Gerald Clayton Trio (VS)

Six-time Grammy-nominated pianist-songwriter and Blue Note artist Gerald Clayton seeks honest expression in every note. A graduate of Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, the Thornton School of Music at USC, and the Manhattan School of Music, Clayton won second place in the Monk Institute of Jazz Piano Competition in 2006. For the next decade, he toured around the world as band leader and special accompanying guest, gaining critical and fan acclaim. In his career, Clayton has also collaborated with such prominent artists as Bill Frisell, Roy Hargrove, Dianne Reeves, John Scofield and legendary band leader Charles Lloyd, as well as many others. He currently serves as the director of the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra and was the music director of the Monterey Jazz Festival On Tour and the recent Blue Note 85th Anniversary Tour.

Trio composition:

Gerald Clayton, piano

Joe Sanders, bass

Jeff Ballard, drums