Leo Jackson & The Melody Clouds were founded in 1965 by Leo Jackson, Sr. — first as the Jackson Harmonizers — and today his son Leo Jackson, Jr. carries the leadership role. The family came to New Orleans out of rural Mississippi, from the tiny burg of Jayess, and the brothers Leo Jr., Melvin, and Carey, along with Ronald Scott, sing with a four-piece band behind them. Much of their material is written by Leo Jr., who has described his style as landing somewhere near the Isley Brothers or Al Green.
The group has been a fan favorite at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival's Gospel Tent since 1989, and has performed at the Essence Festival, the Voodoo Experience, and the French Quarter Festival, alongside the worship services that remain the heart of their work. Their album Great Day, on the Sound of New Orleans label, mixes standards like "Amazing Grace" with originals such as the heartfelt "Country Boy."
What they do is old-school gospel with classic four-part harmonies, stirring melodies, and contemporary, rollicking rhythms — music born of personal struggle and self-reliance, testified rather than merely performed.
