After holding a full-time staff position teaching at the Music Institute (then GIT) Jackie King created and owned the Southwest Guitar Conservatory, which drew students from around the world and was featured in Guitar Player Magazine. He received an honorary Master's degree from San Francisco State University and served on the board of the Music Teachers' Association of California. Jackie King's educational products have continued to be in print for almost 20 years: REH-Warner Bros. Hotlines book & cassette, Contemporary Guitar Improvisation on Hotlicks Videos. 2002 year saw the release of King's first book for the Mel Bay Company, Getting Into Jazz Guitar, which is currently available worldwide. His next Mel Bay title will be available in 2004. Jackie has taught clinics/seminars and lectured throughout the US at prestigious music schools such as Berklee College of Music and the University of the Arts (Philadelphia), and served on a music industry panel at the International Association for Jazz Education 2002 convention.
Jackie King's wealth of musical and improvisational knowledge and his ability to communicate this knowledge in a highly accessible manner to students of all ages and playing levels has made him one of the most respected and sought after clinicians in the US and abroad. He is able to convey concepts of musical theory as easily as he imparts his knowledge of the entertainment industry.
As an author, Jackie's articles and lessons have appeared in Jazz Times, All About Jazz, and Just Jazz Guitar. As a composer, one of his most recent compositions, The Great Divide, is the title track for Willie Nelson's CD which was nominated for Album of the Year (Grammy) and garnered the superstar another gold record in 2003. The title track to Jackie's upcoming release, I Remember the Stars, is another original composition and features legendary pianist Marian McPartland.
As an artist Jackie King has been reviewed and featured in prominent media such as Vintage Guitar (see November 2002 issue), Jazz Times (see current 2002-2003 Education issue), Downbeat, Guitar Player, 20th Century Guitar, Jazziz, and NPR's Piano Jazz with Marian McPartland. The quarterly, Just Jazz Guitar, ran an excerpt from Jackie's Getting Into Jazz Guitar book in November 2002, and a review of the book in February 2003. King performs throughout the United States, Europe, Australia, Japan, and will be performing on The Jazz Cruise (sponsored by Jazz Times magazine), traveling to the East Caribbean, in 2004. Jackie King has performed extensively with Chet Baker, Ray Charles, Richie Cole, Willie Nelson, the Boston Pops, the Joffrey Ballet, and has served as a touring artist/ clinician for the California Arts Council.
Jackie King's recordings include releases on Columbia Records, Mercury Records, his own Indigo Moon Records, and numerous other labels. November 2002 saw the release of NPR's Jazz Christmas CD featuring a duet with Jackie King and Marian McPartland. 2004 will see the release of Jackie King's next solo CD, I Remember the Stars, with guest artist Marian McPartland. 2004 will also see the release of Phone call for Charlie Parker, a live recording featuring alto saxophonist, Richie Cole, from King's sold out 2003 East coast tour.
