Bassist Paul Jackson began his musical career in Oakland. California, where he began playing bass when he was nine years old. Considered by many of his teachers to be a musical prodigy, he performed with the Oakland Symphony by the age of fourteen where he expanded his musical interests to include performance levels on bassoon and piano.

His inspirations carried him into study with the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. This strong teaching foundation led him into teaching seminars with institutions such as A.N. Contemporary of Music (Tokyo), Pan School of Music (Tokyo), Musashino School of Music (Tokyo), Berkley School of Music (Boston), University of California Santa Cruz, San Jose State University etc.

Paul Jackson is known as a "Musician's Musician". As a founding member of the Headhunters under Herbie Hancock, Paul has shaped a sound that launched a new direction in contemporary music. The solid union between Hancock and Jackson has been especially evident in the many international tours they have made together.

In 1979, Paul embarked on a solo recording venture releasing his own album, "Black Octopus" on Toshiba EMI Records. Jackson's' composing has not gone without recognition as well, beginning with Grammy Award nominations in 1974, 1975 and 1976 for song-writing "Chameleon", "Hang Up Your Hangups" and "Spider", respectively. Like other highly talented, creatively motivated engineers of music, Paul has expanded beyond standup date to other mediums such as playing on the sound track of Paramount's "Deathwish", "Dirty Harry". He has appeared with the Oakland Symphony as well as Herbie Hancock on Midnight Special (ABC-TV).

Time out to compose the score for film and other hefty projects was sandwiched in between appearing with the band's numerous Jazz festivals such as the De Haag, Pori, Spain, Montreaux, Newport and Paris. Since 1985, Paul Jackson has lived in Japan (currently residing in Tokyo), and has been active in many aspects of the Japan's music industry, including for jazz clubs and concerts, composing/producing for TV commercials and educational materials and recording. In 1988, Paul Jackson started "Jazz for Kids" program, a cultural program aimed at school-age children to introduce the black American history and music through music, dance and narration. More than 80 schools across Japan have enjoyed Paul's Jazz for Kids and its documentary was made by the ministry of Education in 1991.

Some of Paul's achievements in his recent years in Japan are as follows:

1989: Awarded the "Key of Osaka City" for contribution to the City.

1990: Awarded the "Key of Fukuoka City" for contribution to the City.

1991: Played at "South East Asia International Music Festival Vol.1" In Singapore and Malaysia with various musicians from Asian countries.

1993: Nominated as a singer to sing the America's national anthem for the NFL American Bowl played in the Big Egg, Tokyo.

ASSOCIATE CREDITS (Partial):

Herbie Hancock, George Benson, Freddie Hubbard, Oscar Peterson, Sonny Rollins, Miles Davis, Tony Williams, Steve Gadd, Harvey Mason, Billy Cobham, Alfonso Mouzon, Carlos Santana, John McLaughlin, Al Di Meola, Neil Shawn, George Duke, Al Jarreau, Wayne Shorter, Errol Garner, Chick Corea, Lenny White, Tsutomu Yamashita, Stevie Wonder, John Scofield, Sheila E., Airto, Flora Purim, Buster Williams, Lee Ritenour, Larry Coryell, Jaco Pastorius, The Pointer Sisters, Tower of Power, Shawn Philips, Patty Labelle, Terumasa Hino, Larry Graham, Jan Hammer, Jimmy Smith, Stanley Clark, Stanley Turrentine, Ray Parker Jr., James Gaddson, Pete Escovedo, David Garibaldi, Takehiro Honda

SELECTED DISCOGRAPHY:

BLACK OCTOPUS (Toshiba EMI)

Paul Jackson / Headhunters (CBS)

Herbie Hancock / EVERYBODY MUST COME ON OUT (Fantasy)

Stanley Turrentine / THRUST (CBS)

Herbie Hancock / FESTIVAL (CBS)

Santana / V.S.O.P. (CBS)

Herbie Hancock / SUNLIGHT (CBS)

Tony Williams / FEETS DON'T FALL ME NOWs (CBS)

Herbie Hancock / MISTER HANDS (CBS)

Herbie Hancock / AZTECA (CBS)

Aztec / EASY LIVING (Prestige)

Sonny Rollins / MARCHING DOWN THE STREET (Arista)

Harvey Mason / Go (Arista)

Tsutomu Yamashita / FEETS (CBS)

The Pointer Sisters / DIRECT STEPS (CBS)

Herbie Hancock / FLOOD (CBS)

Herbie Hancock /Jump (Epic)