Paul Jackson Jr.

Paul Jackson Jr.
Jackson in 2008
Background information
Birth name	Paul Milton Jackson Jr.
Born	December 30, 1959
Origin	Los Angeles, California, United States
Genres	Jazz jazz fusion smooth jazz rock pop funk R&B soul
Occupation(s)	Musician songwriter guitarist producer
Instruments	Guitar bass guitar
Years active	1976–present
Labels	Atlantic Blue Note Branch
Associated acts	Michael Jackson Whitney Houston Five Star Chicago The Temptations Daft Punk Luis Miguel
Website	pauljacksonjr.com

Paul Milton Jackson Jr. (born December 30, 1959)^[1] is an American fusion/urban jazz composer, arranger, producer and guitarist. He was born and raised in Los Angeles. Jackson knew by the age of fifteen that he wanted to become a professional musician. He attended the University of Southern California, majoring in music.

In addition to being a recording artist in his own right, Jackson is also a highly accomplished L.A. session player, with a career spanning multiple decades. He has supported artists ranging from Michael Jackson (no relation)^[2] (on the albums Thriller, Bad, Dangerous, HIStory and Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix) to the Temptations, Whitney Houston,^[2] Alexander O'Neal, Five Star (on the album Silk and Steel), Howard Hewett, Thomas Anders, Patti LaBelle and Luis Miguel, to rockers such as Chicago and Elton John, to jazz-oriented players such as George Duke, George Benson, Dave Koz, Al Jarreau, David Benoit, Marcus Miller and Kirk Whalum, and to Christian artists such as Leon Patillo and Don Moen.

In 2013 it was revealed he contributed to several tracks on the album, Random Access Memories by Daft Punk and UK based singer songwriter Birdy's second album Fire Within. He also played guitar on Lisa Stansfield's 2014 album, Seven.

Jackson can be seen playing guitar in a wide variety of styles on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno and American Idol.^[3]

Discography

As leader

• I Came to Play (1988, Atlantic)
• Out of the Shadows (1990, Atlantic)
• A River in the Desert (1993, Atlantic)
• Never Alone: Duets (1996, Blue Note)
• The Power of the String (2001, Blue Note)
• Still Small Voice (2003, Blue Note)
• Lay It Back (2008, Branch)
• Stories from Stompin' Willie (2016, Branch)

As sideman

With Amy Grant

• Unguarded (A&M, 1985)

With Barry Manilow

• If I Should Love Again (Arista, 1981)
• Here Comes the Night (Arista, 1982)
• Manilow (RCA, 1985)
• Swing Street (Arista, 1987)

With Chicago

• Chicago 17 (Full Moon/Warner Bros., 1984)

With David Sanborn

• Close Up (Reprise, 1988)

With Luther Vandross

• Give Me the Reason (Epic, 1986)
• Any Love (Epic, 1988)
• The Best of Luther Vandross: The Best of Love (Epic, 1989)
• Power of Love (Epic, 1991)
• Never Let Me Go (Epic, 1993)
• Your Secret Love (Epic, 1996)
• I Know (Virgin, 1998)
• Luther Vandross (J, 2001)
• Dance with My Father (J, 2003)

With Dionne Warwick

• How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye (Arista, 1983)
• Finder of Lost Loves (Arista, 1985)
• Friends Can Be Lovers (Arista, 1993)

With Deniece Williams

• I'm So Proud (Columbia Records, 1983)
• Let's Hear It for the Boy (Columbia Records, 1984)
• Hot on the Trail (Columbia Records, 1986)
• So Glad I Know (Sparrow Records, 1986)
• As Good as It Gets (Columbia Records, 1988)
• Special Love (MCA Records, 1989)

With Carole Bayer Sager

• Sometimes Late at Night (The Boardwalk Entertainment, 1981)

With Stephanie Mills

• I've Got the Cure (Casablanca, 1984)
• Stephanie Mills (MCA, 1985)

With Carole King

• Love Makes the World (Rockingale, 2001)

With Billy Preston

• Late at Night (Motown, 1979)
• The Way I Am (Motown, 1981)

With Elton John

• Duets (Rocket, 1993)

With Anita Baker

• The Songstress (Elektra, 1983)
• Rapture (Elektra, 1986)
• Giving You the Best That I Got (Elektra, 1988)
• Rhythm of Love (Elektra, 1994)
• My Everything (Blue Note, 2004)

With Michael McDonald

• Blink of an Eye (Reprise, 1993)

With Kenny Rogers

• Christmas (Liberty, 1981)
• Love Will Turn You Around (Liberty, 1982)
• We've Got Tonight (Liberty, 1983)
• What About Me? (RCA, 1984)
• The Heart of the Matter (RCA Records, 1985)

With Sheena Easton

• Best Kept Secret (EMI, 1983)
• No Strings (MCA, 1993)

With Michael Bolton

• All That Matters (Columbia, 1997)

With Céline Dion

• Unison (Columbia, 1990)
• A New Day Has Come (Columbia, 2002)

With Jeffrey Osborne

• Jeffrey Osborne (A&M, 1982)
• Stay with Me Tonight (A&M, 1983)
• Don't Stop (A&M, 1984)
• Emotional (A&M, 1985)
• One Love: One Dream (A&M, 1988)
• Something Warm for Christmas (Kock, 1997)
• A Time for Love (Saguaro, 2013)

With Solomon Burke

• The Definition Of Soul (Pointblank, 1997)

With Patti LaBelle

• Winner in You (MCA, 1986)

With Glenn Medeiros

• Not Me (Mercury, 1988)
• Glenn Medeiros (Mercury, 1990)

With Jewel

• Spirit (Atlantic, 1998)

With José Feliciano

• José Feliciano (Motown, 1981)
• Ya Soy Tuyo (RCA, 1985)
• Te Amaré (RCA, 1986)

With Patti Austin

• Patti Austin (Qwest, 1984)
• Gettin' Away with Murderer (Qwest, 1985)
• On the Way to Love (Warner Bros., 2001)
• Sound Advice (Shanachie, 2011)

With Jon Anderson

• In the City of Angels (Columbia, 1988)

With Philip Bailey

• The Wonders of His Love (Myrrh, 1985)
• Triumph (Word, 1986)

With Oleta Adams

• All the Love (Pioneer Entertainment, 2001)

With Syreeta Wright

• Syreeta (Tamla, 1980)
• Set My Love in Motion (Tamla, 1981)
• The Spell (Tamla, 1983)

With Jennifer Rush

• Heart Over Mind (CBS, 1987)

With Ray Parker Jr.

• Sex and the Single Man (Arista, 1985)
• After Dark (Geffen, 1987)

With Bette Midler

• Bette (Warner Bros. Records, 2000)

With Stephen Bishop

• Sleeping with Girls (Big Pink, 1985)

With Peabo Bryson

• Straight from the Heart (Elektra Records, 1984)
• All My Love (Capitol, 1989)
• Can You Stop the Rain (Sony, 1991)
• Unconditional Love (Private Music, 1999)
• Missing You (Peak, 2007)

With B.B. King

• Take It Home (MCA, 1979)

With Madonna

• True Blue (Warner Bros., 1986)

With Roberta Flack

• Oasis (Atlantic, 1988)

With Frankie Valli

• Heaven Above Me (MCA, 1980)

With Belinda Carlisle

• Live Your Life Be Free (Virgin, 1991)

With Teena Marie

• Robbery (Epic, 1983)

With Paul Anka

• Somebody Loves You (Polydor, 1989)

With Rod Stewart

• Vagabond Heart (Warner Bros., 1991)
• Soulbook (J, 2009)

With Joan Baez

• Recently (Gold Castle, 1987)

With Natalie Cole

• I'm Ready (Epic, 1983)
• Dangerous (Atco, 1985)
• Everlasting (Elektra, 1987)
• Good to Be Back (Elektra, 1989)
• Holly & Ivy (Elektra, 1994)
• Stardust (Elektra, 1996)
• Leavin' (Verve, 2006)

With Amanda Marshall

• Tuesday's Child (Epic, 1999)

With Chaka Khan

• Chaka Khan (Warner Bros. Records, 1982)

With Boz Scaggs

• Other Roads (Columbia, 1988)

With Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton

• Once Upon a Christmas (Elektra, 1984)

With Aretha Franklin

• Aretha (Arista, 1980)
• What You See Is What You Sweat (Arista, 1991)
• This Christmas, Aretha (DMI, 2008)

With Brenda Russell

• Get Here (A&M Records, 1988)

With Thelma Houston

• Thelma Houston (MCA, 1983)

With Herbie Hancock

• Headhunters (Columbia Records, 1973)

With Leonard Cohen

• The Future (Columbia, 1992)

With Luis Miguel

• Soy Como Quiero Ser (WEA Latina, 1987)
• Busca una Mujer (WEA Latina, 1988)
• 20 Años (WEA Latina, 1990)
• Aries (WEA Latina, 1993)
• Segundo Romance (WEA Latina, 1994)
• Amarte Es Un Placer (WEA Latina, 1999)
• Mis Romances (WEA Latina, 2001)
• 33 (WEA Latina, 2003)
• Navidades (WEA Latina, 2006)

With Al Jarreau

• High Crime (Warner Bros., 1984)
• Heart's Horizon (Reprise, 1988)
• Tomorrow Today (GRP, 2000)
• All I Got (GRP, 2002)
• My Old Friend: Celebrating George Duke (Concord, 2014)

With George Benson

• 20/20 (Warner Bros., 1985)
• While the City Sleeps... (Warner Bros., 1986)
• Twice the Love (Warner Bros., 1988)
• Standing Together (GRP, 1998)
• Songs and Stories (Concord, 2009)
• Guitar Man (Concord, 2011)

With Randy Crawford

• Windsong (Warner Bros., 1982)
• Abstract Emotions (Warner Bros., 1986)
• Through the Eyes of Love (Warner Bros., 1992)
• Don't Say It's Over (Warner Bros., 1993)

With Barbra Streisand

• Emotion (Columbia, 1984)
• Till I Loved You (CBS, 1988)

With Anastacia

• Not That Kind (Epic, 2000)

With Lisa Stansfield

• Seven (Edel, 2014)

With Cheryl Lynn

• In Love (Columbia, 1979)
• Start Over (Manhattan, 1987)
• Whatever It Takes (Virgin, 1989)

With Paul Young

• The Crossing (Columbia, 1993)

With Irene Cara

• Carasmatic (Elektra, 1987)

With Minnie Riperton

• Love Lives Forever (Capitol Records, 1980)

With Corinne Bailey Rae

• The Heart Speaks in Whispers (Virgin, 2016)

With Donald Byrd

• Thank You...For F.U.M.L. (Funking Up My Life) (Elektra, 1978)

With Aaron Neville

• The Grand Tour (A&M, 1993)
• Aaron Neville's Soulful Christmas (A&M, 1993)

With Kenny Loggins

• Vox Humana (Columbia, 1985)
• Leap of Faith (Columbia, 1991)

With Glenn Frey

• Soul Searchin' (MCA, 1988)

With Billy Preston and Syreeta Wright

• Billy Preston & Syreeta (Motown, 1981)

With Don Moen

• God Is Good – Worship with Don Moen (Integrity, Hosanna! Music, 1998)

With Michael Franks

• Dragonfly Summer (Warner Bros., 1993)

With Laura Branigan

• Self Control (Atlantic, 1984)

With Gloria Gaynor

• Gloria Gaynor (Atlantic, 1982)

With Bill Withers

• Watching You Watching Me (Columbia, 1985)

With Ron Kenoly

• Sing Out with One Voice (Integrity, Hosanna! Music, 1995)

With Donna Summer

• Bad Girls (Casablanca, 1979)
• Cats Without Claws (Geffen, 1984)
• All Systems Go (Geffen, 1987)

With Melissa Manchester

• Mathematics (MCA, 1985)

With The Jackson 5

• Destiny (Epic, 1978)^[4]
• Triumph (Epic, 1980)^[4]

With Lalo Schifrin

• No One Home (Tabu, 1979)
• Holiday Wishes (Idina Menzel, 2014)

With Lionel Richie

• Lionel Richie (Motown, 1982)

With Michael Jackson

• Thriller (Epic, 1982)^[5]
• Bad (Epic, 1987)^[6]
• Dangerous (Epic, 1991)^[7]

References

External links

• official site