Paul Jackson Jr.

Paul Milton Jackson Jr. (born December 30, 1959) 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)Vogel, Joachim (1995). ''Masters of Rhythm Guitar'', p. 93. AMA Verlag. (on the albums '' Thriller'', '' Bad'', '' Dangerous'', ''HIStory'' and '' Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix'') to the Temptations, Whitney Houston, 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''.

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)

With 'Jazz Funk Soul' (

Jeff Lorber/ Everette Harp/Paul Jackson Jr.)

* ''Life and Times'' (2019, Shanachie)
* ''Forecast'' (2022, Shanachie)

Session musician credits

With Oleta Adams
* '' All the Love'' (Pioneer Entertainment, 2001)

With Anastacia
* '' Not That Kind'' (Epic, 2000)

With Jon Anderson
* ''In the City of Angels'' (Columbia, 1988)

With Paul Anka
* ''Somebody Loves You'' (Polydor, 1989)

With Patti Austin
* '' Patti Austin'' (Qwest/WB, 1984)
* ''Gettin' Away with Murder'' (Qwest/WB, 1985)
* ''On the Way to Love'' (Warner Bros., 2001)
* ''Sound Advice'' (Shanachie, 2011)

With Joan Baez
* ''Recently'' (Gold Castle, 1987)

With Philip Bailey
* ''The Wonders of His Love'' (Myrrh, 1985)
* ''Triumph (Philip Bailey album), Triumph'' (Word, 1986)

With Anita Baker
* ''The Songstress'' (Elektra, 1983)
* ''Rapture (Anita Baker album), Rapture'' (Elektra, 1986)
* ''Giving You the Best That I Got (album), Giving You the Best That I Got'' (Elektra, 1988)
* ''Rhythm of Love (Anita Baker album), Rhythm of Love'' (Elektra, 1994)
* ''My Everything (Anita Baker album), My Everything'' (Blue Note, 2004)

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

With Stephen Bishop (singer), Stephen Bishop
* ''Sleeping with Girls'' (Big Pink, 1985)

With Michael Bolton
* ''All That Matters (Michael Bolton album), All That Matters'' (Columbia, 1997)

With Laura Branigan
* ''Self Control (album), Self Control'' (Atlantic, 1984)

With Peabo Bryson
* ''Straight from the Heart (Peabo Bryson album), Straight from the Heart'' (Elektra, 1984)
* ''All My Love'' (Capitol, 1989)
* ''Can You Stop the Rain'' (Columbia, 1991)
* ''Unconditional Love'' (Private Music, 1999)
* ''Missing You'' (Peak/Concord, 2007)

With Solomon Burke
* ''The Definition Of Soul'' (Point Blank/Virgin, 1997)

With Donald Byrd
* ''Thank You...For F.U.M.L. (Funking Up My Life)'' (Elektra, 1978)

With Irene Cara
* ''Carasmatic'' (Elektra, 1987)

With Belinda Carlisle
* ''Live Your Life Be Free'' (Virgin, 1991)

With Chicago
* ''Chicago 17'' (Full Moon/Warner Bros., 1984)

With Leonard Cohen
* ''The Future (Leonard Cohen album), The Future'' (Columbia, 1992)

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

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

With Céline Dion
* ''Unison (Celine Dion album), Unison'' (Columbia, 1990)
* ''A New Day Has Come'' (Columbia, 2002)

With Sheena Easton
* ''Best Kept Secret (Sheena Easton album), Best Kept Secret'' (EMI, 1983)
* ''No Strings (Sheena Easton album), No Strings'' (MCA, 1993)

With José Feliciano
* ''José Feliciano'' (Motown, 1981)
* ''Ya Soy Tuyo'' (RCA, 1985)
* ''Te Amaré'' (RCA, 1986)

With Five Star
* ''Silk & Steel (Five Star album), Silk & Steel'' (RCA, 1986)

With Roberta Flack
* ''Oasis (Roberta Flack album), Oasis'' (Atlantic, 1988)

With Aretha Franklin
* ''Aretha (1980 album), Aretha'' (Arista, 1980)
* ''What You See Is What You Sweat'' (Arista, 1991)
* ''This Christmas, Aretha'' (DMI, 2008)

With Michael Franks (musician), Michael Franks
* ''Dragonfly Summer'' (Warner Bros., 1993)

With Glenn Frey
* ''Soul Searchin' (Glenn Frey album), Soul Searchin''' (MCA, 1988)

With Gloria Gaynor
* ''Gloria Gaynor (album), Gloria Gaynor'' (Atlantic, 1982)

With Amy Grant
* ''Unguarded (Amy Grant album), Unguarded'' (A&M, 1985)

With Thelma Houston
* ''Thelma Houston (1983 album), Thelma Houston'' (MCA, 1983)

With The Jackson 5
* ''Destiny (The Jacksons album), Destiny'' (Epic, 1978)
* ''Triumph (The Jacksons album), Triumph'' (Epic, 1980)

With Michael Jackson
* '' Thriller'' (Epic, 1982)
* ''Bad (Michael Jackson album), Bad'' (Epic, 1987)
* '' Dangerous'' (Epic, 1991)

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

With Jewel (singer), Jewel
* ''Spirit (Jewel album), Spirit'' (Atlantic, 1998)

With Elton John
* ''Duets (Elton John album), Duets'' (Rocket, 1993)

With Ron Kenoly
* ''Sing Out with One Voice'' (Integrity, Hosanna! Music, 1995)
* ''Welcome Home'' (Integrity, Hosanna! Music, 1996)
* ''Majesty'' (Integrity, Hosanna! Music, 1998)
* ''We Offer Praises'' (Integrity, Hosanna! Music, 1999)

With Chaka Khan
* ''Chaka Khan (album), Chaka Khan'' (Warner Bros., 1982)

With B.B. King
* ''Take It Home (B.B. King album), Take It Home'' (MCA, 1979)

With Carole King
* ''Love Makes the World'' (Rockingale, 2001)

With Patti LaBelle
* ''Winner in You'' (MCA, 1986)

With Kenny Loggins
* ''Vox Humana (Kenny Loggins album), Vox Humana'' (Columbia, 1985)
* ''Leap of Faith (Kenny Loggins album), Leap of Faith'' (Columbia, 1991)

With Cheryl Lynn
* ''In Love (Cheryl Lynn album), In Love'' (Columbia, 1979)
* ''Start Over (album), Start Over'' (Manhattan/EMI, 1987)
* ''Whatever It Takes'' (Virgin, 1989)

With Madonna
* ''True Blue (Madonna album), True Blue'' (Warner Bros., 1986)

With Melissa Manchester
* ''Mathematics (album), Mathematics'' (MCA, 1985)

With Barry Manilow
* ''If I Should Love Again'' (Arista, 1981)
* ''Here Comes the Night (Barry Manilow album), Here Comes the Night'' (Arista, 1982)
* ''Manilow (album), Manilow'' (RCA, 1985)
* ''Swing Street'' (Arista, 1987)

With Teena Marie
* ''Robbery (Teena Marie album), Robbery'' (Epic, 1983)

With Amanda Marshall
* ''Tuesday's Child (album), Tuesday's Child'' (Epic, 1999)

With Michael McDonald (musician), Michael McDonald
* ''Blink of an Eye (Michael McDonald album), Blink of an Eye'' (Reprise, 1993)

With Glenn Medeiros
* ''Not Me (album), Not Me'' (Mercury, 1988)
* ''Glenn Medeiros (1990 album), Glenn Medeiros'' (Mercury, 1990)

With Idina Menzel
* ''Holiday Wishes (Idina Menzel album), Holiday Wishes'' (Warner Bros., 2014)

With Bette Midler
* ''Bette (album), Bette'' (Warner Bros., 2000)

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

With Stephanie Mills
* ''I've Got the Cure'' (Casablanca, 1984)
* ''Stephanie Mills (album), Stephanie Mills'' (MCA, 1985)

With Don Moen
* ''Let Your Glory Fall'' (Integrity, Hosanna! Music, 1997)
* ''God Is Good – Worship with Don Moen'' (Integrity, Hosanna! Music, 1998)

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

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

With Ray Parker Jr.
* ''Sex and the Single Man'' (Arista, 1985)
* ''After Dark (Ray Parker Jr. album), After Dark'' (Geffen, 1987)

With Billy Preston
* ''Late at Night (Billy Preston album), Late at Night'' (Motown, 1979)
* ''The Way I Am (Billy Preston album), The Way I Am'' (Motown, 1981)

With Billy Preston and Syreeta Wright
* ''Billy Preston & Syreeta'' (Motown, 1981)

With Corinne Bailey Rae
* ''The Heart Speaks in Whispers'' (Virgin, 2016)

With Lionel Richie
* ''Lionel Richie (album), Lionel Richie'' (Motown, 1982)

With Minnie Riperton
* ''Love Lives Forever'' (Capitol, 1980)

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

With Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton
* ''Once Upon a Christmas (Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton album), Once Upon a Christmas'' (Elektra, 1984)

With Jennifer Rush
* ''Heart Over Mind (Jennifer Rush album), Heart Over Mind'' (Epic, 1987)

With Brenda Russell
* ''Get Here (Brenda Russell album), Get Here'' (A&M, 1988)

With Carole Bayer Sager
* ''Sometimes Late at Night'' (Boardwalk, 1981)

With David Sanborn
* ''Close Up'' (Reprise, 1988)

With Boz Scaggs
* ''Other Roads'' (Columbia, 1988)

With Lalo Schifrin
* ''No One Home'' (Tabu, 1979)

With Lisa Stansfield
* '' Seven'' (Edel, 2014)

With Steely Dan
* ''Two Against Nature'' (Giant/WB, 2000)

With Rod Stewart
* ''Vagabond Heart'' (Warner Bros., 1991)
* ''Soulbook'' (J Records, 2009)

With Maureen Steele
* ''Nature of the Beast (album), Nature of the Beast'' (Motown, 1985)

With Barbra Streisand
* ''Emotion (Barbra Streisand album), Emotion'' (Columbia, 1984)
* ''Till I Loved You (album), Till I Loved You'' (Columbia, 1988)

With Donna Summer
* ''Bad Girls (Donna Summer album), Bad Girls'' (Casablanca, 1979)
* ''Cats Without Claws'' (Geffen, 1984)
* ''All Systems Go (Donna Summer album), All Systems Go'' (Geffen, 1987)

With Frankie Valli
* ''Heaven Above Me'' (MCA, 1980)

With Luther Vandross
* ''Give Me the Reason (Luther Vandross album), Give Me the Reason'' (Epic, 1986)
* ''Any Love (album), Any Love'' (Epic, 1988)
* ''Power of Love (Luther Vandross album), Power of Love'' (Epic, 1991)
* ''Never Let Me Go (Luther Vandross album), Never Let Me Go'' (Epic, 1993)
* ''Your Secret Love'' (Epic, 1996)
* ''I Know (Luther Vandross album), I Know'' (Virgin, 1998)
* ''Luther Vandross (album), Luther Vandross'' (J Records, 2001)
* ''Dance with My Father (album), Dance with My Father'' (J Records, 2003)

With Dionne Warwick
* ''How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye'' (Arista, 1983)
* ''Finder of Lost Loves (album), Finder of Lost Loves'' (Arista, 1985)
* ''Friends Can Be Lovers'' (Arista, 1993)

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

With Bill Withers
* ''Watching You Watching Me'' (Columbia, 1985)

With Syreeta Wright
* ''Syreeta (1980 album), Syreeta'' (Tamla, 1980)
* ''Set My Love in Motion'' (Tamla, 1981)
* ''The Spell'' (Tamla, 1983)

With Paul Young
* ''The Crossing (Paul Young album), The Crossing'' (Columbia, 1993)

References

External links

official site

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jackson, Paul Jr.
African-American jazz musicians
American jazz guitarists
Smooth jazz guitarists
American session musicians
American rock guitarists
Lead guitarists
American funk guitarists
American soul guitarists
American rhythm and blues guitarists
Jazz musicians from California
1959 births
Living people
USC Thornton School of Music alumni
The Tonight Show Band members
Guitarists from Los Angeles
20th-century American guitarists
African-American guitarists
20th-century African-American musicians
21st-century African-American people