Jaxon

David Jackson ... known to aficionados as Jaxon - another extraordinary saxophonist, flautist, composer and performer - one of the great driving forces in the history of Van Der Graaf Generator, as well as a solo performer. A singular man, playing alto, tenor and baritone sax as well as flutes - often simultaneously. He has pioneered the use of electronically-treated sax sounds, developing his own equipment to get the range of sounds he was after.
Live, Jaxon was one of the great focal points of Van Der Graaf ... blasting away on two or three saxes at once, great walls of sound alternating with beautiful and delicate passages - usually in black and sporting an odd looking German train-driver's hat. Even Peter Hammill had to be on his mettle to stop Jaxon stealing the show.


Over the last few decades, he has also worked both as a maths and a music teacher, and has done a lot of work developing new technologies allowing people from a wide range of musical prowess and widely differing physical abilities to make music and take the stage ... the Soundbeam, for instance. He does this, I should point out, without a great deal of fanfare, just quietly getting on with the job - very different from the archetypal ego stroking associated with rock musicians doing charity work.

I understand the reformed Van Der Graaf will be continuing without Jackson ... no! Can it be the Generator without Jaxon? Is this wise? Your classic VDGG line-up is Peter Hammill, David Jackson, Hugh Banton and Guy Evans ... so sad to see that wonderful unit broken. But nothing good lasts forever, I suppose.