Michael Gregory Jackson
Encyclopedia
Michael Gregory is an American jazz
, Blues and Rock Guitarist, Singer, Songwriter, Composer and Producer.
Gregory began playing guitar at the age of seven. Early in his career, he was known as Michael Gregory Jackson and worked with avant-garde jazz
musicians in the late 1970s and early 1980s, such as Pheeroan akLaff
, Oliver Lake
, and Baikida Carroll
. Following this he began working more in the realms of Rock, jazz fusion
and R&B. Since 1982 he only released records as Michael Gregory to avoid confusion with musician Michael Jackson. He is currently producing various projects, working with trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith
, with Oliver Lake's Reunion Trio and with his newly formed (2009) trio cLarity-<3 featuring Danish musicians bassist Niels Praestholm and drummer Kresten Osgood.
With Oliver Lake
With Anthony Braxton,
With Nona Hendryx,
With Pheeroan aKlaff,
With Amina Claudine Myers,
"Amina" Michael Gregory - Arista/Novus Records Produced by Michael Gregory
With Clyde Criner,
With The Coyote Sisters,
With Louis Guarino Jr.
With Viva Monroe
With Leah Randazzo
With Seth Glier
With Pulitzer Prize winner poet Paul Muldoon & RACKETT
With Stephen Allen
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, Blues and Rock Guitarist, Singer, Songwriter, Composer and Producer.
Gregory began playing guitar at the age of seven. Early in his career, he was known as Michael Gregory Jackson and worked with avant-garde jazz
Avant-garde jazz
Avant-garde jazz is a style of music and improvisation that combines avant-garde art music and composition with jazz. Avant-jazz often sounds very similar to free jazz, but differs in that, despite its distinct departure from traditional harmony, it has a predetermined structure over which ...
musicians in the late 1970s and early 1980s, such as Pheeroan akLaff
Pheeroan akLaff
Pheeroan akLaff is an American jazz drummer. Pheeroan akLaff began playing in his hometown of Detroit, and Ann Arbor, Michigan with Travis Biggs, Ars Nova, The Ebony Set, The Last Days, and Rod Lumpkin, recorded with Major Lansky. Moved to New Haven, Connecticut and formed DejaVu with Dwight...
, Oliver Lake
Oliver Lake
Oliver Lake is an American jazz saxophonist, flutist, composer and poet. He is known mainly on alto saxophone but also performs on soprano saxophone and flute....
, and Baikida Carroll
Baikida Carroll
Baikida Carroll is an American jazz trumpeter.Carroll studied at Southern Illinois University and at the Armed Forces School of Music early in his career. Following this he became a member of the Black Artists Group in St. Louis, where he directed their free jazz ensemble...
. Following this he began working more in the realms of Rock, jazz fusion
Jazz fusion
Jazz fusion is a musical fusion genre that developed from mixing funk and R&B rhythms and the amplification and electronic effects of rock, complex time signatures derived from non-Western music and extended, typically instrumental compositions with a jazz approach to lengthy group improvisations,...
and R&B. Since 1982 he only released records as Michael Gregory to avoid confusion with musician Michael Jackson. He is currently producing various projects, working with trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith
Wadada Leo Smith
Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith is a trumpeter and composer working primarily in the fields of avant-garde jazz and free improvisation.-Biography:...
, with Oliver Lake's Reunion Trio and with his newly formed (2009) trio cLarity-<3 featuring Danish musicians bassist Niels Praestholm and drummer Kresten Osgood.
As leader
- Clarity, Circle, Triangle, Square (ESP-DiskESP-DiskESP-Disk is a New York-based record label, founded in 1964 by lawyer Bernard Stollman.From the beginning, the label's goal has been to provide its recording artists with complete artistic freedom, unimpeded by any record company interference or commercial expectations—a philosophy summed-up by the...
, 1976 and 1990) Produced by Joel Bluestein - Karmonic Suite (Improvising ArtistsImprovising Artists-Discography:...
, 1978 and 1994) Produced by David Baker, Michael Gregory Jackson and Paul Bley - Gifts (Arista/Novus, 1979) Produced by Michael Gregory Jackson
- Heart and Center (Arista/Novus Records, 1979) Produced by Michael Gregory Jackson
- Cowboys, Cartoons and Assorted Candy (Enja RecordsEnja RecordsEnja Records is a German jazz record label based in Munich, Germany. It was founded by jazz enthusiasts Matthias Winckelmann and Horst Weber in 1971....
, 1982) Produced by Michael Gregory Jackson, David Baker and Matthias Winkelmann - Situation X (Island RecordsIsland RecordsIsland Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
1983) Produced by Nile Rodgers - The Way We Used to Do (Enja, 1982) Remix Produced by Michael Gregory
- What to Where (JiveJive RecordsJive Records was a record label based in New York City, operating under RCA Music Group. Jive was primarily known for a string of successes with hip hop artists in the 1980s, and in teen pop and boy bands in the late 1990s. The word "jive" was inspired by Township Jive, a form of South African...
/Novus, 1987) Produced by Michael Gregory - Towards the Sun (Golden Records, 2003) Produced by Michael Gregory
- Way We Used to Be (Tiptoe Records, 1997; Recording Date: May 2, 1982-May 3, 1982)Produced by Michael Gregory Jackson
- Red (Orchard Records, 2000) Produced by Michael Gregory
- "High Up Where The Breezes Blow" (In-Respect) 1992 Produced by Michael Gregory
- "Wildflower Jazz Loft Sessions" piece "Clarity"
As sideman
With Wadada Leo Smith- "Hearts Reflections", Cuneiform Records 2011, Lead Guitar and Produced by Michael Gregory
- "Spiritual Dimensions", Cuneiform Records 2009 Lead Guitar and Produced by Michael Gregory (disc two)
With Oliver Lake
Oliver Lake
Oliver Lake is an American jazz saxophonist, flutist, composer and poet. He is known mainly on alto saxophone but also performs on soprano saxophone and flute....
- Zaki
- Shine
- Life Dance Of Is
- Holding TogetherHolding TogetherHolding Together is an album by American jazz saxophonist Oliver Lake recorded in 1975 for the Italian Black Saint label.-Reception:The Allmusic review awarded the album 4 stars.-Track listing:# "Trailway Shake/Sad Lo-Uis" - 10:04# "Hasan" - 4:12...
(Black Saint, 1976) - Wild Flower Loft Jazz Sessions
With Anthony Braxton,
- "Wild Flower Loft Jazz Sessions" Guitar, Electric Mandolin
With Nona Hendryx,
- "The Heat" Guitar Solos
With Pheeroan aKlaff,
- "Fits Like A Glove" Gramavision Records Lead Vocalist, Guitar Solos, Produced by Michael Gregory
With Amina Claudine Myers,
"Amina" Michael Gregory - Arista/Novus Records Produced by Michael Gregory
With The Equalites,
- "Choice Of Worlds" EQ Records Background vocalist, Guitar Solos, Keyboards and Produced by Michael Gregory
With Clyde Criner,
- "Behind The Sun" Arista/Novus Records Percussion and Produced by Michael Gregory
With The Coyote Sisters,
- "Women And Other Visions" Guitars
With Louis Guarino Jr.
- "Images Of Movements Thru Time And Space" electric, acoustic and synthesizer guitars, synthesizer bass, vocal,
- "Spiritual Awakenings" Enchanted Vibrations Records Produced by Michael Gregory
With Viva Monroe
- "Rock' N' Roll Party" Michael Gregory - Lead Guitar and Produced by Michael Gregory
With Leah Randazzo
- "At The Root" Michael Gregory - Percussion and Produced by Michael Gregory
With Seth Glier
- "Sojourn" Michael Gregory - Guitar, Percussion and Produced by Michael Gregory
With Pulitzer Prize winner poet Paul Muldoon & RACKETT
- "Resistance" Produced by Michael Gregory
With Stephen Allen
- "Making The Move: Music to Poems by Paul Muldoon" Lead Guitar Solos
External links
- Ron Wynn, [ Michael Gregory formerly known as Michael Gregory Jackson] at Allmusic
- [ Michael Gregory] at Allmusic
- Biography of Michael Gregory at sonicbids.com
- Michael Gregory at MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
Music - Biography of Michael Gregory (Jackson) at allaboutjazz.com
- Biography of Michael Gregory (Michael Gregory Jackson) at the Encyclopedia of Jazz Musicians