Andrew Pryce Jackman (13 July 1946 – 16 August 2003) was an Englishkeyboardist, arranger and composer who worked with many leading figures in British popular music. His most successful project was as the arranger and conductor of theClassic Rock series of albums by theLondon Symphony Orchestra, thefirst of which reached No 3 in the charts in 1978.[1]
Jackman began his music career as the keyboard player in The Selfs, a rhythm and blues band formed in 1964 in Wembley, London, also featuring bassistChris Squire (later ofYes) and drummerMartyn Adelman. The Selfs amalgamated with another band,The Syn, in 1965, led bySteve Nardelli. Nardelli and Jackman became the main songwriters for the band. The Syn broke up in 1967.
Jackman went on to concentrate on making orchestral and other arrangements for various bands, such asPeter Skellern (including the distinctive arrangement for brass band and chorus for the 1972 hitYou're a Lady),[2]The Congregation,Rush (Power Windows) andBarclay James Harvest (string arrangement forGuitar Blues).[3] He continued to work with Chris Squire, providing arrangements and pianos on hisFish Out of Water (1975) album, providing an orchestral arrangement for the Squire-penned 'Onward' on the Yes albumTormato (1978), and working on theAlan White and Chris Squire solo singleRun with the Fox in 1981. He also worked with Yes guitaristSteve Howe on several occasions.
On the firstClassic Rock album, Jackman was responsible for arranging and conducting seven of the ten tracks, recorded at EMI'sAbbey Road Studios on 15–16 October 1976 with the London Symphony Orchestra. A further nine albums in the series followed, between 1979 and 1992. He was also the arranger and conductor ofThe Dust Bowl Symphony, whichNanci Griffith recorded in 1999 with the same orchestra.[4]
Jackman composed much instrumental library and production music for film and television use.[5] His music was used for a scene inAn American Werewolf in London.[6] Other film and television credits includeRoy Clarke'sThe Growing Pains of P.C. Penrose (1975)[7] and the independent drama filmEast of Elephant Rock (1978).
From the 1980s Jackman lived atTivetshall, Norfolk, where he regularly conducted local choirs and composed music for them to sing.[8] In 2001 he contributed a choral arrangement of 'Swing Low, Sweet Chariot' for the collectionSpirituals for Choirs, published by OUP.[9] He had just completed the arrangements for Steve Howe'sElements album when he died of a heart attack on 16 August 2003.
His brother Gregg Jackman is a sound engineer and producer who has worked with Yes,Enya and Barclay James Harvest.[10] Another brother,Jeremy Jackman, sangcountertenor with theKing's Singers for ten years.[11] Their father, Bill Jackman, was a session musician who contributed flute, vocals and hand claps to the Beatles songsHey Jude, and tenor saxophone toLady Madonna.[12]
Andrew's son,Henry Jackman, is a film composer whose scores includeMonsters vs. Aliens,Winnie the Pooh,Puss in Boots, andWreck-It Ralph. He is also a keyboard player, and performed live with Chris Squire in August 2006.[13] Andrew's youngest son Ralph Jackman is a writer of historical fiction includingActium's Wake (2014) andAgrippa's Wake (2017), both set in ancient Rome.[14]
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