PAU JAC K SON JR.

By Ken Capobianco

Career longevity is a rare commodity in the music business

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Too often, talented musicians succumb to burnout, self-destruction or descent into irrelevancy. Guitarist-composer Paul Jackson Jr. has defied the odds and flourished for more than 40 years in various musical genres as a go-to session player, touring sideman, songwriter, producer and solo artist with an 11-album canon.

He currently plays in the jazz group Jazz Funk Soul with his friends, keyboardist Jeff Lorber and saxophonist Everette Harp, and recently released a fine, spirited EP, Stompin’ Willie Presents More Stories, Part 1, featuring Jackson’s lyrical guitar playing and stellar compositions.

While Jackson has toured and recorded with a who’s who of the pop and jazz world, including Michael Jackson, George Duke, Celine Dion, Daft Punk and Patrice Rushen, among dozens of other superstars, he’s sustained his career as a solo artist with versatile, memorable records and galvanizing festival appearances around the globe. His success is a testament to great talent and perseverance.

“It’s the grace of God that allows me the musical opportunities and gifts, but there’s always something to work on and learn,” the affable Jackson said about his longevity. “Music is something you will never master, so if you keep that in mind, you are always going to be trying new and different things. It’s always important to try a different sound or approach. Those are the things that allow me to keep working. It’s important not to spin your wheels. My longevity can be attributed to all of this. You have to keep moving forward.”

And push ahead he does with Stompin’ Willie Presents More Stories, Part 1, which continues in the vein of his previous bestselling album, 2016’s Stories From Stompin’ Willie. He gets funky with a jazzy spin on Faith Evans’ dance hit “Love Like This,” and seductively romantic on “Quiet Time Love,” while showcasing his patented, dexterous fretwork on the breezy “City of Refuge.” The five-song EP is a precursor to the series’ next installment, “Part 2,” which is scheduled for release in February. As always with Jackson, the music is multidimensional and evocative.

“People like groove and rhythm, but the thing people always remember is melody,” said the 62-year-old musician from his home in Los Angeles. “For me that’s always the most important thing, and that’s the emphasis you will hear on these songs. My goal is to come up with melodies that will stick with people.”

On the EP, Jackson continues to use his playful alter-ego moniker Stompin’ Willie, a nickname that appeared on his previous record but was given to him by his musical and life mentor George Duke many years ago.

“George had nicknames for everyone, so one day I walked in, and he started calling me PJ, and then he called me PJ Wiggles,” he said. “He had a song called ‘Wiggles,’ so he made the association. The nickname turned into PJ Wiggles Stomp. That transformed into Stompin’ Willie, and from that point on, that was what he called me. I use it because he was my mentor, my friend and a great encourager who meant so much to me.”

The release of a series of EPs (An “Extended Play” is longer than a single but shorter than an album. It typically features two to five songs and is under 30 minutes in length.) is a strategy that many jazz and pop artists have adopted over the past decade as a way to adapt to new technology and seismic shifts in the music industry. Jackson predicts that if his EPs are well received, he will probably go into the studio and record a full-length project.

For veteran artists, it’s often difficult to sell records or get streams for new music, and with people having less free time and shorter attention spans, focusing more on songs and EPs is a smart way to market songs.

It’s a lesson Jackson has learned well. “Twenty years ago, you had one way of getting your music to the public,” he said. “You had to sign to a major or major independent record label, and they would produce the product and make sure it was in retail or record stores and then you would get airplay on radio stations. Well, there are no more record stores and radio is now almost nonexistent. The landscape has drastically changed, but social media has progressed to where you can get your product to just about anyone for virtually free. Things change, and you better adapt.”

Jackson will be playing an array of solo shows over the course of the next year as well as appearing with Jazz Funk Soul at major jazz festivals, including the Boscov’s Berks Jazz Fest in March and the Seabreeze Jazz Festival in April.

He maintained that he gets a charge from playing more intimate club or theater solo shows while also enjoying the festival experience with its more laid-back ambiance and convergence of so many of his performing peers and friends.

“The key thing about festivals is you get to play for a lot of people at once and receive great exposure,” he said. “It’s so important for any artist to have that kind of reach. You also get to see friends, some of whom you haven’t seen in awhile, so they are usually joyous events.

“I recently played a festival with Gerald Albright. Gerald is someone I’ve known since I was 15 years old. We grew up in the continued on page 18 continued from page 17 same area [in Los Angeles] about 10-15 minutes away. So did his wife, Glynis. He’s a buddy from way back, and we toured together with Patrice Rushen for years. It’s a joy to see him and other musicians I’ve known throughout the course of my musical journey.”

After two albums and numerous live dates, Jazz Funk Soul continues to delight fans, and Jackson maintained that he, Lorber and Harp will continue to play together if there is still a demand for their sound.

“As long as people keep loving the music and showing interest, we’re going to keep going. In today’s vernacular, we’re going to rock it until the wheels come off. We have a lot of fun together and great camaraderie, so why not continue?

“What makes a group like ours work is relationships. I’ve known Everette for a lot of years—we worked a lot together with George [Duke]. Jeff is someone I’ve known for 30 years. Jeff and Everette are two of the finest musicians with whom I’ve ever worked. It’s a blast being with my friends and such fine musicians.”

Jackson has worked on film soundtracks throughout his career (“Zootopia,” “Sing,” “Get on Up” and “La La Land,” among dozens of others), and he has performed at the Grammy Awards, the Kennedy Center Honors and the Academy Awards. His upcoming appearance at the Oscars in March will be his fourth.

Of all of his numerous performances at special ceremonies and awards shows, he cited his visit to the White House during former President Barack Obama’s administration as one of the most memorable gigs he’s played.

“I appeared with my friend Rickey Minor. The White House is the pinnacle of locations. Meeting the president and first lady was something I’ll never forget. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

He also noted a special concert appearance he made as a highlight of his storied career. “Another memorable event was playing with Whitney Houston in South Africa in front of 100,000 people in a soccer stadium. That’s something that’s hard to put into words. It was breathtaking.”

A multifaceted and deeply spiritual man, Jackson is a muscle car and motorcycle enthusiast when he’s not playing music. It’s not a need for speed that inspires him.

“I’d say it’s an affinity for the way cars were when I was growing up,” he said. “I like new cars, but the old cars were simpler and easier to fix. I like the way they are built, and in a way, overbuilt. I got into it by watching my dad. He had a 1937 LaSalle that I restored. That gave me the bug for cars.”

The musician spoke fondly about his father, mother and childhood. “My father was a great, great man––he was an electrical engineer at Northrop Grumman for years.

“Both he and my mother were very supportive of me and my career. I had a great upbringing in South Central Los Angeles. Going into music is more of an intangible than becoming a doctor, lawyer or CEO of a company, but they backed me, and bought instruments for me and my brother and sisters, so you can’t ask for more.”

The love and support he received from them and his wife, Michaela, have informed how he has approached fatherhood and family. “Right now, my children are 30 and 34, but when they were younger, I made sure to be home for school programs or sporting events or help do homework.

“Even though you are a working musician who travels, you have to set your priorities, and my family is a priority for me. I took things that allowed me to work and stay home, instead of going on the road, so I could be there for graduations and other major events. That’s so important.”

For more information on Jackson, including his complete tour schedule, visit www.pauljacksonjr.com.