Ron Jackson

To say Ron Jackson is well traveled would be an understatement. He has performed and recorded in over 20 countries as a bandleader and ensemble performer, and is well established in the international jazz scene. Ron's style of guitar playing and compositions is a blend of jazz, and other american styles such as soul, rhythm and blues, pop that is blended into his island roots of the Phillipines. Ron was the winner of the first annual Heritage Guitars International Jazz Guitar Competition. He also performed, played and recorded with greats such as Jimmy McGriff, James Spaulding, The Boys Choir of Harlem, Melvin Rhyne, Oliver Lake, Jaki Byard, the Mingus Guitar Tribute Band, Jimmy Cobb, John Hicks, Benny Golson, Cissy Houston, Ralph Peterson, Russell Malone, Larry Coryell, Jack Wilkins, Don Braden, Craig Handy, David Krakauer's Klezmer Madness, The Metro Mass Choir, Jeff "Tain" Watts, Bernard Purdie, Hank Jones, Gary Bartz, Ron Blake, Little Anthony and The Imperials, Mulgrew Miller, Winard Harper, Marvin "Smitty " Smith, Kenny Drew Jr., Olatunji, Randy Weston, Gwen Guthrie, and Rufus Reid. Ron has performed Broadway shows such as "Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk," "Smokey Joe's Cafe," "The Life," "Street Corner Symphony", "Rent," "Saturday Night Fever", "Kat and the Kings," "Fosse", "Harlem Song"and "Imaginary Friends."

Ron's jazz group appears frequently in New York City and has performed at such notable clubs as The Blue Note, Fat Tuesday, Iridium and Birdland and has appeared at the New Orleans Heritage and Jazz Festival, The Bell Atlantic Jazz Festival, The North Sea Jazz Festival in Holland, the Pori Jazz Festival in Finland, the Kiama and Montsalvat festivals in Australia, the Berlin Jazz Festival, and the Grimsby and Edinburgh Festivals in the UK. Ron has also toured and performed in Spain, Italy, France, Portugal, Austria, Canada and Japan.

Ron has been featured in interviews and articles in Just Jazz Magazine, Downbeat, The Western Australian Jazz Guitar Magazine, and in the books The Masters of Jazz Guitar and The Jazz Guitar and is currently on the faculty of The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) WBGO Jazz For Teens Program and the North Netherlands Conservatoire in Groningen, Holland. Ron has also taught at The New School, New York University, Jazzmobile and The National Summer Guitar Workshop's Jazz Summit. Ron also teaches privately.

Discography
"A Guitar Thing" "Thinking of You", Muse Records
"Song For Luis", Duo with Rufus Reid, Mastermix Records
"Concrete Jungle", co-led with bassist Nicki Parrott, on Airmen Records.
"The Dream I Had" , Roni Music