John Clayton (bassist)

John Lee Clayton Jr. (born August 20, 1952) is an American jazz musician, classical double bassist, arranger, and composer.

This article is about the bassist. For other persons with the same name, see John Clayton (disambiguation).
John Clayton
Clayton in Rotterdam with Trijntje Oosterhuis
Background information
Birth nameJohn Lee Clayton Jr.
Born (1952-08-20) August 20, 1952
Venice, California, U.S.
GenresJazz, swing, classical
Occupation(s)Musician, arranger, composer
InstrumentsDouble bass
Years active1980s–present
Associated actsThe Clayton Brothers, Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra
Websitejohnclaytonjazz.com

He is the brother of saxophonist Jeff Clayton, with whom he formed The Clayton Brothers; and The Clayton–Hamilton Jazz Orchestra with Jeff Hamilton

Music
Clayton with trombonist Jiggs Wigham in 1989

Clayton began studying double bass at age 16 with Ray Brown. Three years later he was bassist on the Henry Mancini's television series The Mancini Generation. In 1975, he graduated from Indiana University.

He went on to tour with the Monty Alexander Trio and the Count Basie Orchestra before taking the position of principal bass in the Amsterdam Philharmonic Orchestra in Amsterdam, Netherlands. After five years he returned to the U.S. for break from the classical genre and founded the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra with his brother, saxophonist Jeff Clayton, and drummer Jeff Hamilton. He also performed in a duo as the Clayton Brothers with musicians such as Bill Cunliffe and Terell Stafford.

He has been Artistic Director for the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival, Sarasota Jazz Festival, Santa Fe Jazz Party, Jazz Port Townsend Summer Workshop, Jazz at Centrum[1] and Vail Jazz Workshop. From 1999 to 2001 was Artistic Director of Jazz for the Los Angeles Philharmonic program at the Hollywood Bowl. He conducted the All-Alaska Jazz Band. He has taught at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music and has served as president of the International Society of Bassists.

He has composed and arranged for The Count Basie Orchestra, Diana Krall, Whitney Houston, Carmen McRae, Nancy Wilson, Joe Williams, Ernestine Anderson, Quincy Jones, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Natalie Cole, Till Bronner, and The Tonight Show Band.

In 2006, his son Gerald Clayton came in second at the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Competition.

Awards

In 2007, Clayton won a Grammy Award for Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) for the song "I'm Gonna Live Till I Die" by Queen Latifah. In December 2009 Brother to Brother by the Clayton Brothers received a Grammy nomination for Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group.

Discography

As leader or co-leader

With The Clayton Brothers

  • 1991 The Music
  • 1997 Expressions
  • 2000 Siblingity
  • 2005 Back in the Swing of Things
  • 2008 Brother to Brother

With Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra

  • 1990 Groove Shop
  • 1991 Heart and Soul
  • 1995 Absolutely!
  • 1999 Explosive! with Milt Jackson
  • 2000 Shout Me Out!
  • 2005 Live at MCG
  • 2009 Charles Aznavour & The Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra
  • 2011 Sundays in New York with Trijntje Oosterhuis

As guest

With Monty Alexander

  • 1976 Live! Montreux
  • 1983 Reunion in Europe
  • 1983 The Duke Ellington Songbook
  • 1985 The River Monty
  • 1986 Li'l Darlin

With Milt Jackson

  • 1977 Soul Fusion
  • 1993 Reverence and Compassion
  • 1988 Bebop
  • 1994 The Prophet Speaks

With Diana Krall

With others

See also

References
  1. "Artistic Director John Clayton". centrum.org. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  2. "John Clayton | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
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