Dr. Gregory Jackson is a well-recognized percussionist, composer, educator, and author. He is a multi-faceted percussion specialist in many areas including orchestral, jazz, marching, chamber, and world music. He is a prolific composer and has been nicknamed "the Bach of our Time" by audiences around the country.
As a composer, Jackson has completed over one hundred compositions and three symphonies for full orchestra. He has been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in Composition and was a semi-finalist for the American Prize in Chamber Composition. Jackson has published over a dozen books sold worldwide. Congas Full Circle made Amazon.com’s “Hot New Releases” list for percussion books in 2010 and The Synergy Method made Amazon’s “Hot New Releases” list in 2009. Greg also has several recordings, including his debut CD for solo marimba, Darkest Hour, two instructional percussion DVDs titled Congas Decoded and Elements of Synergy, and two percussion CDs, Osmosis and Conga Fantasy.
Jackson performs regularly across the country on a regular basis as well as presenting percussion masterclasses. He has performed with numerous artists including Skyler Foster, Tito Puente Jr., Son Caliente, Tomas Cruz, and Bob Mintzer of the Yellow Jackets. He regularly performs with the bands Basic Element and Low Voltage. In the Percussive Arts Society International Collegiate Snare Competition, he placed in the top 4 two years in a row. As an educator, Greg served as a consultant to three Drum Corps International Individuals Champions as well as the 2006 Percussive Arts Society International Competition Collegiate Tenor Champion.
Greg received the Bachelor of Science in Performance with Composition Specialization from Austin Peay State University, the Master of Music degree in Music Composition and Theory from The University of Alabama, and the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Percussion Performance from The University Alabama. Currently, he is a member of the Percussive Arts Society Composition Committee and the PAS Percussion Composition Education sub-committee. He is also a member of BMI and the Society of Composers Inc. and is currently director of percussion studies at Alabama State University. Jackson proudly endorses Innovative Percussion, Remo Inc., and Pearl Percussion.