In a glittering 40-year career, Milt Jackson not only established himself as jazz music's greatest vibraphone player, he composed a series of classic pieces including 'Bluesology', 'The Cylinder' and 'Bags Groove'. Strong-minded and outspoken, he was a political activist and campaigner, fighting for equal rights and relishing the title of 'rebel' that was often applied to him.

Born in Detroit on New Year's Day in 1923, he was surrounded by music from an early age, notably the gospel music he heard in church. His first instrument was guitar, but by the age of 11 he'd turned to piano and then drums, violin and timpani. By the time he was 16 he was singing with gospel quartet the Evangelist Singers but, inspired by seeing Lionel Hampton playing the instrument with Benny Goodman's band, he decided to specialise in the vibraphone.

His big break came in 1945 when he was spotted by Dizzy Gillespie, who invited him to join his band and he subsequently developed his style working with some of the top jazz musicians of the day, including Woody Herman, Thelonious Monk, Howard McGhee and Charlie Parker. He formed his own group, which evolved into the Modern Jazz Quartet with John Lewis, Kenny Clarke, Ray Brown and Percy Heath. They split in 1974 when Jackson decided to concentrate on fronting his own blues band, but reunited in 1981. In between he fronted many combos and recorded frequently with other artists, including B.B King and Ray Charles, and is said to be one of the most recorded jazz acts of all time. He died of liver cancer in 1999 in The Bronx, New York, aged 76.

Milt Jackson

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