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Paul Jackson

Born in Oakland, California in 1947, Paul Jackson began playing bass at the age of nine. Considered by many of his teachers to be a musical prodigy, he performed with the Oakland Symphony by the age of fourteen where he expanded his musical interests to include performance levels on bassoon and piano.

His inspirations carried him into study with the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. The strong teaching foundation led him into teaching seminars for years with institutions such as A.N. Contemporary of Music (Tokyo), Pan School of Music (Tokyo), Musashino School of Music (Tokyo), Berkley School of Music (Boston), University of California Santa Cruz, and San Jose State University.Paul has been an adviser for Osaka School of Music since 2002.

Paul Jackson is known as a “Musician’s Musician”. As a founding member of the Headhunters under Herbie Hancock, Paul has shaped a sound that launched a new direction in contemporary music. The solid union between Hancock and Jackson has been especially evident in the many international tours they have made together.

In 1979, Paul embarked on a solo recording venture releasing his own album, “Black Octopus”, on Toshiba EMI Records. Jackson’s composing has not gone without recognition as well, beginning with Grammy Award Nominations in 1974, 1975 and 1976 for song-writing “Chameleon” “Hang Up Your Hang-ups” and “Spider”, respectively. Like other highly talented, creatively motivated engineers of music, Paul has expanded his career to other mediums such as playing on the sound track of Paramount’s “Death wish” and “Dirty Harry”. He was a music director for the touring company of “Don’t Bother, I can’t Cope”, spent a year and a half with the Radio Free Europe and has appeared with the Oakland Symphony as well as Herbie Hancock on Midnight Special (ABC-TV) .

Time out to compose the score for film and other hefty projects was sandwiched in between appearing with the band’s numerous jazz festivals such as the De Hagg, Pori, Spain, Montreaux, Newport and Paris. All in all, Paul Jackson is a million mile flyer since his eighteenth birthday.

Since 1985, Paul moved his residence to Japan and continued to be active in many aspects of the Japanese music scene. Live concerts with nation-famous artists such as Char, Tsutomu Yamashita, Sadao Watanabe have been performed in between composing/arranging music for TV commercial films and movies. In 1987, Paul started one of his life-long projects, Jazz for Kids, which is a voluntary concert performed at Japanese schools with an aim to introduce American black history through music and slide presentation. More than 80 schools across Japan has been visited by Paul and his band, which has been introduced on NHK, the only Japanese governmental TV station. The associated documentary was made by the ministry of Education in 1991.

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15
Album Review

Paul Jackson Trio: Groove Or Die

Read "Groove Or Die" reviewed by Bruce Lindsay


Groove Or Die. So says Paul Jackson, bassist extraordinaire. It's clear that the decision isn't one that's troubled Jackson, or fellow band members Xantoné Blacq and French percussionist Tony Match, for too long--this album is all about the groove. Or, to be more specific, the grooves. Jackson has been a first-call bassist for many years--a founding member of Herbie Hancock's Headhunters, a member of the rhythm sections of luminaries such as Stevie Wonder and George Benson. The trio ...

293
Album Review

Paul Jackson: Black Octopus

Read "Black Octopus" reviewed by Jim Santella


Singer/bassist Paul Jackson likes variety in what he does. Like the inference in his opening track’s title, “Many Directions,” this project moves in many directions all at once. It’s fusion. A strong bassist and enjoyable singer, Jackson employs a fusion of R&B, funk, disco, electronic “outer space” music and a little avant-garde jazz. Originally issued in 1978, Jackson’s debut album features a soulful 5-piece band swinging in a mood representative of that era. Paul Jackson and Bennie Maupin were founding ...

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Special Offers

Whirlwind Recordings Announces 5x Customer-Voted New Vinyl Reissues: Jensen Sisters, Paul Jackson, City Of Poets (Jason Palmer & Cedric Hanriot), John Escreet & Mike Gibbs

Whirlwind Recordings Announces 5x Customer-Voted New Vinyl Reissues: Jensen Sisters, Paul Jackson, City Of Poets (Jason Palmer & Cedric Hanriot), John Escreet & Mike Gibbs

Source: Emma Perry Publicity

Exciting news for vinyl fans: Whirlwind Recordings announced (in January) five brand-new reissues of celebrated back-catalog releases, available on LP for the first time. The new reissues come from a range of artists, featuring releases many customers have requested on LP for some time. The first five all ship in May 2021—look out for more reissues coming later in the year. These limited edition printings are a one-off and limited to 300 copies, making them a unique collector's item, grab ...

Education

Music Education Monday: Feeling the funk with Paul Jackson and Mike Clark

Music Education Monday: Feeling the funk with Paul Jackson and Mike Clark

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

Though bassist Paul Jackson and drummer Mike Clark both have extensive lists of credits, they still may be best known as the funky foundation of the Headhunters, the band that backed keyboardist Herbie Hancock in the 1970s and subsequently spun off into an independent act. The slippery, off-beat syncopation of interlocking drum and bass tracks powering compositions like Hancock's “Palm Grease" and “Actual Proof" and the Headhunters' own “God Make Me Funky" was distinctive at the time and retains its ...

2

Recording

Paul "The Headhunter" Jackson Is Back Big With New Album "Groove Or Die" on November 3

Paul "The Headhunter" Jackson Is Back Big With New Album "Groove Or Die" on November 3

Source: Michael Janisch

“This is the first recording of the Paul Jackson Trio; it is something old and something new, and everything that I love to play. I’m playing with excellent musicians that are like my family and I hope everyone can enjoy this music as much as I do playing it. Love to you all!” —Paul Jackson Whirlwind Recordings announces the signing of legendary bassist, vocalist, composer & arranger Paul Jackson and his new trio featuring Xantonè Blacq (keys, vocals, percussions), and ...

Event

Playboy Jazz Festival Presents 1+One, Featuring Patrice Rushen And Ndugu Chancler With Special Guest Paul Jackson Jr. In Free Baldwin Hills Concert Sunday, June 2nd

Source: Nina Gordon Public Relations

Let the good times roll... and head over to the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw for a summer afternoon of jazz and entertainment when the Playboy Jazz Festival presents a free community concert on Sunday, June 2nd, at 5:00 p.m. Doors open at 4:00 p.m. The illustrious group, 1+One, featuring Grammy-nominated artists Patrice Rushen and Ndugu Chancler with special guest, Paul Jackson Jr., will headline the show. The Harmony Project, under the direction of Amos Delone, will also perform. Presented by the ...

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Award / Grant

Paul Jackson's Song "Funky Fingers" Makes the Top 10 of "New Jazz Funk Songs of the Last Decade"

Paul Jackson's Song "Funky Fingers" Makes the Top 10 of "New Jazz Funk Songs of the Last Decade"

Source: Michael Ricci

Herbie Hancock and the Headhunter's virtuoso bass player Paul Jackson's song “Funky Fingers" makes the top 10 of “New Jazz Funk Songs of the Last Decade." Tokyo, Japan - “Funky Fingers" featuring Jackson on bass/vocals, Mike Clark on drums, Bill Summers on percussion Herbie Hancock on keyboards and Jerry Stucker on guitar, is #7 on “New Jazz Funk Songs of the Last Decade" fan poll. The cd is titled “Funk On A Stick" and is on Backdoor Records (BD 1041). ...

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Festival

Trumpeter Greg Adams, Guitarist Paul Jackson Jr. to Perform at Teamsters Black Caucus so Cal Chapter Music Festival 2009, Nov. 7th in Long Beach

Trumpeter Greg Adams, Guitarist Paul Jackson Jr. to Perform at Teamsters Black Caucus so Cal Chapter Music Festival 2009, Nov. 7th in Long Beach

Source: Teresa Conboy PR

The First Annual Teamsters Black Caucus So. Cal Chapter Music Festival featuring R&B, Smooth Jazz and comedy will take place Saturday, November 7th at the Queen Mary Events Park, 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., doors open at 10:30 a.m. All proceeds will benefit Teamsters Black Caucus So Cal Chapter, a non-profit 501c3 organization. Featured performers include The Emotions (The Best of My Love), jazz trumpet player Greg Adams, guitarist Paul Jackson Jr. and comedy relief from emcee Vesta Williams. Bassist ...

551

Recording

Back with a Vengeance: Paul Jackson Jr. Returns to the Spotlight

Back with a Vengeance: Paul Jackson Jr. Returns to the Spotlight

Source: Great Scott P.R.oductions

The soul-jazz guitarists “Lay It Back" streets March 17, title track shipped to radio Its been nearly six years since Paul Jackson Jr. scored a #1 single at contemporary jazz radio with his version of the Motown classic, Its A Shame. Since then youve seen him deploy his chameleon-like guitarisma on American Idol each week and on other national television shows, including the Grammy Awards and the NAACP Image Awards. Hes one of the most recorded guitarists who has literally ...

177

Recording

Mike Clark's Prescription Renewal Featuring Paul Jackson & Jeff Babko

Mike Clark's Prescription Renewal Featuring Paul Jackson & Jeff Babko

Source: All About Jazz

MIKE CLARK gained worldwide recognition as one of America's foremost jazz and funk drummers while playing with Herbie Hancock's group in the early 1970's. Clark became known as a major innovator through his incisive playing on Hancock's Thrust album, which garnered him an international cult following. He is currently busy touring with his own Prescription Organ Trio / Duo, featuring Jerry Z, doing clinics and performing at clubs and concerts nationwide.

Clark's work continues to influence successive generations of drummers ...

102

Recording

Paul Jackson Funks up Radio

Paul Jackson Funks up Radio

Source: All About Jazz

Paul Jackson is now on 350 radio stations and climbing. Bassist Jackson was one of the founding members of the Headhunters and still tours and records with them on BasinStreet Records. He's put his new CD Funk on a Stick (BackDoor Records) in the ears of millions of radio listeners around the world. David Cintron of WPKR 91.5 said about Jackson's new CD, “I was stoked to get this CD. My favorite songs are “Everything You Got," “Pain," and “It's ...

84

Radio

RadioDirectX Marks the spot for Paul Jackson's New Funk Release

RadioDirectX Marks the spot for Paul Jackson's New Funk Release

Source: All About Jazz

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE RadioDirectX Marks the Spot for Paul Jackson’s New Funk Release Franki LaMantia, Urbanzone Productions Paul Jackson is one of the most influential jazz/funk bass players of all time. Jackson and Herbie Hancock were the founding members of the super jazz/funk group Herbie Hancock and the Headhunters. Paul continues to tour and record with the Headhunters on BasinStreet Records. Jackson’s second solo release, FUNK ON A STICK (BackDoor Records) has recently been picked up by well respected inde ...

Ryan Berg
bass, acoustic
The Fanny Pack
band / ensemble / orchestra

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Groove Or Die

Whirlwind Recordings Ltd
2014

buy

Black Octopus

Platform Recordings
2000

buy

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