Whether it has been listening to dance music, playing dance music or just plain-old dancing, the Clayton Brothers have done it all. In their newest project, John and Jeff Clayton are giving music fans a new “twist” to the dance music they’ve come to love and recognize.

Preview a tune from the album and video from the project here! In this second ArtistShare fan-funded project, The Clayton Brothers will be allowing fans to watch the recording come to life with exclusive rehearsal pictures, videos, interviews, sheet music and much more.

Artist Background

The Clayton Brothers is the brain child of saxophonist Jefferey (Jeff) Clayton. According to Jeff, some 30 years ago he and 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 legendary drummer Jeff Hamilton, of which brother Jeffery is a part. The current roster of the Clayton Bothers Quintet includes brothers Jeff and John, along with John’s son Gerald Clayton (piano), Obed Calvaire (drums) and Terell Stafford (trumpet). The band’s latest album Brother to Brother was released in November 2008.

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3. Jazz Singer Philippe Saisse Gets Grammy Nomination For “At World’s Edge”

Acceptance Speech

Artist Background

Solo Recordings:
William Edward Childs (best known as Billy Childs) is a composer and jazz pianist from Los Angeles. Childs’ solo jazz recording career began in 1988, when he released Take for Example, This…, the first of four critically acclaimed albums on the Windham Hill Jazz label. He followed that album with Twilight Is Upon Us (1989), His April Touch (1992), and Portrait of a Player (1993). A long friendship with Chick Corea resulted in Chick’s asking Billy to join his new (at the time) label, Stretch Records, upon Childs’ departure from Windham Hill Jazz. His next album, I’ve Known Rivers on Stretch/GRP (now Stretch/Concord) was released in 1995. Childs then followed withThe Child Within, released on the Shanachie record label in 1996.

Work As Arranger:
In 2000 Childs arranged, orchestrated and conducted for Dianne Reeves’ project The Calling: Celebrating Sarah Vaughan, helping that recording to a 2002 Grammy award for “best jazz vocal CD.” Other artists and producers for whom Childs has arranged include Sting, Yo-Yo Ma, Chris Botti, Gladys Knight, Michael Bublé, David Foster, Phil Ramone, and Claudia Acuña.

Jazz Chamber Ensemble:
Around 2001 Billy had an idea for a group which would have, at its nucleus, piano, acoustic guitar, and harp. It was a sound partly influenced by Laura Nyro’s collaborations with Alice Coltrane (on “Christmas and the Beads of Sweat”) and partly influenced by a desire to merge the classical and jazz music genres. The Jazz-Chamber Ensemble was the result and the group consists of: piano, bass, drums, acoustic guitar, harp and woodwinds. Sometimes the core group is augmented by string quartet, woodwind quintet, or both. In 2005, the ensemble released its first CD, Lyric, Jazz-Chamber Music, Vol. 1. The CD was nominated for three 2006 Grammy awards (best jazz CD, best instrumental composition, and best instrumental arrangement), winning for best instrumental composition, “Into the Light”.

More Info

Related posts:

1. Terence Blanchard Wins Grammy For “Best Jazz Instrumental Solo”: Album recorded at 2007 Monterey Jazz Festival
2. Tim Davies Nominated For Grammy: “Counting To Infinity” Up For Best Instrumental Composition
3. The 2009 Grammy Nominations Are Out: Who’s nominated in the jazz category?

In addition, the first one to answer the following question correctly will win a copy of the album, mailed to you free of charge.

Question:

What is the name of the track from Tom Hemby’s latest album In The Moment that is in 7/4 meter?

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2. Cast Your Vote And Win A Signed Copy Aaron Parks’ “Invisible Cinema”: His debut with Blue Note
3. All Your Jazz Interview With Spencer Day

Born Anna Marie Wooldridge in Chicago in 1930, Lincoln went through a succession of names, until the late ’50s at the beginning of her show business career, when she got some professional direction from Bob Russell, a song lyricist who became her manager. As she told JT back in 2003, “My manager named me after Abraham Lincoln. He said to me, ‘Since Abraham Lincoln didn’t free the slaves, maybe you can handle it,’ and I’ve been Abbey Lincoln ever since.” The “Abbey” was borrowed from Westminster Abbey.

Nat Hentoff, who worked with LIncoln and Roach on Freedom Now Suite and knew both personally told JT: “Abbey never stopped growing. Knowing and marrying Max Roach taught her, she told me, ‘To be more of myself.’ And as the years went on, having been a fierce opponent of Jim Crow, she later became a universalist. I once did a BBC profile of her and I ended with : ‘Abbey had an integrity that could bite your head off.’ She also, as her singing showed, was an enveloping romantic.”

Ms. Lincoln is survived by two brothers and a sister. The family has requested that donations in Ms. Lincoln’s honor be made to the Jazz Foundation of America. There will be no formal funeral. She will be cremated and the JFA is working to put together the Celebration of Life/Memorial, which they hope will be sometime in mid-September.

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2. Jazz At The Lincoln Center In New York
3. Jazz Singer Judy Wexler To Perform At Feinstein’s at Loew’s Regency August 13 & 14th

Read Album Review

After launching their new album, Anything Goes (Concord Jazz), this jazz duo is hitting the road to spread exposure and bring their new tunes to the masses.

This stop, on the Craig Ferguson Show, is only one of many that will take place through January. Having started back in the beginning of December, this tour is just what the two needed. They are getting their names back on the charts and continuing to bring their unique sound to fans that have supported them for many years.

See Tour Dates

Video

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3. Preservation Hall Jazz Band Signs With Ted Kurland Associates

Place Your Vote Here

While this is exciting news for the UNT Jazz Band, it shouldn’t come as a shock – after all they do have a pretty good track record.

The six total Grammy nominations that the group have earned in the past are as follows: Lab 1975: Best Large Jazz Ensemble, Lab 1976: Best Large Jazz Ensemble, Lab 1989: Best Instrumental Arrangement for “Got a Match by Mike Bogle, Lab 1991: Best Instrumental Composition for “Values” by Neil Slater, and Lab 2009: Best Large Jazz Ensemble and Best Instrumental Composition for “Ice-Nine” by Steve Wiest.

Video

- University of North Texas Website
- Official Grammy Website

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2. 29th Annual North Carolina Jazz Festival In Wilmington, North Carolina
3. Clayton Brothers Nominated For Grammy

More Info

Meet the Jazz Band at WeBop this Winter!
Join this Winter Term, as they have to know the instruments that make up a jazz combo, from the noble trumpet to the engine of the band, the drums. Each week you’ll move, sing, and play along as you learn about each instrument, culminating in a jam session with a live jazz band.

Highlights

* Slide from high to low like a growling trombone
* Swing your favorite nursery songs
* Scat oo-pop-a-da like Ella
* Swing the band with your steady drum beat
* Play a mean jazz riff on the piano
* Walk like a bass swinging way down low
* Jam with the a live jazz quartet
* Have fun playing with your friends and family

Join Here

Video

Details

For dates, registration, and pricing, please visit http://www.jalc.org for more info.

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3. Pasadena Jazz Institute Hosts Event For Hillsides Foster Care Children’s Charity

Artist Background

From the opening drone of the didjeridu, the listener knows that this is no ordinary big band chart. Counting to Infinity, from the new Tim Davies Big Band album Dialmentia, takes you on a journey like only Tim Davies’s music can. On top of writing all of the music, Davies leads the band from the drums, stoking the band like a powerful steam engine one moment, steering it like a finely-tuned race car the next. He blends swing, rock, hip hop and contemporary techniques into compositions truly unique: this is not your father’s big band.

- Listen

Tim Davies first dreamt of leading his own big band when he was twelve, inspired by a cassette of Australia’s Daly-Wilson Big Band—a dream realized in 1998, when he formed his first band in Melbourne, Australia. Although only having a short run before he moved to the US, it made quite an impact.

Since 2000, Davies has based his big band in Los Angeles, featuring top session and touring players. He maintains an international presence, guest conducting and performing his music with Australian, American and European big bands, often fulfilling commissions. Davies has recently been invited to present a lecture at the first annual Jazz Education Network Conference, May 20-22, 2010 at the University of Missouri St.Louis.

When not writing or playing big band music, Davies works as an arranger, orchestrator and conductor in Hollywood. Recent highlights include: the TV shows Pushing Daisies (arr/orch/cond) and Glee (arr), the games GI Joe (orch/cond), Prototype (orch/cond) and God of War 2&3 (orch/cond) and the films Death Race (orch/cond), Cirque du Freak (cond), Couples Retreat (orch/cond) and the upcoming films Percy Jackson and the Olympians (orch/cond), The Wolfman (orch/cond) and Sex and the City 2 (arr).

More Artist Info

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1. Billy Childs Wins Grammy for “Best Instrumental Composition”
2. Clayton Brothers Nominated For Grammy
3. Jazz Education Network Launches: Bringing new opportunities for childrens’ growth in music

This short little article will give you a better understanding of a jazz performance, meaning how to perceive the music and the musicians. For this, I give a little information about the seating of jazz gigs and how this reflects the mindset of the jazz listener. More importantly, this article will explain when and how to respond to the music you hear (clapping, shouting, dancing, etc).

It is aimed at those who have never or seldom attend jazz concerts and might be interested in how to uphold the “audience member” part of the bargain.

Where to sit

(1) Most jazz gigs offer open seating, and this is actually an extension of the attitude toward the music. Nothing official or formal, just sit where you would like, so you can have a good time. Having said that, here are a couple little tips for the noobies to remember. Like most other concerts, try to avoid the first row center (seating or tables) – especially if you arrive late. Most of the time, this seating is usually reserved for special audience members (i.e. family, friends, and even for the performers at different times in the show). Obviously if there are quite a few people seated, and those front seats/tables aren’t taken, there might a reason for it.

Other than that, it is free game. If that doesn’t narrow it down enough, how about picking a spot where you will have a good line of sight to the musicians. This may be obvious; however let me clarify that this doesn’t necessarily mean that you can see the entire stage. Many times musicians (often lead singers/featured artists) will have their area that they will sit in or occasionally move around in. This is the featured part of the concert, so if you cannot get a seat with the entire group in vision at all times, go for the lead musicians. Some prefer to get very specific vantage points, where they are can see how the musician moves or how he plays the instrument (as opposed to just viewing them head on).

Sitting toward the back is not necessarily a bad thing at all. As I have mentioned, jazz is a little less formal when it comes to seating arrangements, as your interests and comfort are number one priority. Sit where you feel comfortable and listen how you want to listen. This is often where other artists, jazz efficiandos, and other reviewers/media end up sitting.

If you are a “tapper” or “head-bobber” (no, nothing impure intended here), you might want to be positioned a little off to the side – this is not because you might stand out or look ridiculous like if you were at a classical concert (in which case you would be ridiculed); rather it is simply because it could be distracting for other audience members.

Finally, late comers should always move quickly and quietly to the most convenient position (even if it means standing), so as to not distract the musicians or audience members. Pretty common sense, but it needs to be pointed out that this respect is of high priority than your assigned or usual spot (should that be the case).

(2) There is one other scenario regarding seating, and it is of the “dinner and music” variety. If there are assigned seats for the meal (usually determined by a host/hostess), this is where you will be for the show. On rare occasions, seating could change in between the meal and the concert, dictated by the course of events in the night (dinner, break, drink, music).

Applause

Probably one of the most confusing, and at times most controversial, things about the jazz performance is when to clap. Audience members generally enjoy showing their appreciation for the musicians, but most are reluctant to do so because of their inexperience with the music – result: the band thinks they suck because they didn’t hear any response from the audience.

Generally, these are the following times when audience members are expected to clap at a jazz gig: when the band first comes out, after each song, and when the set concludes (usually getting a little louder each time – if you like the group). These are pretty much set in stone, and you shouldn’t have any reluctance in clapping at these times. If you do not know when the end of the song occurs, wait for others to start. This is common in jazz, as the same song is seldom played the same way (even if played during different sets in the same night).

But what about solos? Glad you asked. The solo for the musician is more than their chance to play louder and more extravagant than the others on stage. They are being featured, and they have the opportunity to infuse their own flavor and message into the song. Jazz musicians, on the whole, are very expressive and enjoy leading the audience on a journey with their solo. But more than this, they are offering themselves to the audience and enjoy the response from the listeners. In other words, if there is no response from the crowd, the message has not been received as it was intended. In short, clapping at the end of EACH solo (even when there are multiple solos) is encouraged.

Having said that, there are some guidelines if you don’t want to be picked out of the crowd as “that guy”, but before you start worrying, I can assure you they’re pretty much based on common sense.

(1) Clapping after EACH solo is fine; however keep the clapping to a minimum. Now, that isn’t to say that musicians want to hear golf claps; rather keep the length of the clap brief. This is mostly because the music is still going, and the end of a solo could be an important transition to the next part of the song. This is in contrast with the classical or operatic clap which involves profuse bowing on the part of the performer and many curtain calls.

(2) In general, when there are multiple soloists playing right after the other, there is a progression where the lead or featured musician will be going last. This means there is generally a progression in the volume of the clapping, starting with moderate and ending in a loud. Keep in mind, though, that you should still refrain from any sustained clapping beyond 4 to 5 seconds.

(3) Yelling is generally not the best way to respond after a solo, although the occasional “yeah” or “woo-hoo” can be heard. Let us just point out that this is generally done by those you know the artists personally or who are at least a regular to jazz concerts. When going to your first couple of gigs, you might not want to be the first person to do this. In short, refrain from verbal outbursts or anything that might involve a spotlight being place on you.

(4) The avid jazz listener and frequent guest at jazz gigs will often let you a short comment or even a small clap IN THE MIDDLE of the solo. The reason for this is that they usually hear something in the solo that is very notable and common in jazz – “the quote.” Musicians like to quote themselves and each other, and what this means is that they might throw in a short reference to “pop goes the weasel” or other famous lick mid-solo. Not only is it creative and entertains the crowd with their musicality and musical ability, but it can even quote a musician who has used that line before (maybe even in the same song). For beginners, don’t worry about this. Let the regulars handle this, and don’t feel offended if it happens.

One last bit about applause. The noobie might perceive the “post-solo” clapping to be short and disrespectful, but it is well received. It is enough to hear response and know that the audience is with them, and at the same time, they know the rest of the song can keep going without thunderous applause or other interruption.

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Listen To A Jazz Piano Christmas 2009 (stream)

The Lineup

The main event began with Eldar Djangirov’s romp through Mel Torme’s “The Christmas Song.” The young Kansas City native, who goes by just his first name, landed a major-label recording contract with Sony before he was old enough to vote. Only 22, Eldar was only 2 years old when A Jazz Piano Christmas began. But for his second tune, he invited 88-year-old Billy Taylor to duet with him — a performance heard here as an online-only exclusive.

Pianist Robert Glasper has won attention for fusing jazz ideas with hip-hop sensibilities — and often producing music with rappers and neo-soul singers. His latest album is titled Double Booked, and he’s not kidding. On the morning that A Jazz Piano Christmas was recorded, he was on the Today show in New York with soul singer Maxwell. He jumped on a train for Washington and performed a rambling take on Thad Jones’ “A Child Is Born.”

Next up: Patricia Barber, who plays piano and sings. But she’s not a jazz singer in a classic sense; she’s also known for her original songwriting. Barber started with an original take on “O Tannenbaum,” heard here as a Web exclusive, and then went into an original composition called “The New Year’s Eve Song.”

Many remember Joe Sample from his days in the early 1960s as a member of the Jazz Crusaders. For more than five decades, he’s been a presence in jazz and sometimes even the Billboard pop charts; he mixes a touch of swing with the bluesy roots of Houston, his hometown. For NPR’s special, he sketched out bold, richly voiced variations on “O Little Town of Bethlehem” and “The Little Drummer Boy.”

The last pianist of the evening has a long, remarkable career in music, and not always from behind the piano. He’s been a television and radio host sharing his love of jazz with audiences around the country. And he’s been very generous with student musicians in his hometown of Chicago. NEA Jazz Master Ramsey Lewis emerged to play John Coltrane’s lesser-heard “Dear Lord,” and then welcomed Billy Taylor to join him on Taylor’s charming original, “Merry Christmas.”

Listen To A Jazz Piano Christmas 2009 (stream)

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