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Jeff Clayton
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.
Jeff has also toured with Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Ella Fitzgerald, Woody Herman, Lionel Hampton and Lena Horne, and he played in the Count Basie Orchestra while under the leadership the Count and after Basie’s passing with Thad Jones. From 1989 to 1991 he was also a member of the Phillip Morris Superband, a jazz star-studded orchestra headed by Gene Harris and Ray Brown. He also toured with Gene Harris, Dianne Reeves, Joe Cocker, B.B. King and Ray Charles.
In 1985 Jeff again joined his brother John and drummer Jeff Hamilton to form the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, which continues to showcase original compositions and arrangements. In this role he has performed and recorded with Patty Austin, Kurt Elling, Milt Jackson, John Pizzarelli, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Queen Latifa, Diana Krall, Nancy Wilson, Michael Bubble, Gladys Knight, Benny Carter and Benny Golson, among many others. The CHJO was named Big Band of the Year in Down Beat Readers Poll of 2003.
Jeff served at UCLA from 1998 to 2002 as an adjunct professor under the able leadership of Jazz Studies department head Kenny Burrell, and at the University of Southern California from 2000 to 2004 with Shelly Berg and Dr. Ron McCurdy. Also, he was an adjunct professor at CSU Long Beach 2005 thru 2007 and Cal State Los Angeles headed by Dr James Ford. Jeff and John Clayton were nominated for Educators of the Year in Jazz Times Magazine in 2005.
He has numerous Jazz Camps and Clinics to his credit including the Vail Jazz Camp 1994-2010, the Stanford Jazz Camp 2001, University of Notre Dame with Jon Faddis in 2003, again in 2010, and Port Townsend 1991-93 and again 2004 thru 2010. He also appeared at the Savannah Educational Jazz Festival in 2007 thru 2011, Univ of Notre Dame Master Class and performance with his own group the Jeff Clayton Quartet.
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Trumpeter Joe Mazzaferro Releases Debut CD "In Terms Of..." with Jeff Clayton, Donald Brown and Carl Allen
![Trumpeter Joe Mazzaferro Releases Debut CD "In Terms Of..." with Jeff Clayton, Donald Brown and Carl Allen](https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/coverart/large/d5f9d1f886ed899aab9a2f4d0eb5f8c8.jpg)
Source:
Craig Neely
On February, 9th 2018 Sacramento CA native, trumpeter, composer, educator and arranger Joe Mazzaferro released his debut CD In Terms Of... on his own Joe Mazz Music label with special guest Jeff Clayton and featuring Donald Brown and Carl Allen! Joe Mazzaferro was raised in a musical household. As Joe states both of my parents were musicians and me and my 3 sisters all played. My father is a retired high school band director (who still teaches) as well as ...
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An Interview with Jeff Clayton
![An Interview with Jeff Clayton](https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/photos/profile/musician/a95dc3d44ef14982cd1bc19711247f0b.jpg)
Source:
Michael Ricci
Now available on The Clayton Brother's The New Song and Dance" project experience page is the second part of a recent interview with ArtistShare. In this interview, Jeff Clayton speaks about his influences and compositional process for The New Song and Dance". This interview with Jeff offers an amazing insight into the creative process of The Clayton Brothers to musicians and music lovers alike. To access this exclusive interview as well as audio clips from the record, video interviews, performances ...
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