An Article in THE WEEKENDER by Music Columnist Alan K. Stout

Published February 2, 2011  (Scranton/WB)

     When Jackson Vee released his first full-length CD, “Sigrad’s Theory,” last summer, it fulfilled a lifelong vision. A musician his entire life, Vee took the DIY approach to the record, which he says made the process even more rewarding.

“I feel like I actually accomplished something,” says Vee. “I’ve been wanting to have my own record or tape or CD since I was a little kid. It took me almost a year to do this album. I did it with my own money and my own time, and one of my goals is completed.”

Vee has been performing various styles of music since he was only three years old, including work with orchestras, ensembles, marching bands and rock bands. He also studied music at Wilkes University, focusing on piano, clarinet, sax, guitar, brass and even some percussion. He has received more than 50 different trophies, medals and accolades for his various musical accomplishments. And unlike some songwriters that downplay the importance of formal training, Vee says his schooling has been important to his work.

“Music theory is a big thing for me,” he says. “It’s almost second nature to me now. I’ve been doing it for so long it’s like riding a bike. But if I didn’t know all of that stuff, I don’t know how I’d write songs. It’s kind of like you have to have the training to do any kind of job, and I think all of that mixes in and allows me to do it.”

Vee has played in NEPA bands since the age of 16, including The Lounge Lizards, Cherry Pie, Simon Sez, and most recently, Jigsaw Johnny. He’s also been performing as a solo artist since 2007, playing rock and alternative covers, originals and even some adult-humor melodies. His first solo release, a self-titled EP of four original tunes, was produced in 2008. The song “When it Rains” was the No. 1 song of that year on NEPA Rebellion Internet Radio.

“When I first started as a solo artist, I was playing your typical cover songs, and with the EP I wanted to get it out there that I also write my own stuff,” says Vee. “I have an 8-track digital recorder, and I put down those four songs, and I just had about 300 of them made, just to get out there and say, ‘Hey, I just don’t only play ‘Blister In The Sun.’ I do my own stuff, too, so take a listen.”

For “Sigrad’s Theory,” Vee worked at SI Studios in Old Forge. Joe “Wiggy” Wegleski, his bandmate in the group Jigsaw Johnny and a sound engineer at SI, helped him on some of the post-production of his self-recorded EP, but for his latest effort, Vee did the entire album at SI. It was produced by himself along with Wegleski, Eric Perry and Tom Borthwick. Vee handles vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, pianos and keyboards. Wegleski plays lead guitars, Perry plays bass and Chris Condel plays drums.

Tracks on the CD include “Hide and Seek,” “No Reply” and “Take It Or Leave It.” He says his favorite track, “Bury Yesterday,” also seems to be a favorite of listeners. It was inspired by a poem, “Forget Yesterday,” which he says he has hanging in his home and is also included in the liner notes of the album.

“Every song on the CD, in its own way, revolves around that poster,” he says. “It’s very simple. ‘The past is the past. Move on with your life and worry about the future.’ It’s been a big inspiration to me, and I like to live by that.”

Vee says his songs come from many places.

“It could be a situation that I’m in,” he says. “It could be a situation that I see somebody else in. I could be watching TV and come up with a little story in my head from a TV show. Everything inspires me. Anything that I can see, hear, touch or feel is an inspiration to write something.”

The CD is available at Vee’s live shows as well as iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody and CD Baby. Vee hopes listeners can put themselves into the songs.

“Everybody has their own interpretations of songs,” he says. “I might feel one of the songs was written about something I experienced, but it might be a different experience for somebody else. But if they can take a song that I wrote, and put one of their personal experiences to it, whether it makes them happy or sad, and they get some emotion out of it … that’s the ultimate goal.”

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An article from "Electric City" Weekly Paper

Published Aug 19th, 2010 (Scranton, Pa) 

     Local music fans might recognize Jackson Vee from various gigs throughout the Scranton area, but they probably associate the 32-year-old with the cover music musicians are forced to play to make a buck in this town.

    But like most motivated musicians, Vee wants music fans to know he's got some rockin' original music, as well. He's gearing up to do just that when he releases his first full-length album, Sigrad's Theory, on Friday, Aug. 27, at Waldo's Tavern in Scranton.

    The album is a rock-influenced journey of hope and the need to focus on the future. The songs center around the title of the album, which refers to a poster Vee won at a fair as a youngster, an item he still has to this day and used as artwork on the inside of the CD cover. With song titles like "Believe," "Bury Yesterday" and "Take It Or Leave It," it's pretty clear what the theme of the album is.

   "It's a poem on this poster that I won when I was a kid at a fair," Vee said. "The author is just Sigrad, so I figured Sigrad's Theory. Pretty much all the songs in one way or another reflect around that poem.

   "It's titled "Forget Yesterday," one of those passé things - forget yesterday, I am where I am, tell me what I can do tomorrow."

    Sigrad's Theory is a bit heavier than what many have heard in the past from Vee, but it's a reflection of his musical influences. It's easy to hear the Bon Jovi, Guns 'n' Roses, Motley Crue and other early-'90s rock sounds blended into each song. Those sounds were instilled on Vee from countless hours listening to the radio.

    "I always considered myself a radio-type of guy, a side beats type of guy. I always grew up with a radio on," he said. "All the cars I've ever owned have never had a CD player. I've always pretty much just listened to the radio. That's a lot of my influences, stuff I've heard on the radio."

    With the help of a few friends on the album - Joe Wegleski, Chris Condel and Eric Perry - Vee has crafted an album that showcases the depth of his ability as a musician, well beyond the Kings of Leon, Creed and Tom Petty tunes you may have heard him play.

     Vee also has a lighter side, having recorded a few humorous, adult-themed tunes like "Bicycle Seat," which you can hear on his MySpace page. He hopes to go back into the studio in a couple months to record an album of similar songs just in time for Christmas.

    "That's the great thing about music, you can go a thousand different ways with it," Vee said. "That one will have songs like "Bicycle Seat" and "Johnny Motorboats," the more adult-themed songs."

- randy shemanski