IJ's Bio
Biography
Even though Irene Jackson has been performing and writing since the early 70's, she didn't release her first independent recording Foolishly Fantasizing until 1993. After so many years, why did the first recording take so long?
“I’ve always been a late bloomer” she says. “I don’t think I was a great writer until I really had something to write about!” In 1997, she completed another CD, Motor Scooter, which has had airplay on college radio stations across the US and Canada, and the CBC. She has been performing and promoting her most recent recordings for the last few years throughout the Pacific Northwest, and in the summer of ‘99 completed a short tour of California. Her unplugged CD, undressed was released in the summer of 2000 and Catnip was released in December 2000.
But songwriting is only a part of her musical palette...Irene has also written theme music for a number of television series’, including the internationally syndicated home repair show Home Check With Shell Busey, the SpeedVision series Canadian Biker Television, the WTN series At Home With Herbs, a local arts and entertainment magazine show, Go! and the canine series Doggin' It. From 2002 until 2007 CHEK Television in Victoria BC carried her music as the theme and general music package. She been well established as a guitar teacher on Vancouver Island since 1989, as well as maintaining a webpage for songwriters on the internet. As her songwriting continues to flourish, Irene continues to produce her own recordings through her company, Moonstone Productions.
"Jackson's introspective, refreshingly cheerful Folk Pop recalls the glory days of James Taylor and Carole King. The sweet-voiced Canadian sings about the pleasures and pains of ordinary life in a quotidian way that draws favorable comparisons to a less countrified Nanci Griffith." Listen.com
“Irene Jackson has a sweet voice and she writes interesting, well-crafted songs which are a pleasure to hear. She should be better known to listeners in Canada and abroad...Jackson's lyrics tell their stories well, her melodies carry the words well, and her voice is at times sweet, lyrical, powerful, and sensual...The focal point of Jackson's talent is as a lyricist. Jackson's lyrics are tight and often quite visual, carrying her stories forward with a certain grace..." Bob MacKenzie, SoundBytes
Irene was born in Vancouver BC and raised in the suburb of Richmond, graduating from Steveston High School in 1975. She has been a performing songwriter since the coffeehouse days of the 1970’s, performing locally on and off while continuing to work and raise a family. Since 1983, she has made Victoria BC on beautiful Vancouver Island her home.
Career Highlights
- Featured performer Steveston Folk Guild, June 2003,
- September 2006 CHEK News theme package,
- Fall 2002-Fall 2007 Nominated for Best Female Vocalist at the M*Power Awards (Victoria's Grammies!)
- Home Check theme and Get Up And Grow theme, airing all across Canada, Japan & Africa.
- At Home With Herbs theme, airing on the Knowledge Network, WTN, in Japan and Australia
- Canadian Biker theme, airing all across North America on Speedvision
- Featured performer at Seattle's Northwest Folklife Festival, May 1997 & 1999
- Featured performer at the Steveston Salmon Festival, July 1997, 1998, 2000 and 2001
- Featured performer at Folkfest Victoria, July 1998, July 2001
- Completed a new CD Motor Scooter in 1997, her second release
- California Tour with appearances in San Fransisco and Los Angeles, Summer 1999
- Completed a solo acoustic CD undressed in 2000, her third release
Catnip, was also released later in 2000, and is available along with her earlier releases on her CD page.
irene's cds
You can listen to and order Irene's CDs on her CD page
moonstone productions
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Irene's television production music can be heard on Soundclick and on her Moonstone Productions page.
irene's appearances
Charles Dickens Pub, Victoria Chapters Bookstore, Victoria Lulu's Beehive, Los Angeles
Exile Books & Music, Los Angeles Steveston Salmon Festival, Steveston
Borders Books & Music
San Fransisco
Chapters Bookstore, Richmond Madison's Coffeehouse, Seattle Sooke Folk Club, Sooke
Blends Coffee, Victoria
Portside Room, North Vancouver Cafe Deux Soleil, Vancouver Thursday Night Live Coffeehouse Vancouver
Savoury Island Pie Company, West Vancouver
Xanthine's Coffee & Tea, Squamish
Victoria Folkfest, Victoria
Seattle Folklife, Seattle
Westwood Racquet Club, Nanaimo
Bar None Cafe, Courtney
Java Coffeehouse, Victoria Richmond Art Gallery, Richmond BC Songwriter's Showcase, Langley
Persimmons Deli, Steveston Cowichan Folk Guild, Duncan Chapters Bookstore, Langley Chapters Bookstore, Surrey London Farmhouse, Richmond
...and many more!