ArtistShare Artist Spotlight: Hank Jones and John Clayton

New York, NY, October 07, 2015 --(PR.com)-- Legendary pianist, Hank Jones, was born July 31, 1918 in Vicksburg, Mississippi, and had a prolific career all the way until his passing in 2010. His musical achievements as a pianist, bandleader, arranger, and composer were recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts when he was honored with an NEA Jazz Master award in 1989. In 1995, he was nominated for two Grammy awards for his performance of Negro spirituals and folk songs with Charlie Haden on “Steal Away.”

John Clayton, born August 20, 1952, has a very busy career as a composer, arranger, conductor, bandleader, and bassist. At the age of 16, he studied with Ray Brown’s “jazz class” at UCLA, and developed a long lasting relationship with him thereafter. Upon graduating from Indiana University with a degree in bass performance, John went on tour with the Monty Alexander Trio before taking the principal bass position in the Amsterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. When he returned to the U.S. he founded the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra and the Clayton Brothers Quintet. In 2007 he won a Grammy for Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist for “I’m Gonna Live Till I Die” (Queen Latifah) and in 2009, Brother to Brother by the Clayton Brothers received a Grammy nomination.

In 2008, Hank Jones joined John Clayton to record another collection of traditional songs for the Parlor Series Vol. II: The Negro Spirituals Dialogue. This historic collaboration was released in 2015.

The Parlor Series Vol. II: The Negro Spirituals Dialogue has been submitted for consideration in this year’s 58th Grammy Awards. For more information on all ArtistShare artists submitted, please visit the ArtistShare website.