Results for "Jeff Clayton"

Jeff Clayton

Born: February 16, 1954

Born in 1955, alto saxophonist and multi-reed instrumentalist Jeff Clayton began his career as both a touring and studio musician. Clayton studied oboe and English Horn at California State University Northridge, completed three and one half years of study, and was asked to join Stevie Wonder’s band while attending college, where he spent three years recording and touring with the popular music giant.

Following Jeff’s association with Stevie Wonder he recorded with Gladys Knight, Kenny Rogers, Michael Jackson, Patti Labelle, Earth, Wind & Fire and Madonna. On Madonna’s recording Back in Business, Jeff was nominated for a Grammy® for best Pop soloist. In 1977 John and Jeff Clayton founded The Clayton Brothers Quartet with his brother, later to become the Clayton Brothers Quintet adding and featuring Terell Stafford on trumpet.

The Continuing Evolution of Kurt Elling

by Mathew Bahl
August 23, 2023

"I feel like at this point in my career I don't have to prove that I can do fifteen different things to greater or lesser degrees of expertise." Kurt Elling is discussing the genesis of his latest record, Flirting With Twilight. “I've made these roller coaster rides every time," says the Chicago-based jazz singer ...

Gerald Clayton: Bells On Sand

by Chris May
April 9, 2022

It seems like an age since pianist Gerald Clayton's previous album, Happening: Live At The Village Vanguard (Blue Note, 2020), although it is actually only two years. But what traumatic years they were--and what an impact they have had on Clayton's new album. The Vanguard disc, recorded in spring 2019, was an often exuberant ...

Saturday at the Monterey Jazz Festival

by Dave Kaufman
October 19, 2017

Friday | Saturday | SundaySaturday at the Monterey Jazz Festival featured excellent performances by some of the lesser known artists, fine concerts by headliners and a great after-hour jam sessions. It was another splendid day with much great music. My day at the fest started out mid-afternoon with a fine performance by accomplished trumpeter ...

Artists Announced For The Jazz Cruise '18 New Port Of Call In New Orleans Will Capture The Spirit Of NOLA On Board And On Shore

March 14, 2017

Although it has been barely six weeks since The Jazz Cruise, Entertainment Cruise Productions’ flagship offering, completed its 16th sailing, the line-up of artists who have signed on for 2018 has been finalized. Since 2001, The Jazz Cruise has presented the very best straight-ahead jazz in the world, and with nearly 100 jazz musicians set to ...

Soul Brothers

By Clayton Brothers

Label: ArtistShare
Released: 2016
Track listing: Bass In the Cracks; Soul Stomps; Long Live the King; Memories of Absent Time; Saturday Night Special; Close Enough for Love; Decisions; We Woke Up, Awake; Until We Get It Right.

Jazz Cruising: A Recipe For Joy

by Gloria Krolak
June 8, 2015

Blend well: One mid-sized cruise ship with crew 100 or more jazz legends, go-to guys and young lions About 2,000 diverse jazz fans Assorted performance venues, about half a dozen One big band A small army of piano tuners Ports of call (optional) Top with musician interviews and jam ...

Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra: The L.A. Treasures Project

by Dr. Judith Schlesinger
July 18, 2014

The exciting opener of this CD--the high-swinging welcome of “I Love Being Here with You"--foreshadows the next 64 minutes of tight, crackling arrangements that are impeccably rendered and full of joy. The Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, (CHJO) founded in 1985, has always been known for its full-hearted, world-class playing. The “L.A Treasures" of this title refers to ...

The Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra: The L.A. Treasures Project:Live at Alvas Showroom

by Jack Bowers
April 15, 2014

The “L.A. Treasures" heralded herein are singers Ernie Andrews (eighty-six years young when the album was recorded in September 2013) and Barbara Morrison (a relative novice at sixty-one). The idea to record sprang from rehearsals earlier that year by the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra in which Andrews and Morrison were invited to sit in. Afterward, co-leader John ...

Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra: The L.A. Treasures Project

by Edward Blanco
April 3, 2014

For nearly thirty-years now the Grammy-nominated Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra (CHJO) has been easily recognizable as one of the best big bands in the business. Led by bassist John Clayton, saxophonist and brother Jeff Clayton and drummer Jeff Hamilton, the group embarked on a mission to document their various rehearsals with West Coast vocal legends Ernie Andrews ...