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Clifton Anderson

Trombonist, Composer, Producer, Educator

About Me

Clifton Anderson is considered one of the leading trombonists and composers performing in Jazz today. Born in Harlem, NYC into a musical family, Clifton showed an affinity for music at an early age. When he turned seven years old he received his first trombone from his uncle, Jazz Legend Sonny Rollins. Clifton attended the Fiorello LaGuardia High School of Music and Art and is a graduate of The Manhattan School Of Music. Clifton has worked with a who’s who of entertainment giants including; Sonny Rollins, McCoy Tyner, Dizzy Gillespie, Lester Bowie, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Barry Harris to Stevie Wonder, Keith Richards, Paul Simon, Wallace Roney, The Mighty Sparrow, Geri Allen, T.S. Monk and Terumasa Hino among many others. Clifton has recorded and self produced four acclaimed top 10 releases under his own name; Landmarks, Decade, And So We Carry On and Been Down This Road Before. He’s also produced pianist Tadataka Unno’s “Get My Mojo Back”, (charted #1 in Japan) and the Firey String Sisters “That's What She Said”. In 2010 Clifton was nominated for “Trombonist Of The Year” by The American Jazz Journalist Association. In 2022 Clifton launched his music label, What We Do Music and released the groove inspired social commentary, Some Things Never Change featuring Kenny Garrett, Ray Parker Jr. and Steve Jordan along with Russel Blake, John F. Adams and Victor See Yuen. Collaborations over several years with Sonny Rollins include appearances on 10 Rollins recordings, producing 3 CD’s and 1 DVD for Sonny’s Doxy label and co-producing Sonny's sold-out 50th Anniversary Concert at Carnegie Hall. Clifton's latest release Robyn’s Light arrives December 6th and showcases his working band consisting of; Antoine Roney, Edsel Gomez, Belden Bullock, Steve Johns and Victor See Yuen.