Brian Jackson

Brian Jackson is the songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist who provided the foundational DNA for a musical revolution. As the creative engine behind nine landmark Conscious Soul albums with Gil Scott-Heron, Brian’s pen, trademark Fender Rhodes, and visionary flute work defined an era. Operating at the same technical vanguard as peers like Stevie Wonder and Joe Zawinul, Brian’s pioneering synthesizer bass and singular arrangements have become a global currency—sampled into modern classics by Tupac, Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, and Air, and covered by international giants from Jamiroquai to The Roots.

A "musician’s musician" in the truest sense, Brian’s studio and production credits represent a summit of jazz and soul mastery. Beginning his career at 18 in the studio with Ron Carter, Bernard Purdie and Hubert Laws for the seminal Small Talk at 125th and Lenox, he has since collaborated behind the board with icons including Marcus Miller (Miles Davis), Roy Ayers, Reggie Lucas (Miles Davis, Madonna), Harvey Mason (Herbie Hancock), Omar Hakim (Daft Punk, David Bowie), and Greg Phillinganes (Michael Jackson). His production and songwriting fueled the hits of the 1980s - producing Will Downing’s debut and Gwen Guthrie’s final recordings - while more recently contributing his singular touch to works by Bootsy Collins, Georgia Anne Muldrow, and the landmark Brazilian collaboration with Milton Nascimento, Of Corners and Bridges.

On the global stage, Brian remains an essential and evolving force. A veteran of the international circuit, he has anchored the live sets of Digable Planets and Bobbi Humphrey, and performed in the bands of legends like Roy Ayers and Phyllis Hyman. His recent live renaissance has seen him appearing on BBC’s Later... with Jools Holland with Omar and headlining premier international festivals, from We Out Here (UK) and Golden Plains (Melbourne) to Billboard Live (Tokyo/Osaka).

Brian continues this prolific creative exchange with Now More than Ever – a ground-up collaboration with the legendary Masters at Work (Louie Vega and Kenny Dope). This definitive re-imagining of his songbook follows a string of acclaimed modern works, including 2022's This Is Brian Jackson and his continued influence as a bridge between the foundations of the music and its future.

“This music isn’t something I 'own'; I learned it from those who came before me. My job isn’t just to pass on what I’ve learned, but to never stop learning myself. That’s the Tradition.”