Willis Jackson

Willis "Gator" Jackson (April 25, 1932 – October 25, 1987) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist.

Biography

Born in Miami, Florida, Jackson joined Duke Ellington alumnus Cootie Williams's band in 1949 as a teenager, after being discovered by Eddie Vinson. During the 1950s Jackson participated in R&B and jazz recordings, primarily as a session musician. He also toured as leader of the backing band of singer Ruth Brown, whom he married. Jackson joined Prestige Records in 1959, making a string of jazz albums that proved to an influence on the burgeoning soul jazz movement. During this era, Jack McDuff and Pat Martino became famous through association with Jackson. Jackson's main influences were Lester Young and Illinois Jacquet.

Jamaican ska innovator Prince Buster has cited Jackson's song "Later for the Gator" as one of the first ska songs.

Jackson died in New York one week after heart surgery, in October 1987, at the age of 55.

Discography

As leader

• Please Mr. Jackson [also released as Cool Grits] (Prestige, 1959) - with Jack McDuff, Bill Jennings
• Cool "Gator" [also released as Keep On A Blowin' ] (Prestige, 1959–60) - with Jack McDuff, Bill Jennings
• Blue Gator (Prestige, 1959–60) - with Jack McDuff, Bill Jennings
• Cookin' Sherry (Prestige, 1959–60 [rel. 1961]) - with Jack McDuff, Bill Jennings
• Together Again! (Prestige, 1959–60 [rel. 1965]) - with Jack McDuff, Bill Jennings
• Really Groovin' (Prestige, 1961)
• In My Solitude (Moodsville, 1961)
• Together Again, Again (Prestige, 1959–61 [rel. 1966]) - with Jack McDuff, Bill Jennings
• Thunderbird (Prestige, 1962) - with Freddie Roach
• Johnny "Hammond" Cooks with Gator Tail (Prestige, 1962) - with Johnny "Hammond" Smith, Eddie McFadden
• Bossa Nova Plus [also released as Shuckin' ] (Prestige, 1962)
• Neapolitan Nights (Prestige, 1962)
• Loose... (Prestige, 1963)
• Grease 'n' Gravy (Prestige, 1963) - with Pat Martino
• The Good Life (Prestige, 1963) - with Pat Martino
• More Gravy (Prestige, 1963) - with Pat Martino
• Boss Shoutin' (Prestige, 1964) - with Pat Martino
• Jackson's Action! Recorded Live (Prestige, 1964) - with Pat Martino
• Live! Action (Prestige, 1964 [rel. 1966]) - with Pat Martino
• Soul Night/Live! (Prestige, 1964 [rel. 1966]) - with Pat Martino
• Tell It... [live] (Prestige, 1964 [rel. 1967]) - with Pat Martino
• 'Gator Tails [also released as Willis Jackson] (Verve, 1964) - with Claus Ogerman's orchestra
• Smoking with Willis (Cadet, 1965)
• Soul Grabber (Prestige, 1967)
• Star Bag (Prestige, 1968) - with Trudy Pitts, Bill Jennings
• Swivelhips (Prestige, 1968) - with Bill Jennings
• Gator's Groove (Prestige, 1968) - with Bill Jennings
• Mellow Blues (Upfront, 1970; Trip/Springboard TLP-5007, 1974) - with Dave "Baby" Cortez, George Benson
• Gatorade (Prestige, 1971 [rel. 1982]) - with Boogaloo Joe Jones
• Recording Session (Big Chance, 1972) [also released as Plays Around With The Hits] (Trip/Springboard TLP-5030, 1974)
• West Africa (Muse, 1973)
• Headed and Gutted (Muse, 1974) - with Pat Martino
• Funky Reggae (Trip/Springboard TLP-5028, 1974) - with Dave "Baby" Cortez, George Benson
• The Way We Were (Atlantic, 1975) reissued on Collectables in 2001.
• Plays With Feeling (Cotillion, 1976) reissued on Collectables in 2001.
• In the Alley (Muse, 1976) - with Sonny Phillips, Jimmy Ponder
• The Gator Horn (Muse, 1977) - with Boogaloo Joe Jones
• Bar Wars (Muse, 1977) - with Charles Earland, Pat Martino; reissued on 32 Jazz in 1997.
• Single Action (Muse, 1978) - with Pat Martino
• Lockin' Horns (Muse, 1978 [rel. 1981]) - with Von Freeman, Boogaloo Joe Jones; reissued on 32 Jazz in 2000.
• Nothing Butt... (Muse, 1980 [rel. 1983]) - with Charles Earland, Pat Martino
• In Chateauneuf-du-Pape 1980 [also released as Ya Understand Me?] (Black & Blue, 1980; Muse, 1984)

Compilations

• The Best of Willis Jackson With Brother Jack McDuff (Prestige, 1969)
• The Best of Willis Jackson/Soul Stompin' (Prestige, 1970)
• On My Own (Whiskey, Women, And... , 1986) (compilation of early Atlantic recordings 1950–55)
• Gator's Groove: The Best of Willis Jackson, Volume One (BGP/Ace, 1988) (compilation of Prestige recordings)
• Call of The Gators (Delmark, 1992) (compilation of early Apollo recordings 1949–50)
• Gentle Gator (Prestige, 1995) (compilation drawn from four different Jackson albums)
• Willis Jackson With Pat Martino (Prestige, 1995) (compilation of Jackson's Action! Recorded Live + Live! Action)
• Willis...With Pat (32 Jazz, 1998) (compilation of three Muse albums: Headed And Gutted [4 tracks], Bar Wars [2 tracks], Single Action [2 tracks])
• Legends of Acid Jazz: Willis Jackson (Prestige, 1998) (compilation of Blue Gator + Cookin' Sherry)
• Legends of Acid Jazz: Willis Jackson – Keep On A Blowin' (Prestige, 1999) (compilation of Keep On A Blowin' + Thunderbird)
• At Large (Prestige, 2000) (compilation drawn from five different Jackson albums)
• Willis Jackson With Pat Martino – Gravy (Prestige, 2001) (compilation of Grease 'N' Gravy + The Good Life)
• Nuther'n Like Thuther'n (Prestige, 2002) (compilation of More Gravy + Boss Shoutin' )
• Willis Jackson With Pat Martino – Soul Night Live! (Prestige, 2002) (compilation of Soul Night/Live! + Tell It... )
• Willis Jackson With Jack McDuff – Together Again! (Prestige, 2003) (compilation of Together Again! + Together Again, Again)
• After Hours (Prestige, 2004) (compilation of Loose... + Soul Grabber)
• The Chronological Willis Jackson 1950–1954 (Classics 'Blues & Rhythm Series' 5135, 2005)
• The Remaining Willis Jackson 1951–1959 (Blue Moon 6048, 2005)
• Later For The Gator (Acrobat 4203, 2005) (compilation/retrospective of Jackson's early career years)

As sideman

With Ruth Brown

• Ruth Brown (Rock & Roll) (Atlantic 8004, 1957)