Bill would meet musician friends of his father such as Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Lena Horn, Milt Hinton, Thomas "Fats" Waller and others. His father and others encouraged Bill's development. By the time he was in Andrew Jackson High School he was already playing in a local dance band.After high school Bill spent two years ot Kansas State teachers college in Emporia, Kansas. He then returned to New York where he studied four years at Billy Taylor's Jazzmobile in Harlem, and two years at the Barry Harris Jazz Cultural Theater. Bill completed his bachelor of fine arts major studies at Empire State College and continued his studies with the great composer, play write and musician, Weldon Irvine. Bills studies about Black music development in America inspired him to found an organization (Bill Jacobs Ensembles) and write and perform music programs for children and adults.
Bill has recorded with Weldon Irvine, Najee, and others. He has performed with many great musicians over the years and is currently working off and on with alto saxophonist James Spaulding's group, the Brooklyn Repertory Ensemble as well as his own group which has recorded and is currently working on his second cd. His band plays at many festivals and was honored to be the opening act for Sarah Vaughn, Stanley Turrentine, and Tito Puente among others.
Bill currently serves as the Music Director for the Afrikan Poetry Theater in Jamaica, NY. He is also directing a funded Music Roots Project in two local Queens schools.
