Frank Gibson, Jr.

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Frank Gibson, Jr., born 1946, New Zealand, is a jazz drummer and drum tutor. His father, also Frank Gibson, was drummer and leader of the first rock’n’roll band in the country, Frank Gibson’s Rock’n’Rollers.

Before going to the UK in 1977, Gibson had recorded an album with Doctor Tree, the first jazz fusion album in NZ, as well as working with The Neophonic Orchestra, and accompanying touring international stars such as Dionne Warwick, The Temptations and Glen Campbell.

As a highly sought-after session and studio musician, Gibson Jr. was active in the UK in the late 70s. As well as working with David Essex on a live BBC TV show for six weeks, he played and toured with Dusty Springfield.

Together with fellow New Zealand session musician, bassist Bruce Lynch, Gibson was an early member of Morrissey-Mullen, a pioneering jazz-fusion group which had a heavy schedule in London, which included a two-week residency at Ronnie Scott's alternating sets with Dizzy Gillespie. He also played straight-ahead jazz with Tony Lee, amongst others, before being "spotted" by Leo Sayer and joining him on a six-month world tour in 1978, and with whom he worked for three years.

Other recordings during that time include The Walker Brothers' Nite Flights, Ray Warleigh's Reverie (1977), with John Taylor on piano and Ron Mathewson on bass.

He also recorded on a comeback album for Lonnie Donegan called Putting On The Style featuring Elton John, Brian May and Ray Cooper.

Returning to New Zealand, as well as continuing playing, he took up full-time teaching and in 1991 joined the Western Australia Academy of Performing Arts at the Edith Cowan University, as full time lecturer in jazz music for five years.

He has played and/or recorded with many musicians visiting New Zealand, including Frank Foster, John Schofield, Alan Broadbent, Joe Henderson, Sam Rivers, Diana Krall with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Red Rodney, Sonny Stitt, Gabe Baltazar, Joe Henderson, Al Cohn, Don Menza, Dave Liebman, Mat Cattingcub, Lee Konitz, Bernie McGann, Dale Barlow, Johnny Griffin, Don Burrows, Buddy Tate, Scott Hamilton, Ernie Watts, Red Holloway, Eddie Thompson, George Cables, Jack Wilson, Oliver Jones, Dwight Dickerson, Mike Nock, Julian Lee, Ben Sidran, Dave MacRae, Mark Levine, Ron McClure, Larry Gales, Charlie Haden, Putter Smith, John Clayton, Cal Collins, George Golla, Ted Dunbar, Johnny ‘Guitar’ Smith, Emily Remler, Julian Priester, Carl Fontana, Urbie Green, Slide Hampton, Kenny Wheeler, Bobby Hackett, Claudio Roditi, Bobby Shew, Red Rodney, Warren Vache, Nat Adderley, Chuck Findley, Bill Berry, Kenny Davern, Don Burroughs, Milt Jackson, Art Van Damme, Ernestine Anderson, Jimmy Witherspoon, Elaine Delmar, Anita O’Day, and Almeta Speaks.

He has also worked and recorded with the Dan Papirany Trio. His album with Mike Nock, Open Door, won the 1987 Best Jazz Album in New Zealand in 1987, Gibson's second such award (of three).

He played live at the 1990 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony.

He currently (2007) leads a quartet with which features Matt Clohesy on bass, Sam Keevers on piano, and Jamie Oehlers on tenor sax.

Frank Gibson, Jr. was inducted into the Zildjian hall of fame in 1983.

[edit] Discography

[edit] As leader/co-leader

Doctor Tree Frank Gibson’s Doctor Tree (EMI NZ)
Spreading the Word Frank Gibson’s Jazzmobile (Kiwi Pacific Records NZ)
Parallel 37 (1982) Frank Gibson with Milt Jackson, John Scofield, Bobby Shew, Steve Erquiaga, and Mike Nock - Jazz Record of the Year
Open Door (1987) Frank Gibson and Mike Nock - Jazz Record of the Year
Executive Decision' Frank Gibson’s Space Case (Ode Records NZ)
Space Case 11 Frank Gibson’s Space Case featuring Claudio Roditi and Ron McClure (Ode Records NZ)
Space Case 111 Frank Gibson’s Space Case (Ode Records NZ)
Rainbow Bridge Frank Gibson Quartet (2003)

[edit] As sideman

Reverie, Ray Warleigh 1977
Something Else, Graham Dee (Pye Records, London)
Puttin’ on the Style, Lonnie Donegan (Chrysalis Records)
Nite Flights, The Walker Brothers (GTO Records)
Half Brother, (Arola Hansa records, London)
Rhapsodies, Rick Wakeman (ATM Records, London)
Southern Excursion, Brian Smith - Jazz Record of the Year 1984
Genre, Shona Laing 1985
The Masquerade is Over, Jacqui Fitzgerald – Jazz Record of the Year 1985
Should I Be Good, Should I Be Evil Hammond Gambles - Film Sound Track of the Year (Blues) 1985
Iris, Phil Broadhurst - Jazz Record of the Year 1986