Ron Jackson (jazz musician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ron Jackson
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| Background information | |
| Born | July 27, 1964 Manila, Philippines |
| Origin | New York City |
| Genres | Jazz, hard bop, swing |
| Occupation(s) | Composer, arranger, instructor |
| Instruments | 6-string guitar, 7-string guitar, electric bass |
| Years active | 1980s–present |
| Labels | Muse, Roni |
| Associated acts | Bucky Pizzarelli, George Van Eps, Melvin Sparks |
Ron Jackson (born 1964) is an American jazz guitarist, composer, and teacher. He is known for his amazing guitar playing and for teaching music to young people.
Contents
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Ron Jackson was born in the Philippines on July 27, 1964. His father was serving in the US Marines at the time. Ron started playing the guitar when he was 11 years old. By the age of 15, he played his first professional show. This means he was paid to perform!
In 1982, Ron went to the Berklee College of Music. This is a very famous music school. He focused on learning how to write and arrange music. In 1985, he moved to Paris, France, for two years. There, he also started playing the electric bass guitar. In 1987, he moved to New York City and went back to playing his guitar. He began touring, playing jazz guitar across North America and Europe.
Recording and Touring Music
1990s Music Journey
In 1991, when Ron was 27, he released his first album as a band leader. It was called A Guitar Thing. An album as a "leader" means he was in charge of the music and the band. This album was very popular and reached number 26 on a national music chart. He then released another album called Thinking of You. Both albums came out on Muse Records.
In the early 1990s, Ron led his own group, the Ron Jackson Quartet. He also joined other groups. In 1995, he played with a group called 5 Guitars Play Mingus. They played music by a famous jazz composer named Charles Mingus. Ron also released an album of duets, which means two musicians playing together, with Rufus Reid. In 1996, Ron won first prize in a big contest called the Heritage International Jazz Guitar Competition. Throughout his career, he has played many different kinds of music gigs. This includes playing at weddings, parties, and with jam bands. He also played with the Rufus Reid Trio and the Randy Weston Group. In 1999, Ron released the album Concrete Jungle.
2000s and Beyond
After Concrete Jungle, Ron Jackson started his own music company called Roni Music. Since then, he has released all his albums independently. This means he produces his own music. In 2003, he released The Dream I Had. This album had both classic jazz songs and new songs he wrote himself.
In 2008, he released Flubby Dubby. In 2012, he released Burning Gums, which was the first album for a group with the same name. Ron has toured and recorded with many different bands. He has also played regularly in famous New York City jazz clubs. These include Birdland, Iridium Jazz Club, 55 Bar, and the Blue Note Jazz Club. He has played with many well-known musicians like Randy Weston, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Benny Golson.
Teaching Music
Ron Jackson is also a dedicated jazz educator and guitar teacher. He has taught at several important places. These include the New Jersey Performing Arts Center and Jazz At Lincoln Center. He also writes articles for Acoustic Guitar Magazine. He helps many young musicians learn about jazz and how to play the guitar.
Albums by Ron Jackson
Ron Jackson has released many albums as a leader. Here are some of them:
- A Guitar Thing (1992)
- Thinking of You (1994)
- Song for Luis (1996)
- Concrete Jungle (1999)
- The Dream I Had (2003)
- Flubby Dubby (2008)
- Burning Gums (2011)
- Akustik InventYours (2014)
- Standards and Other Songs (2019)
- Standards and My Songs (2022)
