A West Virginia native, jacksonblack acquired an interest in music at an early age, learning to play saxophone and guitar. Frustrated with the lack of creative freedom in a band environment, he soon began experimenting with synthesizers and samplers. Influenced by hip-hop, idm, minimalism, and eventually house and techno, jackson cut and pasted his way to a sound of his own.

Before graduating high school, in a town dominated by tired 90’s American rock, he traded his axes and amps for a set of 1200s and taught himself how to spin. While attending university, jackson played at a number of local house parties.

The haphazard fusion of his studies in Graphic Design, Sociology, Japanese and his musical aspirations took him to Osaka, where he maintained a residency spinning deep-house. The experimental nature of the Japanese underground music scene and his discovery of the emerging “microhouse” genre perked his ears: his path was chosen.

Working under the moniker jxnblk, he combines cerebral clicks and cuts with rhythms that make you want to stomp your feet and bob your head.