Brian Jackson

Brian Robert Jackson (born October 11, 1952) is an American keyboardist, flautist, singer, composer, and producer known for his collaborations with Gil Scott-Heron in the 1970s. The sound of Jackson's Rhodes electric piano and flute accompaniments featured prominently in many of their compositions, most notably on "The Bottle" and "Your Daddy Loves You" from their first official collaboration Winter in America.

Early life Jackson was born in Brooklyn, New York, United States, with Ron Carter on bass. Other notable albums include Free Will (1972) and Winter in America (1974), which was the first to have Jackson receive co-billing, and which was later described by Barney Hoskyns in UNCUT as "a masterwork of ghetto melancholia and stark political gravitas". His biggest hit was with Scott-Heron, 1974's "The Bottle". By 1979, they had recorded ten albums, with other unreleased material surfacing on subsequent Scott-Heron releases following their 1980 split.

Jackson continued to be active in the 1980s and 1990s, working with Earth, Wind & Fire, Will Downing and Gwen Guthrie.

Jackson worked with Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Adrian Younge on a project called Jazz is Dead. It was released in 2021.

Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson Albums Winter in America (1974), Strata East – Billboard Jazz No. 6 The First Minute of a New Day (1975), Arista – Billboard Jazz No. 5, R&B No. 8 From South Africa to South Carolina (1975), Arista – Billboard Jazz No. 12, R&B No. 28 It's Your World (live) (1976), Arista – Billboard Jazz No. 20, R&B No. 34 Bridges (1977), Arista – Billboard Jazz No. 16 Secrets (1978), Arista – Billboard Jazz No. 3, R&B No. 10 1980 (1980), Arista – Billboard Jazz No. 7, R&B No. 22

Singles "Ain't No Such Thing as Superman" (Arista, 1975)[7"] "(What's the Word) Johannesburg" (Arista, 1975)[7"] "The Bottle" (Arista, 1976)[7"] "Hello Sunday, Hello Road" (Arista, 1977)[7"] "Under the Hammer" (Arista, 1978)[7"] "Angel Dust" (Arista, 1978)[7"] "Show Bizness" (Arista, 1978)[7"] "Shut 'Um Down"" (Arista, 1980)[7/12"] "Willing" (Arista, 1980)[7"] "The Bottle (drunken mix)" (Inferno, 1980)[7/12"]

As sideman With Will Downing Will Downing (Island/Polygram, 1988) Come Together as One (Island/Polygram, 1989)

With Gil Scott-Heron Pieces of a Man (Flying Dutchman, 1971) Free Will (Flying Dutchman, 1972)

With others Alabama 3, M.O.R. (One Little Indian, 2007) Roy Ayers, Drive (Ichiban, 1988) Escort, City Life (Escort, 2019) Gwen Guthrie, Hot Times (Reprise, 1990) Kool & The Gang, Something Special (De-Lite, 1981) Charnett Moffett, Bright New Day (Motéma, 2019) Les Nubians, Nü Revolution (Shanachie, 2011) Carl Hancock Rux, Homeostasis (CD Baby 2013) Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Adrian Younge, Brian Jackson JID008 (Jazz Is Dead 2021)

Personal life Brian Jackson is married and has five children. Brian plans to move with his family to France in the summer of 2024.