Joe Jackson on his way to The Music Hall

On Wednesday, Oct. 29, The Music Hall will welcome the Joe Jackson Band to Portsmouth in the latest installment of the Intimately Yours live music series. Bandleader Jackson, on piano and vocals, will be joined by original Joe Jackson Band members Graham Maby on bass and David Houghton on drums. Jackson is touring in support of his latest album, “Rain,” which was released in January. “Rain” is a return to form for Jackson, with songs following in the footsteps of his highly influential early albums, yet it displays a sophistication and maturity that highlight the varied paths his career has taken.

Now 54, Jackson has consistently pushed the boundaries of popular music during his three-plus decades of performing and recording. In addition to being a Grammy winning classical composer and best-selling author, few other musicians can boast of being covered by both Tori Amos and Anthrax. The classically trained musician got his start in the early 1970s playing piano in cabaret acts. In 1978, as the punk scene in the U.K. slowly burned itself out, a new crop of songwriters found themselves coming to the foreground of the music landscape. Marrying the attitude and energy of punk with more nuanced, sophisticated lyrics and intricate arrangements, three musicians would exemplify this new wave of performers: Elvis Costello, Graham Parker and Joe Jackson. Dubbed by the English press as “Angry Young Men,” these three songwriters’ early records shared a common feel, and yet all went on to have wildly different and eclectic careers.

Jackson’s first album, 1979’s scrappy “Look Sharp,” helped define the sound of  the burgeoning new wave scene. In a telling show of how the underground has become mainstream, last year saw the use of the title track in a Taco Bell commercial. Featuring the hit “Is She Really Going out with Him,” the album became a sensation on both sides of the Atlantic and was quickly followed by the stylistically similar release, “I’m The Man.” Like The Clash, The Specials and many other U.K. bands of the time, Jackson’s next album, 1980’s “Beat Crazy,” showcased a distinct reggae influence on his songwriting. Unfortunately, after the album’s release, the constant touring of the last several years took its toll and the Joe Jackson Band broke up.

Taking advantage of the break, Jackson took a stylistic left turn and recorded “Jumpin’ Jive,” which featured covers of 1940s swing and jump jazz standards by Cab Calloway and Louis Jordan, among others. His follow-up album, 1982’s “Night & Day,” is widely considered Jackson’s masterpiece, with its blend of well-executed, intricate arrangements and dry, witty lyrics focusing on life in early ’80s New York, which was to be Jackson’s home for the next 20 years. Jackson still performs “Steppin’ Out,” the biggest hit from the album, in concert.

After the success of “Night & Day” Jackson had the freedom to explore many other genres of music, and his output from the next two decades veers wildly across the stylistic map, from the instrumental movie soundtrack “Mike’s Murder” to his Grammy winning classical composition, 1999’s “Symphony #1.” Despite his many detours, Jackson never forgot his roots and released several albums in the intervening years that returned to the raw energy of his debut, including 2003’s “Volume 4,” in which he reunited with the original members of the Joe Jackson Band for the first time.

A vocal opponent of anti-smoking legislation, Jackson has written several essays regarding the dubious nature of anti-smoking laws, as well as several songs, such as 1982’s “Everything Gives You Cancer.” Jackson is apparently also a fan of cask conditioned ale, so don’t be surprised to see him enjoying a beer (but not a cigarette) at a local pub after what promises to be a great show.