A Night with Brian Jackson. From Brooklyn to Athens

Brian Jackson in Athens – Friday, October 31 at Gazarte Ground Stage

Brian Jackson, the man who shaped music history alongside Gil Scott-Heron, comes to Greece for the first time for a unique night in Athens, on Friday, October 31 at Gazarte Ground Stage.

Opening the evening are Jacaranda, the all-female Afro-pop band formed in 2020 under the inspiration and guidance of Angelos Angelidis. They bring to the stage an explosive blend of fresh world sounds and Jazz-Funk improvisation.

About Brian Jackson

Born in Brooklyn, New York in 1952, Brian Jackson quickly established himself as a pianist and flutist, known for his expressive power and innovative approach. With over 50 years of musical creation, Jackson took his first steps in the 1970s alongside Gil Scott-Heron, co-creating landmark works such as Winter in America and The Bottle, laying the foundations of jazz-funk and socially engaged soul. Their songs, deeply political yet lyrical, marked the birth of what is now recognized as conscious music — music with a social message.

Since then, Jackson has never stopped evolving. He has collaborated with artists such as Stevie Wonder, Earth, Wind & Fire, Roy Ayers, Stanley Clarke, Gregory Porter, and Bootsy Collins, while his music has inspired and been sampled by Tupac, Common, Kanye West, and Kendrick Lamar. His sound continues to resonate across generations, bridging decades and musical genres.

With his return to recording in 2022 through This Is Brian Jackson, he opened a new creative chapter. In 2025, he released two projects: Of Corners and Bridges, a tribute to Milton Nascimento recorded in Brazil with members of Azymuth, and Now More Than Ever on BBE, produced by Masters at Work (Louie Vega & Kenny Dope) and featuring surprise guests including Moodymann, Omar, and Raheem DeVaughn.

His live performances remain as powerful as ever. This was proven at Le Guess Who? Festival 2024 in the Netherlands, where his headline set received rave reviews. His performance of The Revolution Will Not Be Televised was described as “a moment that reconnects history with the present,” demonstrating that Jackson’s music is not only heritage but living, urgent expression. In Athens, he will present pieces from his recent projects alongside timeless compositions from his collaboration with Gil Scott-Heron — a night that fuses history, rhythm, and social reflection into an experience not to be repeated.

As Jackson himself states: “This music doesn’t really belong to me. I learned it from those who came before me. It’s my job to pass it on. That is the tradition.”

The concert is organized in support of Ikaria State Of Mind (ISOM), a cultural initiative that has grown over the past two years in various locations across Ikaria, always with free admission, promoting the core values of Ikarian culture. A portion of the concert’s net proceeds will be dedicated to the next edition of ISOM, taking place in the summer of 2026.