Willis Jackson (saxophonist) explained

Willis "Gator" Jackson (April 25, 1932 – October 25, 1987)^[1] was an American jazz tenor saxophonist.

Biography

Born in Miami, Florida,^[1] and educated at the University of Miami, Jackson joined Cootie Williams's band in 1948 as a teenager, and was part of it on and off until 1955.^[2]

Under his own name (Willis Jackson and His Orchestra) he recorded various rhythm-and-blues instrumentals for Atlantic Records. His most famous record for Atlantic is "Gator's Groove" (1952), with "Estrellita" as the B-side.

Jackson toured as leader of the backing band for singer Ruth Brown. Publicly they were married, but privately they never married but lived together from 1950 to 1955.^[3] Jackson joined Prestige Records in 1959, making a string of albums.

Jackson died in New York City one week after heart surgery, in October 1987, at the age of 55.^[1]

Discography

As leader

• Please Mr. Jackson (Prestige, 1959)
• Cool "Gator" (Prestige, 1959)
• Blue Gator (Prestige, 1960)
• Really Groovin' (Prestige, 1961)
• In My Solitude (Moodsville, 1961)
• Cookin' Sherry (Prestige, 1961)
• Thunderbird (Prestige, 1962)
• Bossa Nova Plus (Prestige, 1963)
• Neapolitan Nights (Prestige, 1963)
• Grease 'n' Gravy (Prestige, 1963)
• The Good Life (Prestige, 1963)
• Loose... (Prestige, 1963)
• Jackson's Action! (Prestige, 1964)
• Boss Shoutin' (Prestige, 1964)
• 'Gator Tails (Verve, 1964)
• More Gravy (Prestige, 1964)
• Together Again! with Jack McDuff (Prestige, 1965)
• Smoking with Willis (Cadet, 1965)
• Live! Action (Prestige, 1966)
• Soul Night/Live! (Prestige, 1966)
• Together Again, Again with Jack McDuff (Prestige, 1967)
• Tell It... (Prestige, 1967)
• Soul Grabber (Prestige, 1968)
• Star Bag with Trudy Pitts, Bill Jennings (Prestige, 1968)
• Swivelhips (Prestige, 1969)
• Gator's Groove (Prestige, 1969)
• Mellow Blues (UpFront, 1970)
• Recording Session (Big Chance, 1972)
• West Africa (Muse, 1974)
• Headed and Gutted (Muse, 1974)
• Funky Reggae (Trip, 1974)
• The Way We Were (Atlantic, 1975)
• Plays with Feeling (Cotillion, 1976)
• In the Alley (Muse, 1977)
• Bar Wars (Muse, 1978)
• The Gator Horn (Muse, 1979)
• Single Action with Pat Martino (Muse, 1980)
• Lockin' Horns with Von Freeman (Muse, 1981)
• Gatorade (Prestige, 1982)
• Nothing Butt... (Muse, 1983)
• Ya Understand Me? (Muse, 1984)

As sideman

• George Benson, Erotic Moods (Paul Winley, 1978)
• Bo Diddley, Big Bad Bo (Chess, 1974)
• Don McLean, Homeless Brother (United Artists, 1974)
• Johnny "Hammond" Smith, Johnny "Hammond" Cooks with Gator Tail (Prestige, 1962)

Notes and References

1. Web site: Doc Rock . The 1980s . The Dead Rock Stars Club . 2017-05-07.
2. Web site: Yanow . Scott . Willis "Gator" Jackson . . February 25, 2020.
3. Dik de Heer, This Is My Story series, "Shakin' All Over" web articles