Edwin (Eddie) Jobson
(born 28 April 1955 in Billingham, Stockton-on-Tees, England) is an English keyboardist and violinist noted for his use of synthesizers. He has been a member of several progressive rock bands, including Curved Air, Roxy Music, 801, U.K., and Jethro Tull. He was also part of Frank Zappa's band in 1976-77. Aside from his keyboard work Jobson has also gained acclaim for his violin playing.
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EDDIE JOBSON TICKETS
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Brief biography
Jobson began playing the piano at age 7 and violin at age 8. Later he attended
Bede Hall Grammar School, leaving at age 16. At that point he joined the band
Fat Grapple
, playing locally in venues such as
Redcar Jazz Club. It was at this venue that they played in support of
Curved Air, which Jobson joined the following year.
At this time Jobson fronted Fat Grapple on electric violin, opening with a spirited rendition of the current hit piece "
Jig-a-Jig". The band played original compositions and were well regarded, but failed to break out beyond the Newcastle area. Nonetheless, Jobson's playing won him a place in
Curved Air
.
In 1973 he replaced
Brian Eno in
Roxy Music
, getting the job partially through a connection between his sister and the sister of singer
Bryan Ferry, who knew each other in college. Jobson found himself playing three roles: Eno's, Ferry's (who had stepped up as a frontman after first playing piano), and his own. Jobson stayed with the band for three studio albums and many tours.
In 1976, with Roxy on a hiatus, Jobson recorded an obscure solo single, "Yesterday Boulevard" b/w On a Still Night", playing all instruments himself with the exception of drums (by
Simon Phillips). These two instrumentals have become a sought-after collectors' item, having never been reissued since.
After turning down an offer to join
Procol Harum, Jobson became a member of
Frank Zappa's
band in mid-1976. He appeared on the cover of the
Zoot Allures
album in spite of not playing a single note on it. He did however perform on the
Zappa in New York
live double album.
In 1977, Eddie helped form the cult prog rock supergroup
UK
. Other members included former
King Crimson members
Bill Bruford (drums) and
John Wetton (bass and lead vocals) (Jobson had overdubbed violin and piano parts of King Crimson's 1975 live album
USA
) and
Allan Holdsworth (guitar). They released three official albums. The eponymous debut
UK
,
Danger Money
and the live set
Night After Night
, the latter two albums on which
Terry Bozzio of
Frank Zappa's
band performed drums/percussion.
After UK broke up in early 1980, Jobson started work on a solo project, but was then asked to participate in
Jethro Tull
frontman
Ian Anderson's solo album, which became the Tull album
A
, on which Jobson was credited as a 'special guest'. He stayed on for the subsequent world tour, playing his final live show in France in February 1981.
In the 1980s, Jobson released two albums.
Zinc - The Green Album
(1983) was performed in a rock-band format with session musicians, and
Theme of Secrets
(1985) was an electronic album and one of the first releases from
New Age record label
Private Music. That same year Jobson wrote and performed three pieces on
Piano One
also from
Private Music. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s he also built a successful career as a composer of TV and film soundtracks. He scored nearly 100 episodes of the TV series
Nash Bridges. He also produced the Bulgarian Women Choir's 2000 album
Voices of Life
, contributing three new compositions (from an abortive UK reunion project called
Legacy
) and playing violin on two of the new pieces. Since 2000, he has run Globe Music Media Arts , which describes itself as a music/video production company, music publishing company, and online store. The official Eddie Jobson web site and forum went online in 2006.
In October 2007, Jobson announced the formation of a new band,
UKZ
, with
Trey Gunn and others, which will see Jobson's re-entry to the live/recording arenas. UKZ's debut EP, RADIATION was announced on January 7, 2009 for a March 24, 2009 release from Ryko Distribution.
In 2008, on the 30th of August in
Kazan, during the "Creation Of Peace" festival Jobson performed live for the very first time in 27 years. He played violin on one song with
Fairport Convention and then two songs ("Red" and second part of "
Larks' Tongues in Aspic") with so-called "King Crimson Project", band, featuring
Adrian Belew,
Tony Levin,
Pat Mastelotto and
Eric Slick that was specially formed for that "Creation Of Peace" festival and for so-called "King Crimson Festival" in B1 club,
Moscow (it took place few days later after performance in Kazan - on the 3rd of September). During that event in B1 club Jobson played two solo compositions, on piano and violin, and further same evening he once again joined
Adrian Belew,
Tony Levin,
Pat Mastelotto and
Eric Slick to play some old songs of
King Crimson. Both of his sisters came from USA and UK to see him performing. On January 7, 2009 a "One City World Tour" of UKZ for January 24, 2009 at NYC's Townhall was announced.
Solo discography
- Yesterday Boulevard
b/w On a Still Night
(Island WIP-6287) (1976)
- The Green Album - with Zinc
(1983)
- Theme of Secrets
(1985)