Reggae bassist Jackie Jackson dies aged 79 after five decades with Toots and the Maytals

Jackie Jackson, the reggae bass player who provided the melodic foundation for some of the genre's most significant hits, has died aged 79. Over more than 50 years as the bassist for Toots and the Maytals, Jackson became one of the cornerstones of Jamaican popular music, his innovative bass lines helping to define the sound of reggae and rock steady from the 1960s onwards.

Jackson played on numerous UK Top 10 hits in 1969, including "The Israelites" by Desmond Dekker and "Return of Django" by the Upsetters, whilst working as a core member of the house band at Duke Reid's Treasure Isle studio. Born Clifton Jackson in Kingston, he began his career as a pianist before switching to upright bass as a teenager, drawing inspiration from musicians including Lloyd Brevett and James Jamerson. His calm demeanour and musical versatility made him instrumental in recording sessions across reggae, soul and rock steady, collaborating with artists such as the Wailers, Jimmy Cliff and Paul Simon, and inspiring younger musicians including Aston "Family Man" Barrett.