Top Qs
Timeline
Chat
Perspective

Willis Jackson (saxophonist)

American jazz musician (1928–1987) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Remove ads

Willis "Gator" Jackson (April 25, 1932 – October 25, 1987)[1] was an American jazz tenor saxophonist.

Biography

Born in Miami, Florida,[1] Jackson joined Cootie Williams's band in 1948 as a teenager, and was part of it on and off until 1955.[2]

Under his own name (Willis Jackson and His Orchestra) he recorded various rhythm-and-blues instrumentals for Atlantic Records. His most famous record for Atlantic is "Gator's Groove" (1952), with "Estrellita" as the B-side.

Jackson toured as leader of the backing band for singer Ruth Brown. Publicly they were married, but privately they never married but lived together from 1950 to 1955.[3] Jackson joined Prestige Records in 1959, making a string of albums.[2]

Jackson died in New York City one week after heart surgery, in October 1987, at the age of 55.[1]

Remove ads

Discography

As leader

As sideman

Remove ads

References

Loading related searches...

Wikiwand - on

Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.

Remove ads