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| Concerning the Passing of Jeff Clayton It is with great sadness to announce that alto saxophonist and flautist Jeff Clayton passed away in Los Angeles, California on December 17th, 2020 at the age of 65. The cause of death was complications from kidney cancer, a battle which Clayton valiantly fought for over two years. He performed and toured with a litany of music greats throughout his career including Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, Kenny Rogers, Michael Jackson, Patti Labelle, and Madonna, as well as Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Ella Fitzgerald, Woody Herman, Lionel Hampton, and Lena Horne. Jeff also played in the Count Basie Orchestra under the direction of Basie and later under the direction of Thad Jones, and was a member of the Phillip Morris Superband. He also toured with Gene Harris, Dianne Reeves, Joe Cocker, B.B. King and Ray Charles. In 1986, he and his brother, bassist John Clayton, and drummer Jeff Hamilton formed the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. His second long-standing group with John, The Clayton Brothers Quintet, went on to receive two GRAMMY nominations. "Jeff was passionate about this music. His love, joy, perseverance and sense of humor attracted so many to him. He had his own vision through his compositions that invited others to see that same vision. He leaves an irreplaceable void, " reflected Hamilton. John Clayton shared: "I am sad but buoyed by Jeff's spirit, by recalling six decades of growth together, by the music we shared, and the knowledge that he wants us to move on, embracing and celebrating life." His longtime manager Gail Boyd, shared her reflections, stating "Jeff found joy in his playing whether it was a buoyant uptempo tune or a slow mournful ballad. One could not help but be moved. He got as much joy from teaching others. I was blessed to represent him for the past 27 years." Memorial details will be coming soon. write your comments about the article :: © 2020 Jazz News :: home page |