Members
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Joe Makoviecki
guitar, vocals, harmonica
James Black
upright bass
Photo by Tomas Januska
with help from
Cranston Dean: drums, mandolin, vocals
Max Carmichael: banjo, flute, octave mandolin, guitar
James Herdman: fiddle, ukulele
Bio & Press
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“[A] duo from Jersey — Jackson, to be specific, nestled in the pine barrens — core members Joe Makoviecki (vocals, guitar) and James Black (bass) teamed up with some heavy-hitting friends for their debut LP Purgatory Road. Simone Felice produced the record in his Sugar Mountain Studio in Palenville, NY and played drums; James Felice contributed piano and organ throughout the set as well. As such, the record is an expert set of indie folk, drawing on the melodies and arrangements of bluegrass and mountain music but incorporating it tastefully into Makoviecki’s songs, which are very much of the now.”
"...like a mash-up of James Taylor and Tom Petty -- with serious focus on acoustic guitar [...] Jackson Pines already have a collection of music that presents a unique lyrical take on life, bringing a rustic flair to the world of indie-folk/acoustic music [...] they've only just begun."
“[Jackson Pines has] lived up to their name with some of the best folk-rock ever to come out of Jersey […] another nugget of cultural gold thanks to the musical mining of Jackson Pines.”
-Bob Makin, The Aquarian/NJ Stage
“[Jackson Pines’] artistic progression is still in steady swing with their knack for intelligent lyricism, finely crafted production and arrangements, and a genuine sense of musicality and vitality.”
- Kenny Bieber, AsburyParkVibes.com
“[Jackson Pines] fit comfortably […] next to the likes of artists/bands like Iron and Wine, Horse Feathers, and The Tallest Man On Earth.”
“[Anna Lee is ] a slowed down mash-up of Mark Knopfler, Jason Isbell, Tom Petty, and The Wallflowers in all the best ways.”
“[A] winning formula of acoustic guitars, upright bass, and vocal harmonies with touches of clean electric guitar, organ, and electric piano […] added instrumentation makes for a more complex sound but doesn’t diminish the overall acoustic feel.”
"[T]his isn’t the kind of generic, glossy tunes flooding its genre airwaves. Jackson Pines digs deep to get to a rootsier place — sounding raw, honest, and vulnerable with a twangy edge."
"These guys are 'workers in song,' to quote Leonard Cohen. They are engaged in the pursuit of music and songwriting for all the right reasons, the honest burning hunt to reach the heights.”
- Simone Felice
“[Jackson Pines] have a foot in both the traditional and contemporary camps […] They describe their sound as “original singer-songwriter indie folk music.” While blazing their own trail musically, the members of the group are still influenced by the past.”
"There is an old-soul appeal to the Jackson Pines. Take the uptempo “Sweetwater,” from the band’s excellent 2017 release, “Purgatory Road.” The “sweetwater” is the river that downed a man, the tears that mourned and the flood waters that came afterward.
Hey, it’s hard to find imagery more compelling anywhere.
The Jackson Pines are Joe Makoviecki, from Thomas Wesely Stern, and James Black. “Purgatory Road,” produced by Simone Felice of Lumineers fame, was released in February, and an EP, “Lost & Found,” came out in August.
It’s a lot of work for one year and it’s all good. "
- Chris Jordan, The Asbury Park Press
"Makoviecki is a gifted songwriter who is not afraid to write about serious situations and difficult emotional perspectives. We need more honest songwriters like this."
- Ed Magdziak, YouDontKnowJersey.com