John Clayton (Bassist)

John Lee Clayton Jr. ( born August 20, 1952 in Venice, Los Angeles ) is an American jazz bassist, arranger and big band leader.

Music

John Clayton took since the age of 16 bass lessons, among others, Ray Brown. Three years later, he co-starred with Henry Mancini in the television series The Mancini Generation. The Monty Alexander Trio and the Count Basie Orchestra, he celebrated the first successes before he was admitted as a double bass player in the Amsterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. During this time he also worked with Joe van Enkhuizen album Back on the Scene. After five years he returned to the United States to educate yourself in the areas of jazz and composition. A little later he founded together with his brother, saxophonist Jeff Clayton, and drummer Jeff Hamilton, the Clayton -Hamilton Orchestra and the Clayton Brothers Jazz Quintet. From 1999 to 2001 he was artistic director for the jazz program of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. Recently, he serves as artistic director of the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. He also teaches jazz at the University of Southern California and is president of the 1,500 -member International Association bassist.

Clayton has composed and arranged music for artists such as Diana Krall, Whitney Houston, Carmen McRae, Nancy Wilson, Ernestine Anderson, Michael Buble, Quincy Jones, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Natalie Cole and the Tonight Show Band. He caused a sensation in 2009 with the joint production with Charles Aznavour, for which he created new big band arrangements of his songs.

He is the father of jazz pianist Gerald Clayton.