In London, Jacobsen began to play with saxophonists Barbara Thompson, Isotope's Gary Boyle, and Don Weller.
[7] Jacobsen would perform on four of Wellins' albums: Live... Jubilation (1978),[8] Dreams are Free (1979),[9] ERCO Makes Light Work (1983)[10] and Birds of Brazil (1989).
[16] During this time, Jacobsen, drummer Dave Barry and bassist Mick Hutton were the resident rhythm section at the Cambridge Modern Jazz Club.
[2] In 1988, Jacobsen recorded the album Eleven Years From Yesterday with the Ugandan jazz violinist Philipp Wachsmann, percussionist Trevor Taylor, the Brazilian bassist and cellist Marcio Mattos, and the guitarist Ian Brighton.
[17] Jacobsen also regularly played with the saxophonists Robin Kenyatta, Alan Skidmore, Peter King, bassists Eberhard Weber and Paul Carmichael, and with the percussionist Chris Fletcher.
It was Whitehead who noted that Jacobsen spent much of his time in the East End of London, playing with unknown and/or struggling musicians and, as a result, never got the press attention he deserved.