John Clayton
b. 1952, Los Angeles, California, USA. Born into a musical family, Clayton took up the bass and at the age of 16 was studying with Ray Brown. Three years later he was in the orchestra for the US television series THE MANCINI GENERATION, but left to resume his studies. His playing career continued via stints with Monty Alexander and the Count Basie band and he also served for five years as principal bass with the Amsterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. Aside from playing, Clayton teaches bass and has appeared on a number of instructional videos with Brown and Milt Hinton. He is also an accomplished composer, drawing inspiration from Henry Mancini and especially Johnny Mandel. In 1989 he spent time in Germany, writing for the Cologne Radio Orchestra. He has appeared regularly in the Doc Severinson Orchestra on the TONIGHT television show and was a member of the Gene Harris/Philip Morris Superband for its 1989 world tour. He has recorded with Ernestine Anderson, the Cunninghams, Brown, Mancini, Rosemary Clooney and with the big band he has co-led with his brother, Jeff Clayton, and Jeff Hamilton since 1985. Many of the charts played by the Clayton-Hamilton band are written by him and he has deliberately set out to emulate Duke Ellington in seeking to create formats which effectively draw upon the abilities of individual musicians within the orchestra. An outstanding technician, Clayton is one of the most respected and sought-after bassists working in jazz in the '90s.