He has been regarded as a young pianist with
“pristine technique and having highly advanced compositional skills” from the
review on his new album on All About Jazz’s website.
At 27 years old, Gerald Clayton has composed music
for symphonies and has been nominated for two Grammy awards.
The Gerald Clayton Trio visited the Ursa Minor’s
Cafe on Thursday, Oct. 20 where they gave an outstanding performance to their
audience.
The three piece band – Alan Hampton on upright bass
and Quincey Davis on drums – created a sound where all of their musical
intuition was put to work.
Clayton said that this was the first time this trio
performed together on stage.
Surprisingly they sounded better than one may
expect for it being their first time performing together.
“I’ve been in mingle mode for the past year, trying
to find the right fit for the trio. But, with like-minded people, this has been
an undertaking very worthwhile,” Clayton said.
Their performance included a few unrecorded pieces,
familiar compositions from artist such as Dizzy Gillespie, as well as numbers
from his first recorded album Two-Shade as well as pieces from his newest album
Bond: The Paris Sessions.
They play with high energy and impulsive qualities
where they let the music take the reins of guiding where to go. Each of the
three members had equal opportunity to show case their renowned talents.
With their constant change of intricate time
signatures, it kept the audiences ears on high alert for the unpredictable
beauty of jazz.
“We like to keep it loose but we like to keep it
tight,” Clayton said after a number where each member had a lengthy solo.
Clayton’s newest album, Bond: The Paris Sessions
was recorded with his formers members Joe Sanders, bass, and Justin Brown,
drums, in France’s capital.
The “bond” refers to the coherence within the three
while recording this album.
“This album engages to stick with the community of
fellow musicians, similar artists, as well as students,” Gerald said in
reference to his album.
Their dynamic sound on the record creates a
labyrinth of melodies where it infuses each unique quality of the members,
making it interesting to listen to as a whole rather than focusing on Clayton.
Clayton explores the deep currents of jazz,
unwinding many of the musical unknowns hitting the powerful chords at the
precise time in his compositions.
“I have listened to many different musical styles.
I always absorb these influences and by this, I created my own voice,” Clayton
said.
The evidence in his songs of infusing many styles
is evident.
Elements of swing, traditional jazz, and staccato
riffs all encompass his music.
Each song has their own path and set of sounds but
Clayton knows how to interject with his delicate touch to make the song coexist
with the entire composition.
For more information on Gerald Clayton’s Trio,
visit www.geraldclayton.com.
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