John Clayton and Jeff Clayton have proven that blood can be thicker than water but it can still carry unimpeded creativity. The Clayton Brothers, a Grammy(c)-nominated quintet, was founded in 1977. Although their paths sometimes diverged, they shared a common musical vision that would bring them back together. Their CD “Back in The Swing of Things” by Hyena demonstrates their unique musical vision. The CD, along with “Expressions” (Qwest), are full of delights, surprises and musical telepathy only possible from siblings. Their latest recordings have been nominated for Grammy(c), including “Brother to Brother”, “Expressions” and “The New Song and Dance”, which were both awarded Grammy(c) nominations. They place great emphasis on sharing their knowledge and are committed jazz educators who travel extensively to take part in music clinics and workshops around the globe. The cover of JazzTimes’ Education Resource Guide featured the Clayton Brothers in fall 2004. They were named jazz educators of the year. John Clayton is a Grammy(c)-award winner artist (Queen Latifah’s “I’m Gonna Live Til I Die”) and a prominent bassist in jazz and classical music. From 1998 to 2001, he was the Artistic Director for Jazz at the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Ray Brown was Ray Brown’s mentor when he began his serious study of double bass at the age of 16. For more than five years, he held the position of principal bass in the Amsterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. He is a composer/arranger/conductor, who counts among his mentors Robert Farnon, Count Basie, Johnny Mandel, Henry Mancini, and Quincy Jones. He has written or performed music with Milt Jackson, Nancy Wilson and Ray Brown. Jeff Clayton, a Reed player, began his career as a studio and touring musician. He recorded many important albums with Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight and Kenny Rogers.
