Tag Archives: John Clayton

Natalie Cole: Stardust

On September 24, 1996, “Elektra” label released “Stardust”, the 15th Natalie Cole album. It was recorded June – September 1996, at “Ocean Way Recording”, “Capitol Studios”, “Conway Studios” and “LeGonks West” in Hollywood, “Record Plant” in Los Angeles, “Chartmaker Studios” in Malibu, California, “The Hit Factory” and “Sony Music Studios” in New York, “The Shire” in Bedford, New York, “Wisseloord Studios” in Hilversum, Netherlands, and was produced by George Duke, David Foster, Phil Ramone and Natalie Cole. At the 39th “Grammy Awards”, Natalie Cole won the “Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals” for the song “When I Fall in Love”, a duet with Nat King Cole. The song also won the “Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement with Accompanying Vocal(s)” for arrangers Alan Broadbent and David Foster.

Personnel:

  • Natalie Cole – lead and backing vocals, vocal and music arrangements, album concept, executive producer
  • Nat King Cole – lead vocals, Hammond B3 organ
  • John Chiodini – guitar, acoustic guitar
  • John Pizzarelli – guitar
  • Paul Jackson Jr. – electric guitar
  • Lee Ritenour – guitar
  • Terry Trotter – acoustic piano, Fender Rhodes, keyboards
  • Michael Lang – acoustic piano
  • Rob Mounsey – acoustic piano, keyboards, music arrangements
  • George Duke – acoustic piano, keyboards, vibraphone, music arrangements, horn arrangements, vocals arrangements
  • Bob James – keyboards, acoustic piano, music arrangements
  • Toots Thielemans – harmonica 
  • Jim Hughart – bass, music arrangements
  • Chuck Domanico – bass
  • David Finck – bass
  • Reggie Hamilton – bass
  • Chuck Berghofer – bass
  • Nathan East – bass
  • Harold Jones – drums
  • Ralph Penland – drums
  • Chris Parker – drums
  • John Guerin – drums
  • John Robinson – drums
  • Harvey Mason – drums
  • Bashiri Johnson – percussion
  • Paulinho da Costa – percussion
  • Rafael Padilla – percussion
  • Dan Higgins – saxophone
  • Everette Harp – alto saxophone
  • Michael Brecker – saxophone
  • Wynton Marsalis – trumpet
  • George Bohanon – trombone
  • Jon Clarke – oboe
  • Alan Broadbent – music arrangements
  • John Clayton – music arrangements
  • David Foster – music and vocals arrangements
  • Johnny Mandel – music arrangements
  • Charles Floyd – music arrangements
  • Gordon Jenkins – original music arrangements
  • Clare Fischer – strings arrangements
  • Jerry Hey – horns arrangements
  • Janis Siegel – backing and harmony vocals
  • Al Schmitt – recording, mixing
  • Elliot Scheiner, Erik Zobler, Dave Reitzas – recording
  • Felipe Elgueta, Wayne Holmes, Henk Korff, John Patterson, Patrick Ulenberg – additional engineering
  • Jeffrey Demorris, Peter Doell, Koji Ejawa, Rob Frank, Barry Goldberg, John Hendrickson, Glenn Marchese, Eddie Miller, Charlie Paakkari, Rail Rogut, Robbes Stieglitz – engineer assistant
  • Gabrielle Raumberger – art direction
  • Emily Rich – design
  • Rocky Schenck – photography
  • Simon Ramone, Corrine Duke – production assistant
  • Shari Sutcliffe – project coordinator
  • Dick La Palm – liner notes

Track listing:

  1. There’s a Lull in My Life – Mack Gordon, Harrye Revel
  2. Stardust – Hoagy Carmichael, Mitchell Parish
  3. Let’s Face the Music and Dance – Irving Berlin
  4. Teach Me Tonight – Sammy Cahn, Gene de Paul
  5. When I Fall in Love – Edward Heyman, Victor Young
  6. What a Difference a Day Made – Stanley Adams, María Méndez Grever
  7. Love Letters – Edward Heyman, Victor Young
  8. He Was Too Good to Me – Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers
  9. Dindi – Ray Gilbert, Antônio Carlos Jobim
  10. Two for the Blues – Neal Hefti, Jon Hendricks
  11. If Love Ain’t There – Johnny Burke
  12. To Whom It May Concern – Nat King Cole, Charlotte Hawkins
  13. Where Can I Go Without You? – Victor Young, Peggy Lee
  14. Ahmad’s Blues – Ahmad Jamal. Bobby Williams
  15. Pick Yourself Up – Dorothy Fields, Jerome Kern
  16. If You Could See Me Now – Tadd Dameron, Carl Sigman
  17. Like a Lover – Alan and Marilyn Bergman, Nelson Motta
  18. This Morning It Was Summer – Bob Haynes
  19. When I Fall in Love (Spanish version) – Victor Young, Edward Heyman

Nancy Wilson: Turned To Blue

On August 22, 2006, “MCG Jazz” label released “Turned to Blue”, the fifty-second and final Nancy Wilson studio album. It was recorded in 2006, at “Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild” in Pittsburgh, “Conway Studios” in Los Angeles, “Somy Music Studios” in New York City, “Audible Images Recording” in Port Matilda, and was produced by Marty Ashby and Jay Ashby. At the 49th “Annual Grammy Awards”, “Turned to Blue” won “Best Jazz Vocal Album” award.

Personnel:

  • Nancy Wilson – vocal
  • Marty Ashby – acoustic guitar, guitar, arrangements, executive producer
  • Alon Yavnai – piano
  • Liew Matthews – piano
  • Billy Taylor – piano
  • Vito DiSalvo – accordion
  • John Clayton – bass
  • Kip Reed – bass
  • Nilson Matta – bass
  • Rufus Reid – bass
  • Jamey Haddad – drums, percussion
  • Roy McCurdy – drums
  • Terry Clarke – drums
  • Winard Harper – drums
  • Portihno (Telmo Porto) – drums, percussion
  • Andy Narrel – steelplan
  • Mike Tomaro – alto saxophone, clarinet
  • Tia Fuller – alto saxophone
  • Andy Snitzer – tenor saxophone
  • Eric DeFade – tenor saxophone
  • Jim German – baritone saxophone
  • Jack Schantz – trumpet
  • Jim Hynes – trumpet
  • Steve Hawk – trumpet
  • Sean Jones – trumpet
  • Jay Ashby – trombone, percussion, marimba, backing vocals, arrangements, mixing, mastering
  • Bob Matchett – trombone
  • Ed Kocher – trombone
  • Michael Davis – trombone
  • Daglas Purviance – bass trombone
  • Hubert Laws – flute
  • Jennifer Cunner – flute
  • Jeremy Black – violin
  • Kate Black – violin
  • Kate Hatmaker – violin
  • Stephanie Tertick – violin
  • Rosemary Harris – viola
  • Mikhail Istomin – cello
  • Dr. John H. Wilson – arrangements
  • Liew Matthews – arrangements
  • Jay Dudt – recording, mixing, mastering
  • Pablo Array – recording
  • Seth Waldmann – recording
  • Todd Whitelock – recording
  • David Stoller – recording
  • Jeff O.Brien Myers – cover art, layout, design
  • Leroy Hamilton – photography (Candid)
  • Charles Bush – photography (Nancy Wilson)
  • Renée Govanucci – associate producer

Track listing:

  1. This is All I Ask – Gordon Jenkins
  2. Take Love Easy – Duke Ellington, John LaTouche
  3. Turned to Blue – Jay Ashby, Maya Angelou
  4. Knitting Class – K. Lawrence Dunham, Bruce Rohde
  5. Be My Love – Nicholas Brodszky, Sammy Cahn
  6. Taking a Chance on Love – Vernon Duke, Ted Fetter, John LaTouche
  7. Just Once – Barry Man, Cynthia Weil
  8. These Golden Years – D. Channsin Berry, John Proulx
  9. I Don’t remember Ever Growing Up – Artie Butler
  10. Old Folks – Dedette Lee Hill, Wilard Robinson
  11. I’ll Be Seeing You – Sammy Fain, Irving Khal

McCoy Tyner: What The World Needs Now: The Music Of Burt Bacharach

Version 1.0.0

On June 17, 1997, “Impulse!” label released “What the World Needs Now: The Music of Burt Bacharach”, the 46th McCoy Tyner album. It was recorded in March 1996, at “The Hit Factory” in New York City.

Personnel:

  • McCoy Tyner – piano
  • Christian McBride – bass
  • Lewis Nash – drums
  • John Clayton – arranger, conductor

Track listing:

All tracks by Burt Bacharach.

  1. (They Long to Be) Close to You
  2. What the World Needs Now Is Love
  3. You’ll Never Get to Heaven (If You Break My Heart)
  4. The Windows of the World
  5. One Less ell to Answer
  6. A House is Not a Home
  7. (There’s) Always Something There to Remind Me
  8. Alfie
  9. The Look of Love

Etta James: Time After Time

On May 9, 1996, “Private Music” label released “Time After Time”, the 20th Etta James album. It was recorded in 1995, at ”Conway Studios”, and was produced by John Snyder.

Personnel:

  • Etta James – vocal
  • Josh Sklair – guitar
  • Cedar Walton – piano, arrangements
  • John Clayton – bass
  • Paul Humphrey – drums
  • Donto Metto Jame – percussion
  • Eddie Harris – tenor saxophone
  • Herman Riley – tenor saxophone
  • Kraig Kilby – trombone
  • Ronnie Buttacavoli – flugelhorn
  • Patrick Karamian – engineer
  • Jay Newland – engineer, mastering
  • Joe Lopes – mastering
  • Lupe De Leon – executive producer

Track listing:

  1. Don’t Go to Strangers
  2. Teach Me Tonight
  3. Love Is Here to Stay
  4. The Nearness of You
  5. Time After Time
  6. My Funny Valentine
  7. Imagination
  8. Fool That I Am
  9. Willow Weep for Me
  10. Everybody’s Somebodys’ Fool
  11. Night and Day
  12. Someone to Watch Over Me

Ella Fitzgerald: Classy Pair

In June 1979, “Pablo” label released “Classy Pair”, the 50th Ella Fitzgerald album. It was recorded in February 1979 and was produced by Norman Granz.

Personnel:

  • Ella Fitzgerald– vocals

The Count Basie Orchestra

  • Count Basie– piano
  • Ray Brown– trumpet
  • Sonny Cohn– trumpet
  • Pete Minger– trumpet
  • Nolan Andrew Smith– trumpet
  • Bill Hughes– trombone
  • Mel Wanzo– trombone
  • Dennis Wilson– trombone
  • Mitchell “Booty” Wood– trombone
  • Bobby Plater– alto saxophone
  • Danny Turner– alto saxophone
  • Eric Dixon– tenor saxophone
  • Kenny Hing– tenor saxophone
  • Charlie Fowlkes– baritone saxophone
  • Freddie Green– guitar
  • John Clayton– double bass
  • Butch Miles– drums
  • Benny Carter– arranger, conductor

Track listing:

  1. Honeysuckle Rose – Andy Razaf, Fats Waller
  2. My Kind of Trouble is You – Benny Carter, Paul Vandervoort II
  3. Teach Me Tonight – Sammy Cahn, Gene de Paul
  4. Organ Grinder’s Swing – Will Hudson, Irving Mills, Mitchell Parish
  5. Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me – Rube Bloom, Ted Koehler
  6. I’m Getting Sentimental Over You – George Bassman, Ned Washington
  7. Ain’t Misbehavin – Harry Brooks, Andy Razaf, Fats Waller
  8. Just A-Sittin’ and A-Rockin’ – Duke Ellington, Lee Gaines, Billy Strayhorn
  9. Sweet Lorraine – Cliff Burwell, Mitchell Parish

Leon Russell: Life Journey

On April 1, 2014, “Universal Records” label released “Life Journey”, the 37th Leon Russell album. It was recorded 2013 – 2014, at “Capitol Studios” in Hollywood, and was produced by Tommy LiPuma.

Personnel:

  • Leon Russell – lead and background vocals, piano, liner notes
  • Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra
  • John Clayton- bass, conductor, arranger
  • Dixieland Band
  • William Cantos – background vocals
  • Alvin Chea– background vocals
  • Perry Morgan – background vocals
  • Louis Price– background vocals
  • Graham Dechter – acoustic guitar
  • Robben Ford– guitar
  • Anthony Wilson– guitar
  • Chris Simmons- slide guitar
  • Greg Leisz- pedal steel, pedal steel guitar
  • Hugh McCracken- guitar, soloist
  • Larry Goldings- Hammond B3
  • George Bohanon– trombone
  • Lee Callet – tenor saxophone
  • Charles Owens – tenor saxophone
  • Rickey Woodard– tenor saxophone
  • Keith Fiddmont – alto saxophone
  • Ira Nepus – trombone
  • Ryan Porter – trombone
  • Maurice Spears – bass trombone
  • Bijon Watson – trumpet
  • Gilbert Castellanos– trumpet
  • Clay Jenkins – trumpet
  • Sal Cracchiolo – trumpet
  • James Ford – trumpet
  • Darrell Leonard- flugelhorn, trumpet
  • Jeff Clayton- clarinet, alto saxophone
  • James Gordon – clarinet
  • Christoph Luty – bass
  • Willie Weeks- bass
  • Jeff Hamilton- drums
  • Abe Laboriel Jr.– drums
  • Elena Barere – concert master
  • Alan Broadbent- string arrangements
  • Jill Dell’Abate – string contractor
  • Elton John- executive producer
  • Shari Sutcliffe – music contractor, production coordination
  • Chandler Harrod – engineer, Pro-Tools
  • Mark Lambert – piano engineer, vocal engineer
  • Elliot Scheiner- string engineer
  • Al Schmitt- engineer, mixing
  • Doug Saks – mastering
  • Ryan Roth – design, photography
  • Mike Diehl – design

Track listing:

  1. Come On in My Kitchen – Robert Johnson
  2. Big Lips – Leon Russell
  3. Georgia on My Mind- Hoagy Carmichael, Stuart Gorrell
  4. That Lucky Old Sun- Haven Gillespie, Beasley Smith 4:09
  5. Fever- Eddie Cooley, John Davenport
  6. Think of Me – Mike Reid
  7. I Got It Bad (and That Ain’t Good)- Duke Ellington, Paul Francis Webster
  8. The Masquerade Is Over – Herb Magidson, Allie Wrubel
  9. I Really Miss You – Paul Anka
  10. New York State of Mind- Billy Joel
  11. Fool’s Paradise -Johnny Fuller, Bob Geddins, Dr. David Rosenbaum
  12. Down in Dixieland – Leon Russell

Spoon: Girls Can Tell

On February 20, 2001, “Merge” and “12 XU” labels released “Girls Can Tell”, the third Spoon studio album. It was recorded in 2000, at Jim Eno’s home studio at Austin, TX, and was produced by Britt Daniel, Jim Eno and Mike McCarthy.

Personnel:

  • Britt Daniel– vocal, guitar, keyboards
  • Joshua Zarbo – bass
  • Jim Eno– drums
  • Conrad Keely – mellotron
  • Laura Phelan – vibraphone
  • Lee Spencer – harpsichord
  • Ames Asbell – viola

Track listing:

All tracks by Britt Daniel except where noted.

  1. Everything Hits at Once
  2. Believing is Art
  3. Me and the bean – John Clayton
  4. Lines in the Suit
  5. The Fitted Shirt
  6. Anything You Want
  7. Take a Walk
  8. 1020 AM
  9. Take the Fifth
  10. This Book is a Movie
  11. Chicago at Night

Dee Dee Bridgewater: Dear Ella

On September 30, 1997, “Verve” label released “Dear Ella”, the eleventh Dee Dee Bridgewater studio album. It was recorded January – February 1997.  At the 40th Grammy Awards, the album won Bridgewater the “Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album” and Slide Hampton the “Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist”, for the arrangement of “Cotton Tail”.

Personnel:

  • Dee Dee Bridgewater– vocals
  • Cecil Bridgewater– trumpet, arranger, conductor
  • Antonio Hart– alto saxophone, soloist
  • Jeff Clayton– alto saxophone
  • Teodross Avery– tenor saxophone
  • Bill Easley– tenor saxophone
  • Patience Higgins – baritone saxophone
  • Virgil Jones – trumpet, horn, soloist
  • Byron Stripling– trumpet
  • Ron Tooley – trumpet
  • Diego Urcola – trumpet
  • Slide Hampton– trombone, arranger, conductor
  • Clarence Banks – trombone, horn, soloist
  • Benny Powell– trombone
  • Robert Trowers– trombone
  • Douglas Purviance– bass trombone
  • Robert Lloyd – horn
  • Anderson – tuba
  • Taylor – flute
  • Jowitt – clarinet
  • Wallbank – bass clarinet
  • J. Morgan – oboe
  • Lou Levy– piano, arranger
  • Milt Jackson– vibraphone
  • Kenny Burrell– guitar, arranger
  • Ray Brown– double bass
  • Grady Tate– drums
  • André Ceccarelli– drums
  • Hakin – percussion
  • Boguslaw Kostecki, A. Noland, T. Williams, R. Wilson – violin
  • Graham and G. Jackson – viola
  • Peter Willison – cello
  • John Clayton – big band arranger, conductor
  • Rob Eaton, Keith Grant, Al Schmitt– engineer
  • Peter Doell, Koji Egawa, Brian Garten, Alex Marcou – engineer assistant
  • Jean Luc Barilla – design
  • Philippe Pierangeli – photography

Track listing:

  1. A-Tisket, A-Tasket – Van Alexander, Ella Fitzgerald
  2. Mack the Knife – Marc Blitzstein, Bertolt Brecht, Kurt Weill
  3. Undecided – Leo Robin, Charlie Shavers
  4. Midnight Sun – Sonny Burke, Lionel Hampton, Johnny Mercer
  5. Let’s Do It, Let’s Fall in Love – Cole Porter
  6. How High the Moon – Morgan Hamilton, Nancy Lewis
  7. (If You Can’t Sing It) You’ll Have to Swing It (Mr. Paganini) – Sam Coslow
  8. Cotton Tail – Duke Ellington
  9. My Heart Belongs to Daddy – Cole Porter
  10. (I’d Like to Get You on a) Slow Boat to China – Frank Loesser
  11. Oh, Lady be Good! – George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin
  12. Stairway to the Stars — Matty Malneck, Mitchell Parish, Frank Signorelli
  13. Dear Ella – Kenny Burrell

Diana Krall: From This Moment On

On September 19, 2006, “Verve” label released “From This Moment On”, the ninth Diana Krall studio album. It was recorded in 2006, at “Capitol Studios” in Hollywood, and was produced by Diana Krall and Tommy LiPuma.

Personnel:

  • Diana Krall– vocals, piano, arrangements
  • Anthony Wilson – acoustic and electric guitar
  • Gerald Clayton, Tamir Hendelman– piano
  • John Clayton– bass, arrangements, conducting
  • Jeff Hamilton– drums
  • Jeff Clayton– alto and soprano saxophone
  • Rickey Woodard – tenor saxophone
  • Gil Castellanos, Terell Stafford– trumpet
  • Ira Nepus – trombone
  • The Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra
  • Rick Fernandez, Dan Johnson, Joe Napolitano, Bill Smith, Paul Smith – engineer assistant
  • Steve Genewick – Pro Tools engineer, recording
  • Al Schmitt– recording, mixing
  • Doug Sax, Sangwook Nam – mastering
  • Hollis King – art direction
  • Coco Shinomiya – design
  • Sam Taylor-Wood– back cover photography
  • Bruce Weber– photography

Track listing:

  1. It Could Happen to You – Jimmy Van Heusen, Johnny Burke
  2. Isn’t This a Lovely Day – Irving Berlin
  3. How Insensitive – Antônio Carlos Jobim, Vinicius de Moraes, Norman Gimbel
  4. Exactly Like You – Jimmy McHugh, Dorothy Fields
  5. From This Moment On – Cole Porter
  6. I Was Doing All Right – George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin
  7. Little Blue Girl – Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart
  8. Day In Day Out – Rube Bloom, Johnny Mercer
  9. Willow Weep for Me – Ann Ronell
  10. Come Dance With Me – Van Heusen, Sammy Cahn
  11. It Was a Beautiful Day in August / You Can Depend on Me – Ray Brown, Charles Carpenter, Louis Dunlap, Earl Hines

Paul Anka: Rock Swings

On May 31, 2005, “Verve” label released “Rock Swings”, album  by Paul Anka. It was recorded in November 2004, and was produced by Paul Anka.

Personnel:

  • Paul Anka – vocal, executive producer
  • Jon Bon Jovi – guitar, piano, backing vocals
  • Larry Koonse – guitar
  • Dean Parks – guitar
  • Randy Kerber – piano
  • Mike Lang – piano
  • Mike Valerio – bass
  • Peter Doubrovsky, Frances Liu-Wu – bass
  • Vinnie Colaiuta – drums
  • Emil Richards – vibes
  • Dan Higgins, Greg Huckins – alto saxophone, flute
  • Jon Crosse – tenor saxophone
  • Gene Cipriano – tenor saxophone, flute
  • Bill Liston – tenor saxophone, flute, clarinet
  • Gary Grant, Charles Davis, Larry Hall, Warren Luening, Sal Cracchiolo – trumpet
  • Steve Holtman, Andrew Martin, Alex Iles, Bill Reichenbach, Bob McChesney, Bryant Byers – trombone
  • Joel Peskin – bass clarinet, baritone saxophone
  • Brad Warnaar, Jim Atkinson, Kurt Snyder – French horn
  • Joel Derouin, Bruce Dukov – concert-master, violin
  • Rebecca Bunnell, Mario De Leon, Tiffany Yi Hu, Patricia Johnson, Peter Kent, Miran Kojian, Haim Shtrum, Mari Tsumura, Shari Zippert, Kirstin Fife, Razdan Kuyumjian, Dennis Molchan, Les Terry, Jennifer Munday, Anatoly Rosinsky, Charles Everett, Armen Garabedian, Berj Garabedian, Darius Campo – violin
  • Marilyn Baker, Jorge Moraga, James Ross, Harry Shirinian, Karie Prescott, Evan Wilson, Simon Oswell, Pam Goldsmith – viola
  • Larry Corbett, Vanessa Freebairn-Smith, Miguel Martinez, Steve Richards, Andrew Shulman, Anne Karam, Ernie Ehrhardt – cello
  • Gayle Levant – harp
  • Patrick Williams, Randy Kerber, John Clayton – session arranger, conductor
  • Jon Crosse – conductor
  • Al Schmitt – session engineer
  • Alex Christensen – session producer

Track listing:

  1. It’s My Life – Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, Max Martin
  2. True – Gary Kemp
  3. Eye of the Tiger – Jim Peterik, Frankie Sullivan
  4. Everybody Hurts – Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, Mike MIlls, Bill Berry
  5. Wonderwall – Noel Gallagher
  6. Black Hole Sun – Chris Cornell
  7. It’s a Sin – Neil Tennant, Chris Lowe
  8. Jump – David Lee Roth, Eddie Van Halen, Michael Anthony, Alex Van Halen
  9. Smells Like Teen Spirit – Kurt Cobain, Kris Novoselic, Dave Grohl
  10. Hello – Lionel Richie
  11. Eyes Without a Face – Billy Idol, Steve Stevens
  12. Lovecats – Robert Smith
  13. The Way You Make Me Feel – Michael Jackson
  14. Tears in Heaven – Eric Clapton, Will Jennings