Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » John Clayton: Parlor Series, Vol. 1

5

John Clayton: Parlor Series, Vol. 1

By

Sign in to view read count
John Clayton: Parlor Series, Vol. 1
The Parlor Series was conceived of long before it came into existence. Bassist/Composer/Arranger/Educator extraordinaire John Clayton had long hoped to explore the piano-bass duo medium on record. He had admired albums like This One's For Blanton (Pablo, 1974), which paired his mentor—bass legend Ray Brown—with the great Duke Ellington, and Steal Away (Verve, 1995), which brought bassist Charlie Haden and pianist Hank Jones together in service of spirituals. Clayton even told Jones how much he loved that album, going so far as to express his good-natured jealousy surrounding the fact that he wasn't the one who played on it. At that point, Jones suggested they do a duo project.

While Clayton was game for an in-studio meeting with Jones, things didn't come together very well. Clayton booked some studio time in 2007 and got ready for the encounter, but Jones' health threw a wrench in the plan. That's when Clayton pulled out his rolodex and started to imagine what other piano-bass duo combinations might sound like. The late Mulgrew Miller and Clayton's supremely gifted offspring, Gerald Clayton, were his first calls, and both men were into the idea.

Those who are curious will be happy to hear that Jones and Clayton eventually did get together to record before the pianist passed on. The encounters with Jones and Miller will each see the light of day as future releases in this series, but the first volume is a family affair.

The father-and-son team of John and Gerald Clayton takes pride here in exploring eight musical gems with a no fuss attitude or, in Clayton's own words, in a "let's-just-see-what-happens atmosphere." Some of the performances are enjoyable if not notable ("Alone Together"), others bring a tear to the eye with their direct approach (Billy Joel's "And So It Goes"), and a few prove so compelling and arresting that they're hard to let go of; "Zingaro," a smile-inducing "Isfahan," and an alluring "Sunny Day Go" all fall into that last category.

Nothing here is bound to blow minds or cause a stir, nor is that the intention. John Clayton just wants to invite people into his parlor to hear what he does, and what he does is special in its own beautiful way.

Track Listing

Alone Together; If I Should Lose You; Zingaro; Yesterdays; And So It Goes; Isfahan; Sunny Day Go; All The Things You Are.

Personnel

John Clayton: bass; Gerald Clayton: piano.

Album information

Title: Parlor Series, Vol. 1 | Year Released: 2014 | Record Label: ArtistShare

Comments

Tags

Concerts


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

What Was Happening
Bobby Wellins Quartet
Laugh Ash
Ches Smith
A New Beat
Ulysses Owens, Jr. and Generation Y

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.