John Clayton

John Clayton (bassist)

John Travis Clayton Jr. is an American jazz and classical double bassist.-Music:John Travis Clayton Jr. began seriously undertaking the study of double bass at age 16, studying with bass legend Ray Brown...

, Jeff Hamilton

Jeff Hamilton (drummer)

Jeff Hamilton is an American jazz drummer. He is co-director of the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra and leader of his own trio.-Career:...

, and Jeff Clayton

Jeff Clayton

Jeff Clayton is an American jazz alto saxophonist and flautist.Clayton studied oboe at California State University and undertook a tour with Stevie Wonder. Following this he recorded with Gladys Knight, Kenny Rogers, Michael Jackson, Patti Labelle, and Madonna...

 brought together a group of Los Angeles-based musicians in 1985 and formed the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra (CHJO). Reviewers and fans loved the big band, and the orchestra's first recording, Groove Shop (Capri), earned a Grammy Award

Grammy Award

A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...

 nomination. CD Review named it one of the best recordings of 1990. David Badham of Jazz Journal International said "This is one of the finest modern big band issues I've heard." The orchestra has continued to earn critical acclaim.

The most recent CHJO CD is The Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra: Live at MCG. The album was recorded during a four-night series of performances in Pittsburgh PA at the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild

Manchester Craftsmen's Guild

Manchester Craftsmen's Guild is a nonprofit multi-discipline art, education and music organization established in 1968 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, with the address of 1815 Metropolitan St. 15233...

.

--Personnel for Live at MCG

• John Clayton
  John Clayton (bassist)
  John Travis Clayton Jr. is an American jazz and classical double bassist.-Music:John Travis Clayton Jr. began seriously undertaking the study of double bass at age 16, studying with bass legend Ray Brown...
  
   -- conductor, bass
• Jeff Clayton
  Jeff Clayton
  Jeff Clayton is an American jazz alto saxophonist and flautist.Clayton studied oboe at California State University and undertook a tour with Stevie Wonder. Following this he recorded with Gladys Knight, Kenny Rogers, Michael Jackson, Patti Labelle, and Madonna...
  
   -- lead alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, alto flute, flute
• Jeff Hamilton
  Jeff Hamilton (drummer)
  Jeff Hamilton is an American jazz drummer. He is co-director of the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra and leader of his own trio.-Career:...
  
   -- drums
• Keith Fiddmont -- alto saxophone, clarinet
• Rickey Woodward -- tenor saxophone, clarinet
• Charles Ownen -- tenor saxophone
• Lee Callet -- bariton saxophone, bass clarinet
• Bijon Watson -- lead trumpet
• Sal Cracciolo -- trumpet
• Snooky Young
  Snooky Young
  Eugene Edward "Snooky" Young was an American jazz trumpeter. He was known for his mastery of the plunger mute, with which he was able to create a wide range of sounds.-Biography:...
  
   -- trumpet
• Clay Jenkins -- trumpet
• Gilbert Castellanos -- trumpet
• Ira Nepus -- lead trombone
• George Bohanon -- trombone
• Ryan Porter -- trombone
• Maurice Spears -- bass trombone
• Tamir Hendelman
  Tamir Hendelman
  Tamir Hendelman is an award-winning American jazz pianist. He has performed with the Jeff Hamilton Trio, the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, Harry Allen, Teddy Edwards, Warren Vache, Houston Person, Jeff Clayton, Nick Brignola, Phil Upchurch, Rickey Woodard, John Clayton and Barbara Morrison. He...
  
   -- piano
• Randy Napoleon
  Randy Napoleon
  Randy Napoleon is a jazz guitarist, composer, and arranger who is a member of The Freddy Cole Quartet and the leader of the Randy Napoleon Trio. He has toured with Benny Green, the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra , led by John Clayton, Jeff Clayton and Jeff Hamilton, and with Michael Bublé.-Early...
  
   -- guitar (no longer with CHJO but on this recording)

• Christoph Luty -- bass

The CHJO has backed Diana Krall

Diana Krall

Diana Jean Krall, OC, OBC is a Canadian jazz pianist and singer, known for her contralto vocals. She has sold more than 6 million albums in the US and over 15 million worldwide; altogether, she has sold more albums than any other female jazz artist during the 1990s and 2000s...

, Rosemary Clooney

Rosemary Clooney

Rosemary Clooney was an American singer and actress. She came to prominence in the early 1950s with the novelty hit "Come On-a My House" written by William Saroyan and his cousin Ross Bagdasarian , which was followed by other pop numbers such as "Botch-a-Me" Rosemary Clooney (May 23, 1928 –...

, John Pizzarelli

John Pizzarelli

John Paul Pizzarelli, Jr. is an American jazz guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and bandleader. He has had a lengthy career as a recording artist, performing for a variety of labels that include Telarc Records, RCA Records and Chesky Records, among others...

 and others, and most of the musicians in the orchestra, including the Clayton Brothers and Hamilton, have appeared on solo releases. Gerald Clayton

Gerald Clayton

Gerald William Clayton is a jazz pianist and composer born in Utrecht, Netherlands, and raised in Southern California. He is the son of bassist/bandleader John Clayton and the nephew of multi-instrumentalist wind player Jeff Clayton.-Biography:...

, son of John Clayton, has performed and toured with the group as pianist. The following discography covers only those albums done by the CHJO.

Discography

• Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra Live At MCG Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, (MCG Jazz) 2005
• Shout Me Out Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, (Fable/Lightyear) 2000
• EXPLOSIVE! Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra w/Milt Jackson (Qwest) 1998
• ABSOLUTELY! Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra (Lake Street Records) 1993
• Heart & Soul Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orch. (Capri) 1991
• Groove Shop Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra (Capri) 1990 (Grammy award nominee)