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Frank Gibson Jr. (born 1946) is a New Zealand jazz drummer and drum tutor. His father, also Frank Gibson, was drummer and leader of the first rock’n’roll band in the country, Frank Gibson's Rock’n’Rollers.
Before going to the UK in 1977, Gibson had formed Dr Tree,[1] the first jazz fusion album in NZ, as well as working with The Neophonic Orchestra, and accompanying touring international stars such as Dionne Warwick, The Temptations and Glen Campbell.
As a highly sought-after session and studio musician, Gibson Jr. was active in the UK in the late 70s. As well as working with David Essex on a live BBC TV show for six weeks, he played and toured with Dusty Springfield.
Together with fellow New Zealand session musician, bassist Bruce Lynch, Gibson was an early member of Morrissey–Mullen, a pioneering jazz-fusion group which had a heavy schedule in London, which included a two-week residency at Ronnie Scott's alternating sets with Dizzy Gillespie. He also played straight-ahead jazz with Tony Lee, amongst others, before being "spotted" by Leo Sayer and joining him on a six-month world tour in 1978, and with whom he worked for three years.
Other recordings during that time include The Walker Brothers' Nite Flights, PAZ's "PAZ are Back", Ray Warleigh's Reverie (1977), with John Taylor on piano and Ron Mathewson on bass.
Gibson and Lynch recorded with Rick Wakeman on "Rhapsodies" produced by Tony Visconti, also performing at the Montreux Jazz Festival, Drury Lane and on a television special in Munich. He also recorded on a comeback album for Lonnie Donegan called Putting on the Style featuring Elton John, Brian May and Ray Cooper.[2]
Returning to New Zealand, Gibson formed "Space Case", the first New Zealand jazz-funk band, producing three albums and performing regularly. In 1992 Gibson joined the Western Australia Academy of Performing Arts at the Edith Cowan University, as full-time lecturer in jazz music for five years.
In New Zealand those he recorded with include Alan Broadbent,[3] John Hanlon,[4] Malcolm McNeill,[5] and Joy Yates & Dave MacRae.[6]
His album with Mike Nock, Open Door, won the 1987 Best Jazz Album in New Zealand in 1987, Gibson's second such award (of three).
He played live at the 1990 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony.
He currently (2007) leads a quartet with which features Matt Clohesy on bass, Sam Keevers on piano, and Jamie Oehlers on tenor sax.
Frank Gibson Jr. was inducted into the Zildjian hall of fame in 1983.
He was presented a VAC Scroll of Honour for his contribution to the New Zealand entertainment industry by the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand in 2013.
