Nov 16 Clayton Brothers

CLAYTON BROTHERS QUINTET
featuring Grammy Award Winning Bass Player John Clayton
Saturday, November 16th, 2019 at 8:00 p.m.
This concert is Generously Sponsored by the Pareira Family Foundation

The Clayton Brothers is the brain child of saxophonist Jeff Clayton. According to Jeff, some 30 years ago he and his brother, Grammy Award winning bassist John Clayton, agreed to support each other’s preferred formats. Jeff’s love of small groups lead to formation of the Clayton Brothers Quintet. John’s love for big bands led to formation of the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra with drummer Jeff Hamilton, of which brother Jeff is a part. The current roster of the Clayton Brothers Quintet includes brothers Jeff and John, along with John’s son Gerald Clayton (piano), Obed Calvaire (drums) and Terell Stafford (trumpet).

Los Angeles native John Clayton began seriously studying the bass at 16 with Ray Brown. At 19, the Grammy® winner and eight-time Grammy® nominee became the bassist for Henry Mancini’s television series “The Mancini Generation.” After receiving a Bachelor of Music degree in double bass in 1975 from the University of Indiana, John toured with Monty Alexander and Count Basie & His Orchestra. He moved to Amsterdam and was principal bassist in the Amsterdam Philharmonic for five years. Highly regarded for his work as a composer and arranger, John has been guided by, among others, Robert Farnon, Count Basie, Johnny Mandel, Mancini, Marty Paich and Frank Foster. He has written and arranged music for Diana Krall, Dee Dee Bridgewater (including her Grammy®-winning Dear Ella), Natalie Cole, Regina Carter, Milt Jackson, Nancy Wilson, Quincy Jones, George Benson, Paul McCartney and Dr. John. He is co-leader of the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra and the Clayton Brothers Quintet. John directs the educational components associated with the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival and Centrum Jazz Workshop, he is Director of Education and a Board member of the Vail Jazz Foundation and has been Director of the Vail Jazz Workshop for the past 20 years.

Jeff Clayton plays reed instruments alto sax and oboe, in addition to the French horn and flute. He has performed and recorded with various well known musicians such as Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, Kenny Rogers, Michael Jackson, Chaka Khan, Queen Latifah, Patti LaBelle, Earth, Wind & Fire, Barry Manilow, D. J. Rogers, Madonna, Justin Timberlake, Quincy Jones, Valerie King, Helen Baylor, etc. He also has worked with numerous well-known jazz artists such as B.B. King, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Sammy Davis, Jr., Woody Herman, Lionel Hampton, Diana Krall, Freddie Hubbard, Lena Horne, McCoy Tyner, John Pizzarelli, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Ray Charles.

This concert has been generously sponsored by the Pareira Family Foundation.