Suche:willis jackson

As time marched on, many of the DJs I had been working with such as Pete Tong, Paul Oakenfold, Trevor Fung, Simon Dunmore and Johnny Walker got involved in the world-leading UK dance scene, raking in cash by making records. I thought ‘I’ll Have some of that!’ This led to my first foray into the studio creating the proto-acid jazz classic 12”, ‘Psychedelic Jack (That’s Where It’s At)’, which cheekily sampled Frank Zappa, Soft Machine and Gong. With me and Gilles on vocals, it got us signed to Acid Jazz Records, who released in 1988 under the name of Extasis.

That was just the start and nearly 35 years later (gulp!) I’ve had a ball, producing Galliano and Paul Weller, working with Mick Talbot, Roy Ayers, Linda Clifford and Sharon Redd, remixing Will Downing, Ce Ce Rogers and Blaze. I’ve made house tunes with Faith’s Terry Farley, run the legendary Dadhouse Records label with Dave Jarvis. I also set up my own studio and released music under a variety of names, both for my own labels and Acid Jazz Records. Recent releases include my solo albums “Firebird” (2023) and “Dream World” (2024). There was also “Back To Business” with Mick Talbot, released in 2023.

Featuring a young George Benson, Willis Jackson and Ann Winley the Harlem Underground Band’s first album was released on Paul Winley’s respected label Winley Records in 1976 Legendary street funk record that’s highly sampled by hip-hop artists such as Eric B and Rakim, Genius, Medina Green, Smif-N-Wessun and of course Tone-Loc – listen to the track ‘Smokin' Cheeba-cheeba’ Reissued on 140g black vinyl with original artwork and printed inner sleeve

Jazz organist ‘Brother’ Jack McDuff (born Eugene McDuffy in 1926 September 17, 1926 – January 23, 2001) was second only to the infamous Jimmy Smith in terms of fame and the impact he made with the King of keyboard instruments - the Hammond B-3 Organ. Self-taught on the organ, he recorded with Willis Jackson & Roland Kirk in the late ’50s and early ’60s, cutting high calibre souljazz dates for Prestige Records, and later Argo / Cadet. Blue Note and Verve Records. McDuff can also take the credit for launching the career of a particularly gifted young jazz guitarist when he recruited George Benson to his own quartet, which resulted in Benson's first solo deal in the mid 1960’s.

‘Live At Parnells’ is made up of 15 tracks selected from a week-long engagement in June 1982, featuring Danny Wollinski on sax, guitarist Henry Johnson and Garrick King on the drums. Stylistically, Jack and his group cover a lot of ground, especially for an organ quartet – from beautifully old school funky, gritty blues with tracks like Walkin’ The Dog & Blues 1 & 8, jazz standards like April In Paris, and A Night In Tunisia through to some frenetic and distinctly edgy fast paced jazz fusion type numbers - Make It Good and Untitled D Minor - and this reflects how Jack's ears were open to the newer, freer sounds that had developed in jazz and reflected in some of his recordings as ‘The Heatin’ System’ – as several tracks have modal and fusion touches that sound remarkably current. Soul Bank’s Greg Boraman explains the 23 year old back story to how this amazing release of previously unreleased music by a bona fide jazz legend came about.

“I first heard these live recordings in 1999, when I came across Scott Hawthorn’s ’s jazz organ website, where he had made available his personal recordings of Jack and his band playing at Parnell’s in Seattle in 1982. It was amazing to have this music to check out – despite the obvious shortcomings with the condition of the recordings themselves”.

Acid Jazz has a long history with Chris Bangs (who coined 'acid jazz')
and Mick Talbot (founding member of the Style Council) who appeared on one of our earliest and rarest singles as 'King Truman' back in 1988.

We're thrilled to welcome them back with a 7" slice of mod jazz
brilliance, taking its rhythmic and naming queues from Willis Jackson as it cooks up a storm.


We've already been inundated with requests for this single after its
solitary play on Ed Piller's Eclectic Soul Show, and the limited vinyl
release will not hang around for long!

Keep an eye out for a forthcoming album from the pair later this year.'

American jazz guitarist Bill Jennings released this highly collectible album in 1959 on the influential label Prestige. The long awaited reissue is finally here, please enjoy. During his lifetime Louis has been working with many luminaries such as Louis Jordan (and his Tympany Five), Wild Bill Davis (Trio), Jack McDuff, Willis "Gator" Jackson, Bill Doggett, Louis Armstrong and Hot Lips Page.

• This is the only LP released by The Mighty Tom Cats, a house band for Paul Winley (who launched his Winley Records in 1956).
• Originally released in 1974 ‘Soul Makossa’ is rumoured to have George Benson, Willis Jackson and Buddy Lucas taking part
• Features a brilliant take on the mighty ‘Soul Makossa’ track made famous by Manu Dibango
• Reissued on 140g black vinyl with original artwork and printed inner sleeve