Ron Jackson

Ron Jackson is a New York jazz 6 and 7 string guitarist, composer, arranger, producer, recording artist, and instructor. Ron has performed and recorded in over 20 countries as a bandleader and ensemble performer, and is well established on the international jazz scene. Ron's style of guitar playing and composing is a blend of jazz and other American styles such as soul, rhythm and blues, pop, as well as Caribbean and Latin, having been influenced by his Philippine roots. He brings it all together in his unique approach to playing jazz guitar.

Considered one of the most versatile guitarists in the world, he is adept in styles such as African, Rock, R+B, Brazilian, Pop, Country, Calypso, Reggae, Soul, Funk, and Classical, but his greatest passion has always been jazz. Ron has 5 jazz guitar albums to his credit as a leader: A Guitar Thing and Thinking of You on Muse Records, Song For Luis - a duo with Rufus Reid on Mastermix Records, Concrete Jungle - co-led with bassist Nicki Parrott on Airmen Records, and The Dream I Had on Roni Music. Branching out stylistically, Ron has 2 new CD’s on his Roni Music Label. His group Burning Gums’ self-titled album features an international line-up including Norbert Marius on bass (Hungary) and Hiroyuki “Matsu” Matsuura (Japan) on drums and percussion. Flubby Dubby, Ron’s new CD with his Hammond organ group was recorded live and perfectly showcases his soul-jazz originals and arrangements of popular tunes. The album features Kyle Koehler on Hammond and Otis Brown III on drums with special guests Don Braden on tenor saxophone and Bruce Williams on alto. Giving it that special touch, the album was produced by Ron’s mentor, the late soul-jazz and acid jazz pioneer Melvin Sparks. Currently in the works, Ron has a new CD called “Akustik InventYours”, Roni Music 6653. The release date and celebration will be at Birdland NYC Thursday October 16 6pm.

Ron has recorded and performed with jazz, blues and World music, greats such as, Taj Majal, Little Anthony and The Imperials, James Spaulding, The Boys Choir of Harlem, The Metro Mass Choir, Mor Thaims Drums of Fire, Irene Reid, Hal Singer, TK Blue, Sarah Dash, Gene Anthony Ray, Cecil Brooks III, TAO, Melvin Rhyne, Jimmy McGriff, 5 Guitars Play Mingus, Cissy Houston, Kevin Powell, Ralph Peterson, Russell Malone, Larry Coryell, Jack Wilkins, Don Braden, Craig Handy, Vanessa Rubin, David Krakauer's Klezmer Madness, Renee Manning, Earl Mcintyre, Clark Gayton, Benny Powell, Babatunde Olatunji, The Metro Mass Choir, Benny Golson, Randy Weston, Ron Carter, Valery Ponomarev, Oliver Lake, Leo Wright, Jaki Byard, Mulgrew Miller, Winard Harper, Akua Dixon, Kenny Drew Jr., Olatunji, Gwen Guthrie, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Raul Midon, Jimmy Cobb, Rufus Reid, Larry Coryell, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Bernard Purdie, Dewey Redman, Howard Johnson, Benny Powell, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Gary Bartz, John Hicks, Ron Blake, Akira Tana, Pucho and the Latin Soul Brothers, Sitti Navarro the Queen of Philippine Bossa Nova, and Candido to name a few.

Also an experienced jazz educator and guitar instructor, he is currently a faculty member at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Wells Fargo Jazz For Teens Program, and The Brooklyn Conservatory Professional Division, and has previously been on the faculty of Music Outreach, St. Albans Congregational Church Music Program, Jazz at Lincoln Center-Jazz in the Schools, and The New York Pops Create A Symphony Program. He has taught and lectured at And the Prins Claus Conservatoire, “New Comes to Groningen” jazz program in Groningen, the Netherlands, The Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, Duke University, The National Summer Guitar Workshop Jazz Summit, The New School, New York University, at Jazzmobile, as well as in clinics in France, Escuela Creativa Musica, Madrid Spain, The United Kingdom, Australia and Portugal.

Ron frequently plays in New York City area and has performed at such notable clubs and institutions as The Blue Note, Fat Tuesday, Iridium, Joe’s Pub, Birdland, Dizzy's, 55Bar, The Kitano, The Jazz Gallery, Fat Cat, Nublu, B.B.Kings, Lenox Lounge, Showmans, The Red Rooster, The Zinc Bar, NPR, Rutgers University Institute of Jazz Studies, New York Botanical Garden, Lincoln Center, Flushing Town Hall, The Apollo Theater, Guggenheim Museum, The Museum Of Modern Art, Symphony Space, Baruch PAC, Tribeca PAC, The Brooklyn Museum, Harlem Stage, New Jersey Performing Arts Center, The Newark Museum, The Shapeshifter Lab, Aaron Davis Hall, Brooklyn Academy of Music, The Brooklyn Conservatory, The Museum Of Natural History and Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Ron’s style of Jazz Guitar has had him appear at major festivals all over the USA like the New Orleans Heritage and Jazz Festival, The Bell Atlantic Jazz Festival, Atlanta Arts Festival, City Stages in Birmingham, Alabama, The North Carolina Jazz Festival, The Newark Jazz Festival, Kingston Jazz Festival, The Rochester International Jazz Festival, The International Art Of Jazz Festival on Long Island, The James Moody Jazz Festival, and The National Black Arts Festival in Atlanta. His unique sound has also brought him overseas to the The North Sea Jazz Festival in Holland, the Pori Jazz Festival in Finland, the Hamilton, Kiama and Montsalvat festivals in Australia, the Berlin Jazz Festival, the Grimsby and Edinburgh Festivals in the UK, Old Town Jazz Festival in Warsaw, Poland, the Istanbul Jazz Festival, Jazz Entre Amigos TV Show and San Juan Evangelista Festival in Spain, as well as the Cully and Freibourg Jazz festivals Switzerland. He has also toured and performed in St.Thomas, Belgium, Spain, Italy, France, Portugal, Austria, Australia, Canada, Lebanon, Monaco, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria and Japan.

Ron studied Jazz Composition and Arranging at Berklee College of Music, at Barry Harris's workshops and has studied privately with such New York jazz guitar greats as Pat Martino, Bruce Johnson, Bucky Pizzarelli, Ted Dunbar, Rodney Jones, James “Blood' Ulmer, and Melvin Sparks.

Gear

Seymour Duncan Pickups Gibson L-5 Studio Thomastik-Infeld Strings, George Benson,.014 Heritage Guitars Aria Guitars

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Album Reviews

Akustik InventYours by Tyran Grillo
Flubby Dubby by Edward Blanco

Take Five With...

Take Five With Ron Jackson

Album Reviews

The Dream I Had by Geannine Reid
The Dream I Had by Franz A. Matzner
Concrete Jungle by Dave Nathan

“His guitar work recalls, by turns, Pat Metheny’s sleek modernity and Wes Montgomery’s riffy elation…..a guitarist of mature yet inventive dexterity…..Jackson is a brilliant guitarist and composer.” Nick DeRiso, ReviewYou.com

‘Kuncheza Blues’...standout solos by Cecil Bridgewater, Redman (Dewey), and guitarist Ron Jackson.” JazzTimes on Randy Weston's Uhuru Africa Concert

“...he opens with 'Shadow of Your Smile' with a chord melody approach and we know we are in for a treat...he has a very mature approach and his tasteful harmonies set the stage...We hear great octave playing (thumb) and exciting double stops, long clean lines and bursts of syncopated riffs by Ron. George Benson, Wes and Barney Kessel sneak in, but we really hear Ron Jackson, a relative newcomer to the jazz guitar, who is going somewhere with a jump start.” Just Jazz Guitar

“...an exciting and individual minded player...he showed equally good taste in execution as he did in selection.” The Herald, Edinburgh, Scotland

“...virtuoso technique and mellow tone that Jackson coaxed from his instrument.” Sunday Times Perth, Australia

“With pianist Benny Green, bassist Lonnie Plaxico and drummer Cecil Brooks III, Jackson is in fast company — a challenge he meets with dexterity, a fine tone and convincing expression.” JazzTimes

”Ron Jackson is my kind of guitar player. He represents his music with neatly picked runs and elegant phrasing. He projects the art of jazz guitar in the traditional manner by obvious nods to Wes and Charlie, but adopts a contemporary attitude with Metheny, Scofield and Klugh adding their influences.” Jazz Journal International

“Ron Jackson makes a strong debut...he's no boring genuflection of the past.” Jazziz

“Ron Jackson has studied the art of modern jazz guitar from Wes Montgomery to Sonny Sharrock...he approached ballads with a sensitivity that reminds me vividly of Grant Green's style.” Cadence Magazine

“Jackson displays blues suffused grit and lively single not daring-do. He's a comer who bears watching.” New Music Report

“Well known in the right circles, Ron Jackson is quietly one of the best jazz guitarists in music. Ask any big name musician who has taken part in the New York Jazz scene, and they will know exactly who Ron Jackson is.”

Wildy Haskell, ReviewYou.com

“Jackson proved himself to be an excellent leader on repertoire that was often demanding. He has a warm tone on guitar with an ability to play rapid fire lines.” The Western Australian

“Ron Jackson is a New York jazz guitarist who can do it all. ….his very fiery and imaginative solo, the chords, single-lines, and octaves are bouncing off the wall. …The breakneckspeed and intensity of the soloing keep you on the edge of your seat.” JH, Vintage Guitar Review

“Ron Jacksons music is absolutely beautiful! Definitely recommended!” A-J Charron Guitarnoise.com

“Jackson is a brilliant guitarist and composer”, 5 out of 5 stars Grady Harp, Major Sounds Small Ensemble, Major Sounds

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Primary Instrument

Guitar

Location

New York City

Willing to teach

Advanced only

Credentials/Background

Ron is an experienced music educator and guitar instructor and is a faculty member at the of The New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Wachovia Jazz For Teens Program, Music Outreach, The Brooklyn Conservatory, St. Albans Congregational Church Music Program, Jazz at Lincoln Center-Jazz in the Schools and The New York Pops Create A Symphony Program. He has taught and lectured at And the Prins Claus Conservatoire, “New Comes to Groningen” program in Groningen in The Netherlands Duke University, The National Summer Guitar Workshop Jazz Summit, The New School, New York University, at Jazzmobile, as well as in clinics in France, Escuela Creativa Musica, Madrid Spain, The United Kingdom, Australia and Portugal. Ron is also available as a private instructor. Ron Jackson’s Guitar Lesson Rates and Policies For private and online lessons. $75 1 Hour $60 45 Minutes $40 30 Minutes Travel Fee: Rates vary depending on your location. Payments must be paid in full in advance. 5 lessons or 10 lessons Paypal, Cash,Postal Money Order or Cashiers Checks Accepted. 24 hour non-refundable cancellation fee. If I cancel within 24 hours, we can reschedule. Lessons expire 3 months after payment.

Clinic/Workshop Information

Primary Instrument

Guitar

Location

New York City

Willing to teach

Advanced only

Credentials/Background

Clinic/Workshop Information

Class Description The Fundamentals of Improvisation and How to use them in your playing immediately. This is based mainly on the Barry Harris System of Improvisation, which is Be-Bop based, but also from my experience teaching improvisation to young students. Your Goal In This Masterclass is to start improvising, using real jazz phrases (not blues phrases but be-bop), on Jazz Blues Progression in C, C Jam Blues Rhythm Changes, like "I Got Rhythm" Bb a standard, "I'll Remember April" in G By the end the class, you should be able to make jazz licks or phrases on these tunes (As well as on any tune) if you follow this curriculum. I will demonstrate with a jazz trio. Everyone must bring their instruments and play during the workshop. You will have a chance play with the trio as well. Everyone is Welcome! For guitarists, I will give you specific ways to practice your scales and phrases on the fingerboard. Class Topics 1.) Knowing and Memorizing Your Scales a.) The Minor Pentatonic and Blues Scale b.) The Major and Melodic Minor Scales c.) The Major and Melodic Minor Scales and Their Modes d.) The Most Commonly Used Scales In Jazz, The Major, Dorian, Mixolydian, Lydian Dominant, Altered. e.) The Be-Bop Scales, Major, Dorian, Dominant (Mixolydian) and Melodic Minor, The Placement of The Chromatic Passing Tone in These Scales which makes it a Be-Bop Scale. f.) The Rhythmic Placement of Your Scales on Chord Changes and Progressions. g.II-Min7-V7 Licks (Dorian to Mixolydian) and how to use them. h.) The Use of 1,2,3,5 Phases to get through difficult, fast chord progressions. 2.) The Importance of Phrasing, Timing and The Placement of your Improvisational Phrases. 3.) Memorizing Basic Chord Progressions that common to most Jazz Standards and memorizing them a.) I maj7-VImin7-IImin7-V7 b.) IImin7-V7 c.) IImin7-V7-I maj7 d.) I min7-VImin7b5-IImin7b5-V7b9 e.) IImin7b5-V7b9 f.) IImin7b5-V7b9, Imin7 g.) Imaj7-II7 4. Basic Phases that are easy and logical that can use to play Changes. 5.) Why it's important to try to play scales, licks, and tunes in all keys. 6.) The Importance of Listening, Memorizing Tunes, Memorizing Scales and Playing with people.

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