J. J. Jackson (singer)

J.J. Jackson

Promotional photo of J.J. Jackson
from the early 1960s
Background information
Birth name Jerome Louis "J.J." Jackson
Born (1941-04-08)April 8, 1941
Bronx, New York
Occupation(s) Singer, songwriter, arranger
Years active 1957 - present
Associated acts Jack McDuff
Jimmy Witherspoon
The Shangri-Las

Jerome Louis Jackson (b. April 8, 1941, Bronx, New York)[1] known as J.J. Jackson, is an American soul/R&B singer, songwriter, and arranger.[2] His singing style is as a belter. Jackson best known for the song "But It's Alright", which he co-wrote with Pierre Tubbs. The song was released in 1966 and then re-released in 1969, to chart success on both occasions. The liner notes to his 1967 album, JJ, on Calla Records, stated that he weighed 285 pounds.[3][4]

History

Described as "one of the most interesting obscure figures of '60s soul", [5] Jackson, then based in New York,[1][6] started out as a songwriter and arranger. His first songwriting credit, at the age of sixteen, was "The Lord Will Understand (And Say 'Well Done')", being the B-side to "Got A Date With An Angel", a 1957 single by Billy Williams. Jackson co-wrote the song with G. Douglas and M. Brent.[7] The song was banned by the BBC for "religious overtones".[8]

Jackson was later a songwriter and arranger for "Brother" Jack McDuff, Jimmy Witherspoon, and the Shangri-Las, among others. His songwriting credits include Mary Wells' "My Mind's Made Up"[9] and "I've Come to One Conclusion" by Inez and Charlie Foxx.[10][6], both co-written with fellow soul singer Sidney Barnes. Barnes and Jackson became a freelance songwriting team in 1964, at a time when Jackson was known as both a pianist and a songwriter. Barnes had previously been a lead writer, producer and talent scout for the recently-opened New York office of Motown Records and Jobete Music[11] Barnes and Jackson wrote songs for several R & B solo artists of the period, including Sandra Phillips and Billy Prophet, formerly of The Jive Five. Barnes and Jackson also wrote for The Soul Sisters,[12] and became staff writers at Sue Records, one of the few black-owned record labels based in New York at the time.[11]

Barnes and Jackson were soon thereafter signed to exclusive contracts with Red Bird Records and Trio Music Publishing, owed by Leiber and Stoller.[11] "It's Easier to Cry", by the Shangri-Las and released on Red Bird Records, was co-written by Jackson, Joe De Angelis and Robert Steinberg. The latter song was the B-side to the Shangri-Las' 1964 hit single "Remember (Walking in the Sand)"[13]

By 1965, Barnes had emerged as a solo performer, recording songs written by Barnes and Jackson, including "I Hurt On The Other Side",[14] and "I Don't Know Why".[11]

Jackson is best known for the soul hit "But It's Alright", which, after its 1966 release as the B-side of the single "Boogaloo Baby", became one of the best known dance music tunes of the decade,[15] reaching No. 22 on the Billboard chart.[2] The single was recorded in the United Kingdom, being one of the first R & B hit singles to have been recorded in England.[16] The song featured some of Britain's top jazz musicians of the day, including Terry Smith on guitar, Dick Morrissey on tenor sax and John Marshall on drums, and who would later make up his backing band for the following two albums. Jackson also co-wrote, with Pierre Tubbs and Sidney Barnes, the Pretty Things' 1966 hit single, "Come See Me."[17][5]In 1969, Warner Bros. Records re-released "But It's Alright" as a single after he signed with them. The single peaked at No. 45 on Billboard when it re-entered the chart on March 29, 1969. Jackson also became a permanent resident of England in 1969.[18]

In 1970, Jackson was the subject of a private publication by artist Nancy Reiner, The Adventures of JJ or How The Greatest Little Soul Band In The Land Jes Grooved and Grooved and Grooved.[19] Reiner was the artist whose sketch of Jimi Hendrix became the cover of The Cry of Love. She had previously created the cover art for albums by Brother Jack McDuff and Jimmy Witherspoon.

J. J. Jackson during a show in Sorocaba, Brazil

In 1980, Jackson moved to Brazil, where he initially performed and recorded as Leo Robinson.[20] He currently performs and records in Brazil, in English and Portuguese, as J.J. Jackson do Brasil.[21]

J. J. Jackson during the Baiacool Jazz Festival, Salinópolis, Pará, Brazil








Discography

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Albums

As J.J. Jackson

As J. J. Jackson's Dilemma

Singles

As J.J. Jackson

As Leo Robinson

Contributions to Other Recordings

With Brother Jack McDuff


References

  1. 1 2 Jackson's place of birth, from the liner notes to his 1967 album JJ, is specified to be Bronx, New York. One source indicates that his birthplace is Gillett, Arkansas ("home of the Coon Festival"), a reference that appears repeated elsewhere, while Allmusic, via Richie Unterberger reports Jackson's birthplace as being in Brooklyn, New York. What is clear is that Jackson was based in New York from a young age, given that his first recorded songwriting credit occurred when he was sixteen. Another report is that Jackson attended the City College of New York for a period, which is particularized as two years in the liner notes to JJ.
  2. 1 2 Rick Simmons, Carolina Beach Music: The Classic Years (The History Press, 2011), p. 92.
  3. ↑ Liner notes to JJ; Rootsvinylguide. Retrieved 2017-08-08.
  4. ↑ Jackson's weight, which he subsequently lost, was part of his image during the 1960s.
  5. 1 2 Richie Unterberger, Biography of J.J. Jackson; Allmusic. Retrieved 2017-07-22.
  6. 1 2 Bill Dahl, Biography of J.J. Jackson, being a profile contained in Sweet Soul Music: 29 Scorching Classics from 1966; Bear Family Records. Retrieved 2017-08-01.
  7. ↑ Credits for "The Lord Will Understand (And Say 'Well Done'); Discogs. Retrieved 2017-08-02.
  8. ↑ Records Banned By The BBC; 45cat. Retrieved 2017-08-02.
  9. ↑ Contained on the album Mary Wells (20th Century Fox Records, 1965); Discogs. Retrieved 2017-08-02.
  10. ↑ Contained on tha album Mockingbird - Phase 1: The Complete Sue Recordings (Connoisseur Collection, 2001); Discogs. Retrieved 2017-08-02. One of the few songs recorded by the duo that was not written by Charlie Foxx or Inez and Charlie Foxx.
  11. 1 2 3 4 Biography of Sidney Barnes; sidneybarnes.net. Retrieved 2017-08-03.
  12. ↑ Such as "Think About The Good Times" (1965), also produced by Barnes and Jackson, where Jackson is also credited as the arranger: 45cat.com. Retrieved 2017-08-04.
  13. ↑ Particulars of "Remember (Walking in the Sand)"; Discogs. Retrieved 2017-08-02.
  14. ↑ On Blue Cat Records, a subsidiary of Red Bird Records. The song, written by Jackson and Barnes, was produced by Lieber and Stoller: Particulars of "I Hurt On The Other Side"; Discogs. Retrieved 2017-08-08.
  15. ↑ JJ Jackson - But It's Alright CD Album
  16. ↑ Back Tracking; ska2soul. Retrieved 2017-08-09.
  17. ↑ Particulars of "Come See Me"; Discogs. Retrieved 2017-08-02.
  18. ↑ Joe Troiano, Review of "But It's Alright"; Joe T's Soda Shop. Retrieved 2017-08-10. Some report that Jackson became a British citizen at that time: John Bush, Review of "But It's Alright"; Allmusic. Retrieved 2017-08-10.
  19. ↑ Tom Shaw, Instagram photos and text extracts; Retrieved 2017-07-19.
  20. ↑ Leo Robinson (A.K.A J.J.Jackson) - To my hearth 1981. RarePhillySax, May 25, 2009 Retrieved 2017-07-22.
  21. ↑ Website of J.J. Jackson do Brasil. Retrieved 2017-07-24.
  22. ↑ Credited as having been arranged and conducted by J.J. Jackson, and produced by Lew Futterman. Particulars of "Sho Nuff (Got A Good Thing Going)"; Discogs. Retrieved 20117-08-09.
  23. ↑ Particulars of "Down, But Not Out"; 45cat. Retrieved 2017-08-09. Jackson is credited as the arranger of the A and B sides. He co-wrote "Down, But Not Out" with Windsor King, who also co-produced the single with Lew Futterman. The B-side, "Why Does It Take So Long?" was co-written by Al Stewart, Peter Paul and Billy Meshel.
  24. ↑ Particulars of "Fat, Black and Together"; funky16corners. Retrieved 2017-08-09.
  25. ↑ Particulars of Out of Common (printed as Out Off Common)/To My Hearth; Discogs. Retrieved 2017-08-11.
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