Nev Jackson - Banjo Picking Music Therapist

Edited by Nancy Vickers

Too often the story goes like this: a music lover gets excited about the 5-string banjo after hearing it in the background of a TV commercial or song. The initial enthusiasm results in the purchase of a cheapie starter banjo and a few months of lessons from a guitar teacher in a music store full of pianos- then discouragement sets in. The guitar teacher runs out of things to say, and this picker’s banjo career is over.

But the story doesn’t have to read that way - not if our friend meets Nev Jackson - Banjo teacher/community psychologist. Then the story can continue: after a few months’ lessons. The student becomes a regular picker at a monthly jam session (listed as a structured jam session in the 1988 Banjo Resource Directory) learning to integrate rhythm and solo playing with other bluegrass instruments and vocals. After becoming more comfortable in this group situation, he begins the slow process (usually guided by Nev) of assimilation into the "real world" of fire hall sessions and bluegrass association jams In the eastern Pennsylvania area.

Nev Jackson is in the business of making musicians and helping those musicians find each other. Recognizing the social aspect of bluegrass, he understands the importance of providing a sphere in which his students can play music with others who are generally at the same level of proficiency. This is especially important when you consider that many of his beginner students know little or nothing about bluegrass.

He tells the story of the student from Harrisburg who came to the first lesson with a large backpack full of banjo breaks. When asked to play, the novice attempted Tony Trischka’s Sody Daisy — and wasn’t even close. After a few more equally unsuccessful attempts at melodic tunes, Nev asked him if he knew any songs by Earl Scruggs, only to hear, "Earl who?"

"It was at this point," says Nev, "that the real educational process began."

Nev Jackson sees a significant part of his responsibility to his students from a community psychology perspective, which is another way of saying he helps groups of people find each other. The two groups of people in this case are the bluegrass community and people who want to join the bluegrass community. The fact that Nev holds a master’s degree in psychosocial science from Pennsylvania State University is probably the motivation for this systematic approach to teaching banjo, guitar, mandolin and bass. Structured jam sessions, informative seminars with masters such as Tony Trischka and Pete Wernick, and even some professional exposure (Nev invites advanced students to participate in his public appearances) have led Pete Wernick to call this program "innovative, original and great!"

The "groups finding groups" approach has special benefits for Nev’s younger students. In a number of instances, students who were pre or early adolescents have fallen in love with bluegrass and have excelled instrumentally. The resulting increases in self-esteem and in the ability to be comfortable in a room full of adult musicians are benefits that tend to spill over into other areas of their lives — at home and in school, for example — and generally aid the maturation process.

Nev’s community psychology approach provides direction for a current project of his. He has noticed that many students who play the violin in high school stop playing after graduation because they lack a sphere in which to continue. "Realistically, only a small percentage of these students go on to major in music in college, and community and church orchestra options are very limited," Nev says. He is currently looking into ways to tap this potential source of fiddlers for the bluegrass community. Once again, group finding group.

Like many musicians. Nev became interested in music early in life. School band and church orchestra were his first experiences. Then, as a high school student (around 1960), he became interested in commercial folk music. He taught himself to play first the guitar, and then the banjo, by playing along with records of The Kingston Trio. He performed with a number of groups in high school and in his twenties. The most successful of these was The Summit Singers, a string quartet in which his father, Nev Sr., played bass. It was for this group that Nev first began writing original material. An album, To A Memory, produced by this band, provided his first studio recording experience and a showcase for his songwriting talents.

Editor’s Note: The cover photograph of Henry Emerich and Nev Appeared in a news story in The Lebanon Daily News, Lebanon, Pennsylvania September 1988.

Fourteen year old Henry Emrich was born prematurely with coordination problems and was declared legally blind. Henry's parents were told that he’d probably never be able to write. Coming to Nev two years ago knowing only a few guitar chords, Henry has progressed significantly, thanks to Nev’s innovative program. He is a frequent soloist at the monthly jam session and has appeared in public with Nev and also by himself. "He's a joy to play with," says Nev – "it's very satisfying helping people to realize their potential -- and it’s a real kick being able to do it with my banjo."

Nev has been a long-time friend of Banjo Newsletter and he sent me a copy of the article and photograph by staff writer Pat Seaman. Along with a copy of his latest cassette a while back I was enchanted by the story of what Nev was doing taking his love for music and his training in music therapy and helping others. I asked if he could provide some additional information for BNL readers and here is the result