Jack Jackson, British trumpeter and dance band leader, 1906-1978
 | | this page first published by John Wright, 7 July 1997 last update 31 Dec 2001 vintage@jabw.demon.co.uk |
Jack Jackson was born in Barnsley, Yorkshire. Son of a brass band conductor, he was taught trumpet at the Royal Academy of Music. He first appears on dance band records in 1925 with Bert Ralton, and was soon in the studio with Ronnie Munro.
His break came in 1927 when he joined Jack Hylton's outfit. Jack Jackson's trumpet is the highlight on many a Hylton HMV record, and he also sang on many records contributing scat vocals on some.
Look out for:
| Bert Ralton and his Havana Band | | Columbia 3909 | Headin' For Louisville What Did I Tell Ya? Ronnie Munro & | his Orchestra Parlophone E-5619 | Wanna Go Back Again Blues | Buy Bananas Jack Hylton Orch | /Rhythmagicians HMV B.5422 | Is She My Girlfriend? | Grieving For You Jack Hylton Orch | HMV B.5645 | Um-Tcha-Um-Tcha, Da Da Da - JJ scat vocal |
Jack Hylton Orch | HMV B.5741 | Turn On The Heat | If I Had A Talking Picture Of You |
Listen to these short extracts of Jack Jackson from the recording of Grieving For You with Jack Hylton's Rhythmagicians, recorded Dec 15,1927, issued in UK on HMV B.5422.
When you listen to the whole record you immediately realise that the band have listened to Red Nichols / Miff Mole or Beiderbecke/ Trumbauer/ Venuti/ Lang; this is a rare occasion when the British musicians were allowed to record freely.
Jackson was involved in many hot recording sessions with the likes of Fred Elizalde and Spike Hughes, and then took up a place with Jack Payne and his BBC Dance Orchestra in 1931. Again Jackson features on many a hot recording and comedy number.
Look out for:
| Fred Elizalde & his Orchestra | | Brunswick 120 | Clarinet Marmalade Stomp Your Feet Spike Hughes & his | Dance Orchestra Decca F-1748 | A Ship Without A Sail | My Man Is On The Make Jack Payne & his | BBC Dance Orch Columbia CB-327 | Ain't That The Way It Goes? | Oh Glory! Jack Payne & | his Band Imperial 2677 | Hot Coffee | Back Again |
By 1933 he had formed his own band playing at the fashionable Dorchester Hotel, from which he made regular radio broadcasts. His first own HMV records named him as John Jackson and his Orchestra, maybe HMV thought there were enough band leaders named Jack! Al Bowlly was the vocalist on the first four issues.
Soon the full credit on the labels was Jack Jackson and his Orchestra, at the Dorchester Hotel, London. Jack is vocalist on many of his band's records and in Sept/Oct 1934 several recordings featured the American jazz/blues singer Alberta Hunter.
Look out for:
| 'John' Jackson & his orchestra | | HMV B.6322 | I'm Playing With Fire Sittin' In The Dark Jack Jackson & | his orchestra HMV B.6402 | Make Those People Sway | Poor Old Flo Jack Jackson & | his orchestra HMV B.6542 | Stars Fell On Alabama | Long May We Love |
Jack Jackson began a new radio career in 1947 with 'Band Parade' and then his own 'disc-jockey' show 'Record Round-up' which started in 1948 and lasted 20 years.
There is an active discussion group where you can talk about Jack Jackson and other bands:
or check out the group site first at http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/british-dance-bands/
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