The Silky Sound of Jackie Gage

The silky sound of jazz runs deep in the veins of singer and Bay area native Jackie Gage. Jazz was ingrained in her childhood— listening to the classics of Stevie Wonder and Natalie Cole on CD on an endless loop. Hearing the resonance of the notes drew her to the genre.

Gage was liberated by the beauty of Jazz. “I love the freedom of it. For instance, like timing, a lot of the songs you hear on the radio are in 4:4. There’s so much freedom in jazz, both in the messages and lyrics, and the actual melodies and the rhythm. There’s just so much to discover, pull from, and to learn from. It’s so liberating and free,” said the singer.

Gage grew up in the Bay area surrounded by the tech world. She started down the path of the business world and had a reliable job working at a desk when she realized she hated it. She hated staring at a computer all day. Music was her true passion, so she chose to follow her heart.

Gage’s heart led her to New York where she pursued her career as a musician. “So that’s what compelled me to move to New York. My favorite artists then and now, such as Gregory Porter and Norah Jones, came to New York to grow musically. I was like ‘I need to be here to learn,’ so I moved. And I think that is what set me on this professional singer path,” said the aspiring star.

She is constantly amazed at how far she’s come and the connections her music has allowed her to make. “Certain opportunities come up that I could’ve never imagined I’d be a part of, like when I was asked to go and tour Russia. I was like ‘wait, you think my music and voice can have an impact in places as far away as that?’ After a performance people will come up to me and share things, like a song I sang made them cry. Music can have such an emotional reaction from listeners. Or meeting a three year old who knew the words to a song I wrote on my first record. Little moments like that are really humbling and made me realize how much of an impact one voice or one lyric can have,” said Gage.

The past few years have allowed the singer to come into her own and live up to her full potential. “In the midst of the pandemic, I just had the time to sit within myself to learn that you are enough and you are worthy of what your dreams are saying you can achieve,” said the soulful singer. 

This is where she was inspired to start The Garden Club, a virtual music club through which Gage kept music alive. The name derives from Gage’s love and appreciation for nature. Her music continues to unite us even in such isolating times. “I was thinking of ways to give back to people who have come to shows or just really love and appreciate music and spending time together even though we knew that it wasn’t safe to physically see each other. So in January of this year, I started the Garden Club and we get together virtually once a month for concerts or to listen to music or interviews with some famous people in the music world. We had an album listening session just a couple of months ago. It’s just a space to be free and share music and to listen and to have friends when we are feeling isolated.”

Gage’s newest album ‘Siren Songs’ is a modern day twist on Grecian folklore. This album showcases her dynamic range with hints of R&B, soul, and jazz.  “It’s just a little nice half hour of maybe sonic bliss for some, maybe heartbreak, maybe love or appreciation and hope. Or ‘breezy’ might be the word,” said the singer.

Gage is in the midst of her dream collaboration, recording an upcoming album with GRAMMY-winning songwriter and producer Jesse Harris, best known for writing the Norah Jones classics ‘Don’t Know Why’ and ‘I’ve Got to See You Again’. “He is so easygoing, pragmatic, easy to talk to, freeing, and uplifting. He sees the promise in the music we’ve been making,” said the musician. 

Her overall career goal as a singer is simply to spread messages of positivity to listeners. “My hope is that the music I share with others can uplift people, sharing positive messages in the midst of dark times. I know no one’s life has been picture perfect as much as you’d like to imagine it could be, but I just want people to know that it’s okay to be imperfect, there’s so much perfection in our imperfections. You are not alone in your struggle and growth and change in life,” said Gage. Gage uses her craft to connect us all through the emotions and experiences in life and the beauty of jazz.