Songwriter shares new music in local show

Stephen Jackman has been called Montana's last best unsigned songwriter. For over 30 years he's been writing songs that are a little bit different, yet familiar and friendly to the ear, with his own trademark jazzy folk music.

Jackman will perform at The Knead Cafe in Kalispell at 7 p.m. on Saturday with special guest Andre Floyd. He's also slated to appear at the Whitefish Lake Restaurant on March 31, with more dates to follow.

A native Montanan, he's now living in Whitefish, and ramping up his performance schedule with a lineup of club dates, while putting the final polish on his upcoming CD, due out this summer.

Jackman's no stranger to the Northwest's music scene. An original member of The Stone Formation in Great Falls, he's also toured extensively with his close friend, folk and blues guitarist Floyd in the 1970s with the Flo & Glass Band; then with Chuck Beagle as Pappy Jackman and the Salty Dog. Beagle and Floyd also played together as a duo back in their college days.

In 1992 Jackman reunited with Floyd and Beagle, playing together nearly every week for three years running and becoming a favorite of the Missoula music scene.

Now Jackman is busy in his studio arranging, producing and recording his upcoming CD "Band o'Steve," aptly named, since Jackman plays all the instruments, including acoustic and electric guitar, mandolin, bass, keyboards, percussion, and vocals.

Besides his original songs, his musical style highlights the work of such artists as Stephen Stills, Elvis Costello and Shawn Colvin. He refers to some of his repertoire as "Variations on a theme of …" - putting his own spin on songs by such groups as Loggins and Messina, The Grass Roots and The Guess Who.