He is a saxophonist, horn player and flautist who took military service until 1965 and in 1967 became a member of Ray Charles band until 1968 when he took studies at the California Institute of the Arts.
Heading out into his professional career he was first heard recording with Bobby Hutcherson and that was just the beginning of a very long and prolific career. His playing has since been heard accompanying artists as wide ranging as Solomon Burke, Ry Cooder, Bill Cosby, Earth, Wind & Fire, The Gap Band, Carole King, Maria Muldaur, Horace Silver, Jimmy Smith, The Whispers and Frank Zappa.
During his long career he has been heard on albums that include Romantic Journey by Norman Connors, Bill Cosby is Not Himself These Days by Bill Cosby, Chicken Skin Music by Ry Cooder, All ‘n’ All, I Am and Faces by Earth, Wind & Fire, No Strings by Sheena Easton, Best of My Loveby The Emotions, Q’s Jook Joint by Quincy Jones, The Gap Band, King Size by B.B. King, Wrap Around Joy by Carol King, Get Loose by Evelyn Champagne King, Sweet Harmony by Maria Muldaur, Changing of the Gard by Stargard, It Only Takes a Minute by Tavares and Whispers in Your Ear by The Whispers.
He still appears at gigs and in the studio in Los Angeles.
The Gap Band recordings
Baby Baba Boogie (Lonnie Simmons/Charlie Wilson)
Here he is performing live at Saalik Ziyad’s Birthday Celebration Concert…
Sources:
- http://www.united-mutations.com/j/fred_jackson.htm
- http://www.answers.com/topic/fred-jackson-jr?cat=entertainment
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Jackson_Jr.
- http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=&sql=11:acfwxqujldje
- http://shopping.yahoo.com/p:Fred%20Jackson,%20Jr.:1927364721