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

Biography

Born in Miami, Florida,^[1] Jackson joined Duke Ellington alumnus Cootie Williams's band in 1949 as a teenager, after being discovered by Eddie Vinson. During the 1950s Jackson participated in R&B and jazz recordings, primarily as a session musician. He also toured as leader of the backing band of singer Ruth Brown, whom he married.^[1] Jackson joined Prestige Records in 1959, making a string of jazz albums that proved to an influence on the burgeoning soul jazz movement.^{[citation needed]} During this era, Jack McDuff and Pat Martino became famous through association with Jackson. Jackson's main influences were Lester Young and Illinois Jacquet.^{[citation needed]}

Jamaican ska innovator Prince Buster has cited Jackson's song "Later for the Gator" as one of the first ska songs.^[2]

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

Discography

As leader

• 
  Please Mr. Jackson [also released as Cool Grits] (Prestige, 1959) - with Jack McDuff, Bill Jennings
  


• 
  Cool "Gator" [also released as Keep On A Blowin' ] (Prestige, 1959–60) - with Jack McDuff, Bill Jennings


• 
  Blue Gator (Prestige, 1959–60) - with Jack McDuff, Bill Jennings


• 
  Cookin' Sherry (Prestige, 1959–60 [rel. 1961]) - with Jack McDuff, Bill Jennings


• 
  Together Again! (Prestige, 1959–60 [rel. 1965]) - with Jack McDuff, Bill Jennings


• 
  Really Groovin' (Prestige, 1961)


• 
  In My Solitude (Moodsville, 1961)


• 
  Together Again, Again (Prestige, 1959–61 [rel. 1966]) - with Jack McDuff, Bill Jennings


• 
  Thunderbird (Prestige, 1962) - with Freddie Roach
  


• 
  Johnny "Hammond" Cooks with Gator Tail (Prestige, 1962) - with Johnny "Hammond" Smith, Eddie McFadden


• 
  Bossa Nova Plus [also released as Shuckin' ] (Prestige, 1962)


• 
  Neapolitan Nights (Prestige, 1962)


• 
  Loose... (Prestige, 1963)


• 
  Grease 'n' Gravy (Prestige, 1963) - with Pat Martino
  


• 
  The Good Life (Prestige, 1963) - with Pat Martino


• 
  More Gravy (Prestige, 1963) - with Pat Martino


• 
  Boss Shoutin' (Prestige, 1964) - with Pat Martino


• 
  Jackson's Action! Recorded Live (Prestige, 1964) - with Pat Martino


• 
  Live! Action (Prestige, 1964 [rel. 1966]) - with Pat Martino


• 
  Soul Night/Live! (Prestige, 1964 [rel. 1966]) - with Pat Martino


• 
  Tell It... [live] (Prestige, 1964 [rel. 1967]) - with Pat Martino


• 
  'Gator Tails [also released as Willis Jackson] (Verve, 1964) - with Claus Ogerman's orchestra


• 
  Smoking with Willis (Cadet, 1965)


• 
  Soul Grabber (Prestige, 1967)


• 
  Star Bag (Prestige, 1968) - with Trudy Pitts, Bill Jennings


• 
  Swivelhips (Prestige, 1968) - with Bill Jennings


• 
  Gator's Groove (Prestige, 1968) - with Bill Jennings


• 
  Mellow Blues (Upfront, 1970; Trip/Springboard TLP-5007, 1974) - with Dave "Baby" Cortez, George Benson
  


• 
  Gatorade (Prestige, 1971 [rel. 1982]) - with Boogaloo Joe Jones
  


• 
  Recording Session (Big Chance, 1972) [also released as Plays Around With The Hits] (Trip/Springboard TLP-5030, 1974)


• 
  West Africa (Muse, 1973)


• 
  Headed and Gutted (Muse, 1974) - with Pat Martino


• 
  Funky Reggae (Trip/Springboard TLP-5028, 1974) - with Dave "Baby" Cortez, George Benson


• 
  The Way We Were (Atlantic, 1975) reissued on Collectables in 2001.


• 
  Plays With Feeling (Cotillion, 1976) reissued on Collectables in 2001.


• 
  In the Alley (Muse, 1976) - with Sonny Phillips, Jimmy Ponder
  


• 
  The Gator Horn (Muse, 1977) - with Boogaloo Joe Jones


• 
  Bar Wars (Muse, 1977) - with Charles Earland, Pat Martino; reissued on 32 Jazz in 1997.


• 
  Single Action (Muse, 1978) - with Pat Martino


• 
  Lockin' Horns (Muse, 1978 [rel. 1981]) - with Von Freeman, Boogaloo Joe Jones; reissued on 32 Jazz in 2000.


• 
  Nothing Butt... (Muse, 1980 [rel. 1983]) - with Charles Earland, Pat Martino


• 
  In Chateauneuf-du-Pape 1980 [also released as Ya Understand Me?] (Black & Blue, 1980; Muse, 1984)

Compilations

• 
  The Best of Willis Jackson With Brother Jack McDuff (Prestige, 1969)


• 
  The Best of Willis Jackson/Soul Stompin' (Prestige, 1970)


• 
  On My Own (Whiskey, Women, And... , 1986) (compilation of early Atlantic recordings 1950–55)


• 
  Gator's Groove: The Best of Willis Jackson, Volume One (BGP/Ace, 1988) (compilation of Prestige recordings)


• 
  Call of The Gators (Delmark, 1992) (compilation of early Apollo recordings 1949–50)


• 
  Gentle Gator (Prestige, 1995) (compilation drawn from four different Jackson albums)


• 
  Willis Jackson With Pat Martino (Prestige, 1995) (compilation of Jackson's Action! Recorded Live + Live! Action)


• 
  Willis...With Pat (32 Jazz, 1998) (compilation of three Muse albums: Headed And Gutted [4 tracks], Bar Wars [2 tracks], Single Action [2 tracks])


• 
  Legends of Acid Jazz: Willis Jackson (Prestige, 1998) (compilation of Blue Gator + Cookin' Sherry)


• 
  Legends of Acid Jazz: Willis Jackson – Keep On A Blowin' (Prestige, 1999) (compilation of Keep On A Blowin' + Thunderbird)


• 
  At Large (Prestige, 2000) (compilation drawn from five different Jackson albums)


• 
  Willis Jackson With Pat Martino – Gravy (Prestige, 2001) (compilation of Grease 'N' Gravy + The Good Life)


• 
  Nuther'n Like Thuther'n (Prestige, 2002) (compilation of More Gravy + Boss Shoutin' )


• 
  Willis Jackson With Pat Martino – Soul Night Live! (Prestige, 2002) (compilation of Soul Night/Live! + Tell It... )


• 
  Willis Jackson With Jack McDuff – Together Again! (Prestige, 2003) (compilation of Together Again! + Together Again, Again)


• 
  After Hours (Prestige, 2004) (compilation of Loose... + Soul Grabber)


• 
  The Chronological Willis Jackson 1950–1954 (Classics 'Blues & Rhythm Series' 5135, 2005)


• 
  The Remaining Willis Jackson 1951–1959 (Blue Moon 6048, 2005)


• 
  Later For The Gator (Acrobat 4203, 2005) (compilation/retrospective of Jackson's early career years)

As sideman

With Ruth Brown

• 
  Ruth Brown (Rock & Roll) (Atlantic 8004, 1957)

References

External links

• Willis Jackson biography at Allmusic