Results for "The Clayton Brothers"

John Clayton

Born: August 20, 1952

John Clayton is a natural born multitasker. The multiple roles in which he excels—composer, arranger, conductor, producer, educator, and yes, extraordinary bassist—garner him a number of challenging assignments and commissions. With a Grammy on his shelf and eight additional nominations, artists such as Diana Krall, Paul McCartney, McCoy Tyner, Milt Jackson, Regina Carter, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Gladys Knight, Dr. John, Queen Latifah, and Charles Aznevour vie for a spot on his crowded calendar.

He began his bass career in elementary school playing in strings class, junior orchestra, high school jazz band, orchestra, and soul/R&B groups. In 1969, at the age of 16, he enrolled in bassist Ray Brown's jazz class at UCLA, beginning a close relationship that lasted more than three decades. After graduating from Indiana University's School of Music with a degree in bass performance in 1975, he toured with the Monty Alexander Trio (1975-77), the Count Basie Orchestra (1977-79), and settled in as principal bassist with the Amsterdam Philharmonic Orchestra in Amsterdam, Netherlands (1980-85). He was also a bass instructor at The Royal Conservatory, The Hague, Holland from 1980-83.

Jazz this week: Greater St. Louis Jazz Festival, Dizzy Gillespie Afro-Cuban Experience, Jazz Edge Big Band, and more

March 19, 2015

Check out more events at Jazz Near You: St. Louis. It's looking like the busiest weekend so far this year for live jazz and creative music in St. Louis, with a number of touring bands and musicians passing through town in the next few days, as well as some particularly noteworthy shows from local players. Let's ...

The Clayton Brothers: The Gathering

by Larry Taylor
January 18, 2013

The Clayton Brothers--John on bass and Jeff on reeds--have been playing together for over 30 years, either in their small groups or in the large Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, formed in 1985 in partnership with drummer Jeff Hamilton. In small contexts, they have specialized in post-bop swing with a touch of funk, while the critically acclaimed big ...

The Clayton Brothers: The Gathering

by Dan Bilawsky
December 20, 2012

The Clayton Brothers' prior ArtistShare albums were high quality, thematically driven outings that highlighted their respect for notable jazz siblings on Brother To Brother (ArtistShare, 2008), and honored the relationship between the art forms of dance and jazz with The New Song And Dance (ArtistShare, 2010). For the group's third effort on this fan-funded imprint, The ...

BMW Jazz Festival 2012

by Ross Eustis
June 26, 2012

BMW Jazz FestivalVia FunchalSão Paulo, BrazilJune 8-10, 2012 To borrow a word commonly associated with BMW cars, this is a luxury festival. The BMW Jazz Festival debuted one year ago, in 2011, in São Paulo, Brazil. With handsome funding from BMW Financial Services-Bank Group in Brazil, the young festival experienced wild ...

The Clayton Brothers: The New Song And Dance

by Dan Bilawsky
December 31, 2010

There was a time when jazz and dance were linked in the minds of the general public. As each evolved, this all changed: nobody was getting up to dance for bop--save, perhaps, Thelonious Monk cutting a rug mid-performance--and big bands focused on their music more than making a danceable product. The literal act ...

The Clayton Brothers swing through Song and Dance

November 5, 2010

The Clayton Brothers' second fan-funded ArtistShare recording “The New Song and Dance," reflects on many of the songs and dances that have influenced this collective quintet. Jeff Clayton, Terell Stafford, Gerald Clayton, John Clayton, and Obed Calviare find their way through straight ahead swing, the tango, and break dance grooves with a distinctive sound pulled straight ...

The Clayton Brothers display family talents on “The New Song and Dace”

October 15, 2010

With the recent release of their second fan-funded recording “The New Song and Dance," The Clayton Brothers have shown yet again how strong their ties really are. “The New Song and Dance" pays tribute to the many songs and dances that have influenced this collective comprised of Jeff Clayton, Terell Stafford, Gerald Clayton, John Clayton, and ...

The Clayton Brothers release their second fan-funded CD

September 30, 2010

The Clayton Brother's latest release “The New Song and Dance" shows once again that this family unit is a force to be reckoned with. The Clayton's provide their usual deep swing and sense of groove while they explore some of the melodies and dances that have made a profound impact on the collective group. Jeff Clayton ...

Clayton Brothers Quintet releases "The New Song and Dance"

September 23, 2010

The Clayton Brothers' second fan-funded project from ArtistShare proves once again the strength of their family ties as they focus on the songs and dances that have influenced the collective group. With inspirations ranging from Stevie Wonder to break dancing, The Charleston to Tango, “The New Song and Dance" is sure to capture fans of both ...