Jazz Singer Carmen Jackson Releases New Track “Bags’ Groove” | LISTEN!
Jazz Singer Carmen Jackson Revives a Family Classic with New “Bags’ Groove” Release
DETROIT, Michigan (20 MAY 2026): Detroit vocalist Carmen Jackson honors her legendary uncle, NEA Jazz Master Milt Jackson, with the release of “Bags’ Groove,” a fresh, swinging interpretation of one of the vibraphonist’s most iconic compositions.
The track carries the same instant-cool feeling listeners experienced when Erykah Badu first arrived with “On and On,” but rooted firmly in a finger‑popping, straight‑ahead jazz groove produced and performed by Randy Scott. Jackson’s silky vocal delivery is elegant, assured, and unmistakably her own.
“‘Bags’ Groove’ is my personal tribute to my uncle, Milt Jackson—honoring the iconic piece he wrote in 1952 while bringing its spirit forward with my own voice. It’s a celebration of his legacy and the timeless groove he gave to the world,” said Carmen Jackson, whose uncle’s nickname was Bags.
Later this week, Jackson will shoot a video for “Bags’ Groove” that will premiere during her June 2–5 performances at the renowned Cotton Club in Cannes, France. After playing last year at the venue named after the historic Harlem jazz club from the 1920s and 30s, she was invited back this year to celebrate the international release of her new single.
“I’m honored to return to the Cotton Club in Cannes — a place that celebrates the history of jazz while welcoming artists who are shaping its future,” said Jackson, who has opened for four-time GRAMMY®-nominated saxophonist Boney James.
Born and based in Detroit, Jackson grew up with a percussionist father and stays true to her jazz roots while bridging generations with modern soulful nuances, jazzy rhythms, and R&B sensibilities. In 2018, she released her debut single, “Where Do We Go From Here.” Jackson is currently working on a new project with R&B‑jazz crooner Robert Imtume Owens, to be recorded in Kansas City, and is also considering a live album.
Milt Jackson was named a Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts in 1997. He first gained prominence in Dizzy Gillespie’s pioneering bebop band in the 1940s before forming the Milt Jackson Quartet, which evolved into the Modern Jazz Quartet and performed together for nearly 40 years. Jackson also recorded with Cannonball Adderley and Ray Charles and was inducted into both the Percussion Hall of Fame and the DownBeat Hall of Fame.
With “Bags’ Groove,” Carmen Jackson carries her uncle’s legacy into a new era while asserting her own place in the jazz lineage.
For more information, please visit CarmenJacksonMusic | cmjm.
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