Eddie Jobson

Early years

Jobson was born in Billingham, Stockton-on-Tees, England. He began playing the piano at age 7 and added violin the following year. Later he attended Bede Hall Grammar School, leaving at age 16. It was his hope to continue onto the Royal Academy of Music; while he applied to and had the necessary qualifications for the academy, he was not admitted because he was only 16 years old. The academy would make exceptions for 17-year-olds, subject to a special examination, so it was suggested that Jobson spend the next year working in a record shop until that time. Instead, he opted to play piano at a ballet class, and for the occasional theatre production. This time also afforded him the opportunity to explore new instruments, specifically synthesizers, as well as transitioning between musical genres.

From classical music to rock

Jobson, along with a group of local university graduates, started the band Fat Grapple, who performed original music and cover versions from 1970s popular groups Curved Air and Fairport Convention. One local performance at the Redcar Jazz Club paired Fat Grapple as opening act for Curved Air, and it was here with Jobson fronting on electric violin, covering tracks including the current hit song "Jig-a-Jig", that his wide-ranging music aptitude came to wider notice. Shortly thereafter when Curved Air lost key members Francis Monkman and Darryl Way, Jobson was asked to replace the two. By this time, he was 17, but the Royal Academy was no longer in Jobson's plans.

The group had some regional success with their 1973 release Air Cut. They toured in Europe, however they disbanded shortly thereafter. In 2009, previously recorded tapes were released as the Lovechild album, which included two of Jobson's compositions.

Roxy Music

While still in Curved Air, Jobson became acquainted with Roxy Music frontman Bryan Ferry as their sisters shared a room in college. Upon hearing a Curved Air performance, Ferry asked Jobson to play keyboards and synthesizer for his solo album, These Foolish Things (1973). Before the recording was completed, he had not only provided the requested instrumentation, but also wound up contributing as a composer, arranger, and performer of all the string parts for the band.

In 1973 Jobson replaced Brian Eno in Roxy Music, where he found himself playing three roles: Eno's, Ferry's (who had stepped up as a frontman after initially playing piano), and his own. Jobson stayed with the band for three studio albums and numerous tours before the band went on an extended hiatus in 1976.

Throughout the 1970s, Jobson continued to perform on keyboards and violin for a variety of recording artists, including King Crimson, Phil Manzanera, Andy Mackay, John Entwistle, Bill Bruford, and others.

Frank Zappa's band

While touring in late 1975, Roxy Music opened for Frank Zappa's band in Milwaukee, WI; it was at this performance that Jobson and Zappa first met. After the Roxy tour ended, Jobson subsequently spent a week in early 1976 travelling with Zappa's band in Canada, during which time Jobson and Zappa performed a varied repertoire in hotel rooms and backstage at concert venues. Jobson was eventually brought onstage with only minutes' notice to perform what was essentially an audition before thousands of Zappa fans.

Once Roxy Music went on hiatus in 1976, Jobson became heavily sought after. He contemplated an offer to join Procol Harum, but ultimately decided to become a member of Frank Zappa's band. Although Jobson appeared on the cover of the Zoot Allures (1976) album, he did not perform on any of the recorded tracks. In a 1995 interview with Art Rock Magazine, Jobson explained that Zappa always recorded everything and whoever was in the band at the time of its release made it onto the album cover: "You may be in the group when it comes out, or maybe you left the band five years before the album comes out. That's how he makes records". Jobson did however feature on the 1978 live album, Zappa in New York and Philly '76 which Zappa's label released posthumously in 2009.

UK

In 1977, Jobson helped form the progressive rock supergroup UK. Initially, the band also included former King Crimson members Bill Bruford (drums) and John Wetton (bass and lead vocals), along with guitarist Allan Holdsworth. However, after their debut album UK (1978) and subsequent tour, Bruford and Holdsworth departed to pursue other musical directions.

Drummer Terry Bozzio, who knew Jobson from their time together in Zappa's band, was available and thus enlisted to join UK. The trio released two additional albums, Danger Money (1979) and the live concert production Night After Night (1979), and embarked on a successful tour before UK disbanded in 1980.

Jethro Tull: "A" Tour

Jobson was asked to participate on Jethro Tull frontman Ian Anderson's solo endeavour, which was eventually released by Chrysalis Records in 1980 as a full-fledged Tull album, A. Jobson, credited as a 'special guest', performed on keyboards, electric violin, and was cited on liner notes as providing additional musical material. He remained with the band for their subsequent world tour in 1980-1981.

Jobson reunited twice with the band in the subsequent years. He played keyboards and violin on their only 1985 concert, in place of Jethro Tull's then keyboard player Peter-John Vettese, at International Congress Centrum in Berlin, to celebrate Johann Sebastian Bach's 300th birthday. Jobson was heavily featured on the band's performance of Bach's "Double Violin Concerto". He has also appeared as a surprise guest for the band's concert in East Rutherford, New Jersey in November 1989.

Yes

Jobson was briefly a member of Yes in 1983 after the departure of keyboardist Tony Kaye. Jobson neither recorded nor performed live with Yes. His only official appearances with the band were in promotional photographs, and in the video for "Owner of a Lonely Heart," but the video was released after Kaye had rejoined and Jobson had departed. This resulted in Jobson appearing (though edited out as much as possible) in the original version of the song's video. Jobson has stated on his website that he was asked to replace Kaye, and was hesitant to do so until after hearing the band's new release, and then rehearsing with the band in London. He returned to his home in the US as a full member of Yes, and set forth learning the band's repertoire. However, several weeks later he received a call from the band's management advising that Kaye was back in the group and the two would be sharing keyboard duties. Jobson declined, and left the band.

Solo career

In the 1983 Capitol Records/EMI released Jobson's solo effort, Zinc - The Green Album. The album of original compositions was performed in a band-style format using session musicians on drums, bass, and guitars. Vocals, keyboards, and electric violin were performed by Jobson.

Two years later, Jobson made a significant genre shift from progressive rock music to the stylings of new age with Theme of Secrets. This 1985 release by new-age record label Private Music, was recorded solely using Synclavier and samples. That same year he also composed and performed three piano compositions on the label's compilation album, Piano One.

Scoring for film and television

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s Jobson also built a successful career as a composer of TV and film soundtracks. He scored nearly 100 episodes of the TV series Nash Bridges (1996–2001). He served as choral music arranger for two 2003 Walt Disney Pictures releases, The Haunted Mansion and Brother Bear.

Jobson also composed music for the world of advertising, most notably the Amtrak "California Zephyr" commercial that featured Richie Havens singing "There's Something About a Train That's Magic". For his scoring and music direction on this effort, Jobson won the Clio Award for original music scoring in 1988. He continued to receive Clio Award accolades as either a winner or finalist for a number of years running.

Globe Music Media Arts

In 2000, Jobson started his own label, Globe Music Media Arts, where he produced/distributed a variety of what he termed "an amalgamation of other somewhat more cultured musical styles", most notably the Bulgarian Women Choir's 2000 album Voices of Life. In addition to production duties, he also contributed three new compositions (originally slated for the perpetually in-progress UK reunion project called Legacy), and playing violin on two of the new pieces. A second label, Glo Digital, supplanted the original label in 2009, when Jobson moved toward downloadable music files. In 2010 he launched the Zealots Lounge, a subscription-based marketing alternative to traditional retail music sales. Jobson has likened those who participate in this program as "modern-day patrons of the arts".

Return to the stage

The Creation of Peace Festival in Kazan, Tatarstan on 30 August 2008 saw Jobson's return to the stage after more than two decades. He played violin on one song with the Patti Smith Group, one song with Fairport Convention, and two songs ("Red" and "Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part 2") with the Crimson ProjeKCt. In addition to joining this collection of musicians, Jobson also performed piano and violin solos at the B1.

UKZ

In October 2007, Jobson announced the formation of a new band, UKZ, with Trey Gunn, Marco Minnemann, Alex Machacek, and Aaron Lippert. Their EP, Radiation, became available from the Globe Music online store in January 2009 and had its official release on Glo Digital in March 2009; a 7:48 video of the title track was released earlier, appearing on YouTube in January 2009. The band's first live performance was held at Town Hall in New York City on 24 January 2009. A few months later in June, UKZ also performed four dates in Japan in the cities of Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka. Additionally, on 9 August 2009, Jobson did a one-off reunion gig with Curved Air in Chislehurst, Kent.

30th anniversary of UK

In November 2009 Jobson reunited with former Roxy Music and UK bandmate, John Wetton, for what was termed "The 30th Anniversary of U.K.", with three performances in Poland (in the cities of Kraków, Warsaw, and Bydgoszcz).

U-Z Project

During 2009 Jobson also created an adjunct performing group, the 'U-Z Project', which featured a revolving line-up of guest musicians; these ensembles continue to perform at live concerts throughout North and Central America, Europe, and Japan. Participating musicians have included John Wetton, Alex Machacek, Marc Bonilla, and drummers Marco Minnemann, Mike Mangini, Virgil Donati, Gary Husband, and Simon Phillips.

In January 2010 Jobson was named to the technical advisory board of Austin, Texas based keyboard manufacturer, Infinite Response. He was involved in the development of the company's VAX77 folding MIDI keyboard controller, which Jobson showcased at the January 2010 NAMM Show in Anaheim, California. Jobson's U-Z Project headlined NEARfest in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania on 20 June 2010. A live CD compiled from various U-Z performances in 2009 was released as Ultimate Zero – The Best of the U-Z Project Live in Japan in November 2010.

In January 2011, Jobson gave a series of "master classes" in Japan, featuring performances of compositions throughout his career and lecture-style discussions of his music. In April of that year, a Jobson-Wetton "U.K." reunion tour provided performances in Japan and the US, with Alex Machacek (guitar) and Marco Minnemann (drums) completing the four-piece line-up. Jobson headlined the 2011 Zappanale festival on 21 August in Bad Doberan, Germany, and played an earlier gig in Zoetermeer, Netherlands on 19 August, with a U-Z project line-up of Marc Bonilla (vocals/bass), Alex Machacek (guitar) and Marco Minnemann (drums).

UK Trio Reunion Tour

In early 2012, Jobson confirmed that he re-formed the UK trio line-up — Jobson, John Wetton, and Terry Bozzio — for a one-off world tour, which took place from May–June 2012, with the trio playing dates in North America and Japan. However, Bozzio did not join the additional summer concert dates in Europe, where drummer Gary Husband assumed that role. Alex Machacek (guitar) was also added to the band line-up. Jobson, Wetton, Machacek, and Husband also headlined at NEARFest Apocalypse in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Additionally, the trio of Jobson, Wetton, and Bozzio extended its performances with a March 2013 stint on the inaugural voyage of the progressive rock Cruise to the Edge excursion, where they headlined with Yes and Steve Hackett.

Four Decades Tour 2013

Jobson marked the fortieth anniversary of the start of his professional music career with a short tour in Japan during November 2013. Joining him onstage was an ensemble cast of musicians from his career, including John Wetton, Sonja Kristina, Alex Machacek, Marco Minnemann, Aaron Lippert, and Ric Fierabracci. He performed songs which spanned the four decades including music from Curved Air, Roxy Music, UK, UKZ, as well as his solo efforts, to sold-out venues in Tokyo and Osaka.

Fallen Angels Tour 2017

In April 2017 Jobson and Marc Bonilla began the "Fallen Angels Tour," a tribute to the music of John Wetton & Keith Emerson, commencing at London's Under The Bridge venue at Chelsea F.C.'s Stamford Bridge stadium on 22nd April.

Session work and collaborations