he ever-restless songwriter Joe Jackson traveled the world to record ‘Fast Forward,’ his first collection of original songs in seven years, that’s set for October 2, 2015 release on Work Joe-JacksonSong/Caroline. Originally conceived to be released as a series of EPs, the album was produced and arranged by Jackson, and features four sets of four songs recorded in four different cities – New York City, New Orleans, Berlin and Amsterdam; each with a different set of first-call supporting musicians. The results rank among the richest and most rewarding music of his storied career.

NEW YORK Jackson has called New York home for many years. He recorded these tracks with Bill Frisell on guitar, Brian Blade on drums, his longtime bassist Graham Maby, and jazz violin star Regina Carter. Along with three originals including the album’s title track, these sessions feature a scorching take on a New York classic, Television’s “See No Evil.”

AMSTERDAM Distinguished by the most diverse instrumentation of the four sessions, Jackson is joined on these songs by frequent collaborators Stefan Kruger and Stefan Schmid from the band Zuco 103, the Concertgebouw orchestra, and the project’s only guest vocalist, 14-year-old Mitchell Sink (from Broadway’s ‘Matilda).

BERLIN Berlin is Jackson’s second home, and he recorded here with two expatriate American musicians: acoustic bass master Greg Cohen (Tom Waits, Ornette Coleman, Bob Dylan) and Tindersticks drummer Earl Harvin. These sessions produced the album’s second cover, Jackson’s modern English take on the 1930s German ‘Kabarett’ song “Good Bye Jonny.”

NEW ORLEANS Jackson traveled to one of his favorite cities, New Orleans, to record with an all-local cast including three members of the funk band Galactic – drummer Stanton Moore, bassist Robert Mercurio, and guitarist Jeff Raines – and a horn section led by saxophonist Donald Harrison.

Jackson will launch an extensive North American tour timed to ‘Fast Forward,’ kicking off September 29, and including two nights at NYC’s Town Hall. Tickets go on-sale this Friday, July 17, at 10AM EST. See below for a full itinerary from MNN.

These career-spanning shows will feature Jackson “as my own opening act,” playing a short solo/piano set before bringing out a full band which will include Maby on bass, guitarist Teddy Kumpel (Rickie Lee Jones, Feist), and drummer Doug Yowell (Suzanne Vega, Ari Hest).

Joe Jackson’s last release, 2012’s ‘The Duke,’ was an ambitious, horn-free tribute to “fellow music pioneer” (NPR) Duke Ellington, which Rolling Stone hailed as “movingly subtle.”

‘Fast Forward’ tracklist (all songs written by Joe Jackson unless noted)

New York
1. Fast Forward
2. If It Wasn’t For You
3. See No Evil (Tom Verlaine)
4. Kings Of The City
Amsterdam
5. A Little Smile (listen below from MNN)
6. Far Away
7. So You Say
8. Poor Thing
Berlin
9. Junkie Diva
10. If I Could See Your Face
11. The Blue Time
12. Good Bye Jonny (Peter Kreuder and Hans Fritz Beckmann)
New Orleans
13. Neon Rain
14. Satellite
15. Keep On Dreaming
16. Ode To Joy

Joe Jackson 2015 North American Tour Itinerary
September
29 – Seattle, WA – Neptune Theatre
October
1 – Portland, OR – Revolution Hall
4 – Los Angeles, CA – Palace Theatre
8 – Denver, CO – Paramount Theatre
10 – Dallas, TX – Majestic Theatre
11 – Houston, TX – Cullen Performance Hall
12 – Austin, TX – Paramount Theatre
14 – New Orleans, LA – Joy Theater
15 – Atlanta, GA – Center Stage
17 – Glenside, PA – Keswick Theatre
20 & 21 – New York City, NY – Town Hall
22 – Boston, MA – The Wilbur Theatre
23 – Washington, DC – Lincoln Theatre
25 – Munhall, PA – Carnegie Music Hall of Homestead
26 – Albany, NY – Hart Theatre The Egg
29 – Northampton, MA – Academy of Music Theatre
30 – Toronto, Ontario – Danforth Music Hall
November
2 & 3 – Chicago, IL – Thalia Hall
4 – St. Paul, MN – Fitzgerald Theater