Leigh Jackson was born 'within the sound of Bow Bells' in Marylebone, London and has been playing the Guitar since an early age. His first influence was through his uncle in London who was a recognised player in the gypsy and flamenco style. Leigh moved to New Zealand in his teens and has been playing professionally for 30 years and is fortunate to have shared the stage with many international and local artists as a Jazz, Rock and Fusion guitarist.
Initiation
His first initiation to Jazz was a 10 day summer school in 1982 with Jamey Abersold at which he got to study with influential guitarist John Scofield and sax legend Dave Liebman amongst others. This paved the way for further study and ultimately led to a successful carreer playing, composing and teaching Jazz. Leigh was the first guitarist in the New Zealand Youth Jazz Orchesrta and won a Yamaha Scholarship.
Projects
The compact disc "Parallax" was released in 2004 to critical acclaim (read a review) and features the talents of many fine musicians and was features compositions exclusively by Leigh. This album was released on Lydian Records, and is a fine example of his versatility within the Jazz-Rock fusion style both as an electric and acoustic guitarist and pianist. This versatility and familiarity with a variety of styles led to his involvement in the popular international software Sibelius G7 on which he plays the guitar examples on the guitar guide.
Leigh is active on the Wellington scene playing straight ahead jazz with many different bands. He is well known for being one of the few gypsy jazz players in New Zealand and aside from running the very successful Gypsy Jazz Workshops. He plays in one of New Zealand's few professional Gypsy jazz bands Nouveau Manouche which plays regularly at "The Lido". Nouveau Manouche appear regularly at the major New Zealand festivals such as the Manawatu and Tuaranga Jazz Festival, and the Wellington and Christchurch international jazz festivals. Nouveau Manouche often teams up with Hot Club Sandwich for an action packed performance.
Universities
Leigh became the first person in NZ to complete a Masters degree in jazz performance which he was awarded with distinction in 2002. Leigh was the founder and Head of the Jazz Guitar department of Wellington's Massey University (New Zealand School of Music) and lecturer in Jazz Piano, Jazz Guitar Jazz Theory, Composition and Improv. After 18 years of teaching Leigh was amongst a group that left the department in 2004. Leigh has taught postgrad level Jazz at Canterbury University and on the Academy at Victoria University and has several undergraduate and postgrad students that visit him regularly. He also teaches degree students at Whitirea Polytech.
Producing
Has worked as a producer for New Zealand jazz labels Rata-Records, Yatra Records and his own company Lydian Records. Recent recordings produced by Leigh include "Parallax", The Rite of Swing" and "Fragments of the Blues", also Double Play by virtuoso bass player Ben Shepherd.
Leigh Jackson plays Gibson, Dupont and Fender guitars
Some of the people he has worked with
Bass Players
Tim Robertson (UK) - Outstanding Kiwi bass player living in London part of my trio for many years, bass player for the Parallax band. Incredibly versatile electric and acoustic player.
Nick Tipping (NZ) - Recorded a trio album with Nick which was never released. Nick is the best sightreader I have ever met and plays electric bass as well as being a fine electric and acoustic bassist. Nick has done a few gigs with the parallax band and fills in in Nouveau Manouche
Paul Dyne (NZ) - Legendary acoustic jazz Bassist, played with Paul for many years in various bands accompanying singers for radio programs, played on some of his recordings, lots of live concerts over many years.
Andrew Menzies (NZ) - Great bass player sadly no longer with us
Paul Henderson (NZ) - Played in a few bands with Paul and recorded 'Live at the Realm', had a regular gig at the Tote for ages.
Alistair Isdale - Worked with Ali in the Tony Bennett Show and trio gigs on and off for years. Acoustic player with great feel and sound.
Alberto Santorelli (NZ) - Mellow Auckland bassist (london bar gigs)
Ben Shepherd (NZ) - Young up and coming bass player now living in L.A and studying at CalArts. I produced Ben's album Double Play, he filled in with Nouveau Manouche a few times. At 18 he is as good as any professional bass player and one to watch.
Mostyn Cole (NZ) - Bass player with great chops played several jazz club concerts with Mostyn, he is a great acoustic and electric player
Tom Callwood (NZ) - Acoustic Bass player, played in a trio setting with him
Aaron Coddell (NZ) - Great young Auckland bassist, did a few gigs with Aaron. He has incredible chops and is very good to play with.
Barry Johnstone (NZ) - NZSO bass player
Drummers
Carl Allen (US) - Freddy Hubbard's astounding scary drummer, I did a 1 off concert with him.
Roger Sellers (AUS) - Worked with Roger in many bands, in the studios, workshops and at the con. NZ's best drummer in my opinion. Drummer ex Ian Carr's Nucleus and Leigh Jackson trio
Goran Ristanovich (NZ) - Did an album with Goran but never released it, had a regular trio gig with him. High energy serbian drummer.
Lance Philip (NZ) - I have played with Lance in many situations, he is the drummer on the Parallax album. He plays all styles from Brazilian to rock and is an amazing big band and session musician. One of my favourite drummers full stop with a vast knowledge of the drums and percussion.
Reuben Bradley (NZ) - Hard swinging drummer lived in the US for a while. Done a few concerts with this fantastically musical drummer.
Greg Crayford (NZ) - The power behind 'pleasure point, played in lots of bands with Greg over a 25 year period, the first being the "Jazz Biscuits". Great energetic drummer from the legendary Crayford Family.
John Berryman (NZ) -Did a few gigs at the London bar in Auckland with John. Hard swinging bebop drummer
Kim Patterson (NZ) - Very talented Trumpeter from Auckland did a stint with him at the London Bar in Auckland.
Richard Wise (NZ) -Jazz drummer from Wellington, worked with Richard in the Tim Benton Band for the Tony Bennett Show.
Edward Ware (US) - Kiwi drummer kicking ass in New York,
Steve Cournane - Jazz Drummer from CLBOB and the Verlaines, did a very short stint with Steve at the ballroom with Aaron Codell on bass.
Rick Cranson (NZ) - Dynamic kick ass drummer now with Little Bushmen, did a few gigs with Rick and Andrew Menzies, far too few as he is an amazing musician.
Bud Jones (US) - NZJO Retired percussion genius, played and recorded with Bud in the NZ Jazz orchestra, hugely respected big band drummer and leader.
Maurice Philips (UK) - Great all round drummer with Shenanigans, worked with Maurice for 20 years in the Ellerbee rock band. Best rock groove of any drummer also a great latin style player and all round nice guy.
Chris O'Connor (NZ) - Kiwi drummer now in Ireland (radio show)
Peter Vasebenter - Played in the Dave Feehan group and NZ youth jazz orchestra with Peter, fine drumer with amazing chops.
Guitarists and Piano Players
Manny Abraham (NZ) - Singer, Guitarist nice guy
Geoff Hughes (AUS) - Great kiwi guitarist now in Melbourne
Kevin Clark (NZ) - Award winning piano player
Phil Broadhurst (UK) - Award winning piano player, played a few fetivals and guested with his band Sustenance.
Terry Crayford (NZ) - Jazz piano legend, played with terry in Marg Layton's band and Hot Club Sandwich, he is the bass player for Nouveau Manouche.
John Bell (NZ) - Vibes player from ClBob, played on a radio program with him.
Jan Rutherford (AUS) -Piano player sadly no longer with us, played in many situations with Jan including a few radio shows festivals and a TV special on 'Jazz Seen"
Kirsten Mackenzie (NZ) - One of NZ's top pianists in jazz, actually my lovely wife. I produced her first album "Fragments of the Blues" and played many gigs concerts and shows over the years.
Charmaine Ford (NZ) - Another great piano player (All stars of Jazz)
Johhny Stowers (NZ) - Lovely piano player from Auckland did a few gigs at the Sheraton with him
Jonathan Crayford (NZ) Jazz pianist and composer from the legendary Crayford family, did a few radio programs with him many years ago.
Trevor Coleman (NZ) Composer from down south (tv appearance)
Eddie Petersen (SA) - South African jazz pianist in NZ, done a few performances with this hugely talented guy.
Some interesting people I have performed for
Nelson Mandela - State banquet Govt house 1997
Helen Clarke - NZSO concert 2005 vogel house
David Lange - Living treasure series with Don Burrows
Don Brash - Hmmm
Sarah Vaughn - Birthday party old town hall
Horn Players
Colin Hemmingsen (NZ) - Legendary NZ jazz sax player and teacher who started the Jazz course at the polytech which became the Conservatorium and eventually the NZSM. Worked with Colin on hundreds of projects and concerts over 20 years. Produced his album Rite of Swing. As well as being an amazing sax player he played principal Bassoon for the symphony orchestra and he currently plays Clarinet in Nouveau Manouche.
Nils Olsen (NZ) - Sax/clarinet player from CLBOB and Hot Club Sandwich. Nils plays in Nouveau Manouche occasionally, a great all round musician and singer.
Matt Catingub (HAWAI) - Album "Land of the long white cloud"Don Burrows (AUS) I played with Don for his living treasure tour which started with a concert in the legislative chamber for the Prime Minister David Lange and recorded a live concert. Don is the most energetic musician and has a great attitude, he was so encouraging at a time when I was learning the craft.
Brian Smith (UK) - Mr Moonlight Sax, played a concert with Brian at the Victorian in Wellington plus sevaral gigs at the Sheraton in Auckland when I filled in for Chuck Morgan.
Jerry Coker (US) - Legendary Tenor sax (played one set with him)
Bruce Paulson (US) - Lovely trombone player
Damon Grant (AUS) - Kiwi sax player living in Australia, recorded an album for whitecloud records with Damon in the new Age style for John Mark in the band Astral Jazz
Bruce Johnstone (US) - Worlds greatest baritone Sax player (Lisa on Simpsons)
Bill Reichenbach (US) - Trombonist extraordinaire, played a few concerts with this guy at the old Majestic Theatre and the Victorian
Warren Maxwell - Singer and sax player, played at Warren's amazing final recital and did a few duo gigs with him.
Don Rader (US) - Legendary us trumpet player, played in a workshop and did a concert with him and Craig Walters at Massey University.
Vaughn Roberts (NZ) - Award winning trumpet player, played a few times with Vaughn in Kirsten Mackenzies band. Vaughn is a great teacher and arranger and is one of the most well known trumpet players in NZ.
Evan Solot (US) - Lovely trumpet player
Nick Van Dyk (NZ) - Trombone player, arranger (The All stars of jazz)
Violinists
L.Subramanium (INDIA) - His title is Emperor of the violin in India, I played in his band at the Asia Pacific Festival. He interesting to work with and had the messiest charts I have ever read. I was very humbled when I saw him play his traditional music, it was easy to see why he is regarded as the best in India.
Yury Gezentsvey - I played and recorded with Yury in the "Summer Wine" band , he has the reputation of being NZ's top violinist and has a vast amount of experience from gypsy jazz to being the principle violinist of the NZ Symphony Orchestra.
Nik Brown - Legendary violinist with the Waratahs, Nik and I work together in the newly reformed "Hot Cafe" see hotcafe.co.nz Amazing energetic jazz player. Nik is probably the best gypsy violinist in NZ.
Composers and Arrangers
Jon Mark (UK) ex Bluesbreakers, new age visionary Astral Jazz (Naxos international) -Dreams of Flying
John Psathas (NZ) Premiered some of John's few small band jazz compositions written for the Parallax band.
Alan Slater (NZ) Great arranger living in Australia, played on a few radio programs with his wife Denise and played guitar on his popular remake of the NZ National anthem which played on TV 1
Russ Garcia (US) - Famous arranger for Sinatra (tv show NYJO)
Dorothy Buchanan (AUP)- Played a few of her guitar compositions on the album "Poems of Lauris Edmunds"
Phil Reilly - Played some acoustic guitar stuff on Phil's album:"Patterns of lands" (Naxos International). tracks from this album have been on rotate for the last 10 years on the Weather channel.
Dick LeFort - Multi award winning producer (numerous radio shows)
Dave Parsons (NZ) - Famous new age musician, did a weekend workshop at Tauhara with Dave and Peter Pritchard, meditation music.
Singers
Andrew London (NZ) - Great fun jazz singer and guitarist with Hot Club Sandwich. Played guitar on Andrew's first album and played most of the festivals in NZ with him. A great all round entertainer and genius songwriter.
Viva Sahn (NZ) - Jazz singer, played guitar on Viva's first Album and Radio program.
Malcolm MacNeil (NZ) - Played a few concerts with Malcolm in Wellington and Christchurch. Unique singer with a fine voice, probably NZ's most well known jazz singer
Ann Pacey (NZ) - played on several radio shows and one or two concerts with Ann, played guitar on her album "Boss of the latin"
Denise Harris (AUS) - Kiwi singer in Brisbane, played a few gigs at Giovannis and backed her on a few radio shows.
Marg Layton (NZ)- Marg is NZ's diva of the Blues and I played several concerts and festivals with her. She has great energy and a command over an audience that has to be seen to be believed.
Bunny Walters (NZ) - great rock and pop singer, played one song on TV with him.
Patsy Riggir (NZ) - Country singer, tv appearance.
Dave Feehan (NZ) - Jazz and rock singer, played in Daves band for a few years and co-produced and played guitar on his popular single Heading in the Right Direction. Dave is NZ's John Farnham.
Brendan Dugan (NZ) - Country singer,tv appearance)
Tim Benton (NZ) - Great NZ show singer, did many shows in Tim's band (Tony Bennett show). He now lives in London and sings in shows there.
Sir Howard Morrison (NZ) - Backed Howard Morrison for a few numbers at the Beehive for the Prime Minister
Dalvanius Prime (NZ) - Singer no longer with us, I played with him and the Maori chorale on a RNZ Radio show.
The Maori Volcanics (AUS) - great entertainers from Sydney
Sibelius G7 Software -Featured on Guitar guide
Colin Hemmingsen Quartet - Paul Dyne and Roger Sellers Kirsten Mackenzie Quartet - Album"Fragments of the blues "(Producer)
Colin Hemmingsen (NZ) - Album: "The Right of Swing" (producer)