we were looking for, someone down-to-earth yet extraordinary. Here was a young sister, from the South, working hard on a 9-to-5 in New York City yet still finding time to offer her amazing talent to the fight against HIV/AIDS. That's inspiring,” says Grant Clark, producer/director of BET Networks.
Having released a new ‘peppered’ sound and direction, Jackson is ecstatic with her latest song, “Keep Walkin’ On.” Jackson flexed her muscle as co-writer/producer, with songwriter, Sandra Jackson, and producer, Tommy Faragher, the celebrated Grammy nominated producer who worked with such artists as Al Green, The O’Jays, and Taylor Dayne. Ms. Jackson says, “this song will be an anthem for those facing hard times, looking for hope, and a clear message to keep chasing your dream.” She’s beams with pride that the song was used to inspire and educate many about HIV/AIDS awareness and she donated all her proceeds from the song to the upcoming AIDS Walk in New York City on May 17th. The “Keep Walkin’ On” song was also the theme song for the United States Tennis Association Eastern’s first ever Charity Tennis 5K Walk, as part of their Father’s Day Family Grassroots Challenge in June 2009.
Currently, you can spot Jackson in the subways of New York – performing, that is. She was one of the few selected to participate in the city’s legendary “Music Under New York,” concert series in which entertainers perform at the various subway stops. Jackson has been wowing commuters with her performance and selling many CDs along the way.
In 2007, Jackson released her immensely popular debut CD, Call My Name, available at www.jamijackson.net, on the independent label, Blacque Records. The album faired very well on the Internet, coupled with her breakout singles, “I’ll Let You Go,”and “Sista Girl,” which became a popular performance video on YouTube. The album featured a collection of 10 original songs exploring a range of emotions, from lost love to spiritual inspiration. Contributing her talent to a compilation CD for LifeBeat, with an original song called “Love At First Sight,” as a way to uplift the residents at LIFEbeat was her way of giving back to an amazing organization. “I believe it’s important to stand for a cause. HIV/AIDS is impacting my generation at an alarming rate and I simply want to do my part,” says Jackson. Erika Banks of LIFEbeat says, “Jami is a phenomenal young performer. She is not only a powerhouse on the stage, but she is a pleasure to work with. I know I can always count on her to show up on time and ready to rock the room! She is a ste
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