Joe Jackson

Joe Jackson was born in Dallas, Texas into a musical family; his mother is a former professional clarinetist, and his father, Jim Jackson, was a trombonist with the Fort Worth Symphony and a renowned recording engineer.

Joe chose the trombone at age 12, and during his high school years was the recipient of multiple Down Beat Magazine “DeeBee” awards. During his tenure at the University of North Texas, Joe studied with Vern Kagarice, Hal Galper, David Liebman and Don “Jake” Jacoby, played lead & jazz trombone in the famed One O’Clock Lab Band, and was named the National Association of Jazz Educators 1985 College Musician of the Year.

Joe left UNT in 1990 to join the Maynard Ferguson Band. He spent a year with Ferguson, performing throughout the United States and in Europe. From 1991 to 2011 he was lead trombonist with the U.S. Air Force Airmen of Note, and from 2004 to 2011 was the Director of the Airmen of Note. During his tenure as Director, Joe produced the award-winning Jazz Heritage Series heard on 112 radio and media stations worldwide, and eight recordings including “Cool Yule” which climbed to #2 on the JazzWeek chart in December 2010.

As a freelance trombonist and arranger, Joe performs with top East Coast bands including the Woody Herman Orchestra, the David Liebman Big Band, the Fran Vielma Jazz Orchestra and the Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra. He has contributed hundreds of commissioned arrangements to ensembles across the nation, and his educational big band arrangements are published by Alfred Music. A member of American Federation of Musicians Locals 161-710 and 40-543 and the Theatre Musicians Association, Joe performs regularly in pit orchestras for productions at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, National Theatre, Signature Theatre, Arena Stage, Olney Theatre Center and Ford’s Theatre.