Paula Hackett Bio

PAULA HACKETT BIO:

Paula was introduced to writing by her father, the novelist Paul Hackett, and to Jazz by her brother John. She was lucky enough to grow up in Berkeley in the late Sixties, where poetry was read on every street corner. She left school at 14 and began working for The Peace and Freedom Party. It as at this time she started writing poetry. In the late 70's and early 80's she attended San Francisco State University, where she studied under John Beecher, Angela Davis and Grover Sales.

At this time she and her brother John met the composer, saxophonist, and educator John Handy and their lives changed. After reading some of Paula's poems he gave Paula and John a few of his compositions and they put lyrics to his music. In the Fall of 1983 they were introduced by their sister Regina Hackett to vocalist Shannon Gibbons, who then introduced them to Max Roach and Cedar Walton. They have written lyrics with Teddy Edwards, John Handy, Ivan Lins, Joe Sample, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, Cedar Walton and other great composers.

Paula, along with her brother John and Cedar Walton, produced the Diane Witherspoon CD "You May Never Know", with the music of Cedar Walton and the lyrics of John & Paula Hackett. They also produced two songs on the Koch release "Rare Beauty - Intimate Gems of Duke Ellington" - A solo rendition of "Don't You Know I Care" with saxophonist John Handy, and "It's Kind Of Lonesome Out Tonight" with Diane Witherspoon on vocals and Rudi Wongozi on piano.

Paula and John also produced the Diane Witherspoon CD "L.A. After Dark" on Summit Records in February 2004. On this project the Hacketts provide the lyrics to the music of Tyrone Brown, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Teddy Edwards, Eddie Marshall, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson and Diane Witherspoon.

Paula has spent the last two decades writing lyrics, producing CDs, and continuing to write poetry. Many of her poems have been translated into Icelandic by Rebecca Whittington.

Rudi Wongozi is a native of Oakland, California. He has been performing professionally since the seventies. He was part of the Bay Area music ensemble Rasul Siddik and the Now Artet and later was a featured performer with United Front featuring George Sams, Anthony Brown, Lewis Jordan and Mark Izu. He has performed and or recorded with a number of prominent jazz musicians including Billy Higgins, Steve Turre, Diane Witherspoon, Calvin Keyes, Eddie Henderson, John Handy, Johnny Coles, Richie Goldberg, India Cook, Tarika Lewis, Eddie Moore and Eddie Marshall. He has relesed two CDs "Liberation Gospel" and "Sounds of New World Afrikah", both of which he produced. He recorded with Diane Witherspoon on "Rare Beauty Intimate Gems of Duke Ellington" a compilation of Ellington ballads performed by various artists including John Handy, currently on Koch Records. Rudi is also featured on the Diane Witherspoon CD "L.A. After Dark" released in February 2004. In addition to performing and recording, Rudi Wongozi teaches music theory and history in prisons, schools, churches and community centers.