After thirty-five years of being at the forefront of the ever-evolving musical landscape of New Orleans, Grammy Award winner Jon Cleary is hitting the road to bring audiences a musical tour-de-force that showcases the grit, funk and joy thatâs packed concert halls from his home in New Orleans to London, Tokyo and beyond. âSophisticated, nasty, good-time, low-down funk is the folk music of New Orleans,â Cleary says. âEveryone playing on this stage is a New Orleanian by birth or by choice, having learned their craft at the feet of the masters who in turn were taught by the old lions in their day - it's a tradition stretching back over two hundred years...
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After thirty-five years of being at the forefront of the ever-evolving musical landscape of New Orleans, Grammy Award winner Jon Cleary is hitting the road to bring audiences a musical tour-de-force that showcases the grit, funk and joy thatâs packed concert halls from his home in New Orleans to London, Tokyo and beyond. âSophisticated, nasty, good-time, low-down funk is the folk music of New Orleans,â Cleary says. âEveryone playing on this stage is a New Orleanian by birth or by choice, having learned their craft at the feet of the masters who in turn were taught by the old lions in their day - it's a tradition stretching back over two hundred years. The roots go deep, but each generation, growing up with street parades and second-lines, absorbs the old and introduces the new, gently coaxing the essential essence into and out of each succeeding decade.âBorn in London and on a plane to New Orleans before he turned twenty years old, he grew up absorbed by the sounds and rhythms of the Crescent City. His mastery of the cityâs music landed him gigs playing as a session musician in the bands of local legends Earl King, Johnny Adams, Walter âWolfmanâ Washington, Snooks Eaglin, Ernie K-Doe, Jessie Hillâ and as a guitarist for Dr. John. He later toured extensively with icons like Bonnie Raitt and Taj Mahal. His solo career began in earnest in 1989 and includes beloved records like their self-titled band debut and his 2015 Grammy winner, Go-Go Juice. His current record, The Bywater Sessions, continues this tradition of critical acclaim and rapturous reception.In fact, his first job in New Orleans was as a painter at beloved local club the Maple Leaf Bar, and it wasnât long until he was playing piano in that very room. To this day, he and his band continue to pack that room to crowds that gather from around the world, playing their unique and ever-evolving take on New Orleans funk and R&B.âThese grooves are not museum pieces, they are alive, breathing and fresh - and thatâs why joints like Tipitinaâs, The Maple Leaf Bar and Chickie Wah Wah are always packed when the locals, young and old, come out to hear the Gentlemen do they thang,â Cleary proudly adds.
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