Originally from Corsham in Wiltshire, Jules Jackson is from a family of musicians, with both parents being professional organists and his brother a jazz saxophonist now resident in Los Angeles. Music was on the agenda from a young age, starting with piano and drums, taking up bass guitar in 1997. Upright bass soon followed whilst studying on the jazz course at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London, from where he graduated in 2002, and has been a Professor of Jazz since 2016 (becoming Assistant Deputy Head of Jazz in 2019).

Also an active composer and producer, Jules released his first album “Groove Therapy” in 2011, a project which then evolved into a collaboration with jazz singer Sophie Smith. A number of songs were co-written and recorded, some of which were released as an EP entitled “Phoenix” in 2023.  

In 2019 Jules formed “Equal Measures” – a jazz-fusion trio with guitarist Tommy Emmerton and drummer Jack Pollitt, with writing influenced by guitarists such as John Scofield, Allan Holdsworth, Scott Henderson and Mike Stern. This band became a quartet in 2024 with the addition of Dougie Freeman on piano / keyboards, and inspiration from bands such as Tribal Tech and the Yellowjackets. An album is due for release in 2026.

Bass playing engagements have included work with Jamie Cullum, Liane Carroll, Sara Colman, Nina Clark, The Coalminers, Iain Ballamy, Gareth Williams, Dave Newton, Mark Nightingale, Sir John Dankworth & Dame Cleo Laine, Mike Hext, Salena Jones, Jacqui Dankworth, Tina May, Ralph Salmins, Martin Shaw, Stan Sulzmann, Dave O’Higgins, Mark Lockheart, Ian Thomas and John Parricelli.

In 2011 he accompanied the legendary jazz drummer Peter Erskine in a Masterclass at the Royal Opera House, and again later the same year at the Royal College of Music as part of their Festival of Percussion.

Jules is also an experienced producer, and as well as his own projects has engineered and / or mixed recordings by Stan Sulzmann’s Neon Orchestra, Rebecca Nash’s “Atlas,” Gareth Lockrane, Nina Clark, Chris Allard, Dave Manington, Brigitte Beraha, Sara Dowling, The Big Shake Up, The Horne Section, and many others.

Education is a significant area of Jules’s professional work. As well as teaching at the GSMD, he was a Bass Tutor and Ensemble Coach with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra of Scotland from 2009-2020. Other previous posts include Middlesex University, Eton College and Christ’s Hospital school.

Gear

BASSES:

Sadowsky NYC Will Lee (5 string)
1961 Fender Precision
Wilcock custom short-scale (4 string)
Sandberg California VM5 (5 string, rosewood neck) with John East preamp
Sandberg California TT4 (4 string, passive, rosewood neck)
Anaconda UJ5 “Elite” 5 string fretless
Roscoe SKB6 6 string
Custom-made hollow-body 5 string by Mo Clifton
Lovaszi “Stella” 3/4 size upright bass
David Gage “Czech Ease” travel upright bass

AMPS:

Mesa Boogie Subway D-800 Plus head
Mesa Boogie “WalkAbout” head
Barefaced “Super Compact” 1×12 cab
Barefaced “Super Midget” 1×12 cab
Acoustic Image “Clarus” Series 4plus (2 channel head)
Fender Blues Junior guitar amp
Grace Design “Felix” 2-channel acoustic preamp

DRUM KITS:

Camco 1970 / 71 “Oaklawn / Chanute” 13×9, 16×16, 22×14
Sakae Trilogy 10×7, 12×8, 14×14, 20×14

SNARES:

Early 60’s Ludwig Chrome over Brass Super400 Supraphonic (14×5.5)
1969 Ludwig Supraphonic (14×5.5)
1963 Ludwig Acrolite (14×5.5)
Guru bubinga stave special In-Tense series (14×6)
Sakae Trilogy (14×5.5)
Tama Star Peter Erskine signature (10×6)

CYMBALS:

Collingwood 22″ x 21″ crash / rides
Zildjian 22″ K Constantinople Medium Ride
Zildjian 20″ K Custom Left Side Ride
Bosphorus 20″ Masters Vintage Ride
Bosphorus 21″ Masters Flat Ride
Bosphorus 16″ & 17″ New Orleans Crashes
Murat Diril 16″ & 17″ Renaissance Brillant Crashes
Zildjian A 15″ Hi-Hats (1970’s)
Sabian AA 14″ Hi-Hats
Bosphorus Traditional XT 13″ Hi-Hats
Istanbul Agop 8″ & 10″ Splahes

KEYBOARDS & SYNTHS:

1984 Yamaha U3 upright piano
1978 MkII Fender Suitcase Rhodes
Moog Matriarch semi-modular analog synth
Moog Sirin analog synth
Nord Stage
Yamaha Reface CS virtual-analog synth
Digitakt Elektron drum computer & sampler
Arturia DrumBrute analog drum machine
Roland TR-09 drum machine
Novation SL 61 MKII USB MIDI controller

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