Julian Jackson

Biography

Brought up in a musically oriented family in Liverpool, England, Julian's gravitation towards a career in music was no surprise. Whilst studying at Sandown Music College in Liverpool and with Jim Hughes in Birmingham, Julian was the British Chromatic Harmonica Champion from 1988 - 1991.

He moved to London to become the only Harmonica player to ever gain access to both the Guildhall School Of Music (Post Graduate Course) and the Royal Academy of Music (Bachelor of Music Course). His unique style and ability at both jazz and classical Harmonica Playing has won him the recognition of many musicians and composers including British jazz pianist Julian Josephs, and Jazz legend "Toots" Thielemans. Josephs commented "his playing has great soul and melodic content and logic".

His influences include Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, John Coltrane Larry Adler & "Toots" Thielemans. Julian has been fortunate to study with "Toots”, who gave Julian one of his personalised harmonicas. The only other person to have received one of these is Quincy Jones.

Live appearances include being a featured soloist at the World Harmonica Federation in Germany in November 2005, and gigs with The Julian Jackson Quartet (Tim Lapthorn, piano; Tom Herbert, bass and Patrick Levett, drums.

Julian is active in the session scene for film, television, radio and as a featured solist on CDs by other artists…

• Anthony Hopkins produced film "August"
• Disneys "Funny Bones" starring Jerry Lewis
• Carlton Televisions Productions of "Anna Lee" and "Frontiers"
• BBC's" Tears Before Bedtime" , " The Missing Postman", "Wokewell"; and "Drovers Gold"
• Featured soloist on the Oscar winning soundtrack for the 'The Full Monty'
• Colin Firth film ‘Hope Springs’
• TV ads for the beer Stella Artois, for which he plays an excerpt of Verdi’s ‘Force of Destiny’
• Tracks for SONY’s Meja Beckmans album
• Featured on Claire Martin’s 2004 album
• Soundtrack for film ‘Win Dixie’
• BBB Strictly Dance Fever TV Show
• Etc, etc,