is both the name of the band and the band founder’s stage name. The founder’s name is Bruce Jackson. The band was created in 1996 from the members of Dr. Jackson’s family and continues to this date.
Galen, Kelsey, Bruce and Aaron ready for a Columbia Civic Orchestra Concert, March 2003
Exis Jaxn: Vocals and Guitar
Born to a musician mother and geologist father, Bruce Jackson began playing and performing music early in life. After starting with piano, he found his love of strings on the violoncello in the fourth grade. In 1968 Bruce began performing rock and roll bass guitar on Dixon Street in Fayetteville, Arkansas. A blues, rock, jazz and classical musician who has been principal double bassist for seven orchestras, he has composed major works in contemporary music including two symphonic poems, three bass concertos, an oratorio, works for chamber ensemble, and music for jazz and popular combos. He has performed with Johnny Tillotston, Red Skelton, Melissa Manchester, Janice Boula, Kathy Johnson, George Russell, Herbie Green, David Baker, Herb Ellis, Charlie Bird, Terry Holmes, Dave Mason, Peter Nero and Sandi Patti. He has had a number of live TV appearances with the Walker Kays Jazz Trio, The Jazz Workshop, and Exis Jaxn. He has performed musical theater at the Actors Theater of Louisville, The Civic Theater of Indianapolis, dinner playhouses, and academic theaters. Through the spring of 1995, he performed on live radio broadcasts for KWKH’s Saturday Country Jamboree based in Shreveport, Louisiana. In January 1996, he moved to Columbia, Missouri, where he performed with a variety of groups including Next Exit, Memories Big Band, Swingland Big Band, Tom Andes, The Larry Ross Jazz Group, Curly Joe Harper and the Rib House Blues Band, the After Hours Swing Sextet, and The Swingin Axes. With his three sons, he formed the jazz, blues and popular music band Exis Jaxn, composed a diverse repertoire for the band, and performed in festivals, churches, and academic venues. All four have performed full seasons with the Columbia Civic Orchestra and the 9th Street Orchestra. They spend most of their time playing in Columbia churches, including Community United Methodist Church, Bethel Baptist Church, Unity Center of Columbia, Missouri United Methodist Church, and St. Andrews Evangelical Lutheran Church.