Clifton Anderson: Carrying On

Reprinted from http://jazzwax.com

Trombonist Clifton Anderson's uncle is Sonny Rollins. Which is neither here nor there, since Clifton never brings it up. But the connection is important because it helps explain Clifton's drive and determination to make a jazz statement. He knows there's history at stake, even though making a mark isn't particularly easy these days. Jazz gigs are harder to come by, and the trombone is among the least sexy of the instruments most people associate with the art form. [Photo above of Clifton Anderson by John Abbott]

With all of that said, Clifton's new album And So We Carry On (Daywood Drive) dodges all of those marketplace obstacles. What I love most about Clifton's playing here is his tone. It's reminiscent of trombonist Wayne Henderson's soul-jazz sound with the Crusaders in the early- and mid-'70s (Chain Reaction, Keep That Same Old Feeling). Clifton plays with plenty of hard-bop power, but he also delivers the punch with high-register sensitivity, evoking the pleading grace of a French horn.

Six of the nine tracks are Clifton originals, and each has a different melodic personality. The title track is hard bop with a thunderous and unsettled '70s feel. Niokim is a medium tempo jazz spiritual that opens with Clifton playing solo before the group launches into the song's chorus. [Photo above of Clifton Anderson by John Abbott]

On the ballad Alexer Is, Clifton exhibits enormous tenderness, and his cinematic sense of suspense holds the ear. We're also given a sense of Clifton's plunger technique on the lightly Latin jazz Remember This.

The standards Where or When, Tomorrow (from Annie) andFalling in Love with Love are taken at robust tempos and Clifton raises the ante on the originals, exploding with energy and instrumental texture rather than playing straight and safe.

Clifton is joined by a quite a team of superb musicians—including Monty Alexander (piano) [pictured], Bob Cranshaw and Essiet Essiet (bass), Kenny  Garrett (soprano sax), Wallace Roney (trumpet), Jeff "Tain" Watts (drums) and Eric Wyatt (tenor saxophone).

In Clifton's hands, you hear the trombone in a modern guise—a vibrato-less singing voice that is rightly concerned with putting a fast shine on notes rather than lingering and overstaying its welcome.

JazzWax tracks: You'll find Clifton Anderson's And So We Carry On at Amazon here. For more on Clifton, gohere.

To listen to all of the album's tracks, go here.

JazzWax clip: Here'sClifton Anderson talking about his new album...

Used with permission by Marc Myers

Clifton Anderson was born on October 5, 1957....

Clifton Anderson was born on October 5, 1957 in Harlem, New York City. He grew up surrounded by music. His father was a church organist /choir director, and his mother a singer and pianist. It was no surprise that Clifton exhibited an affinity for music at an early age. When he was just seven years old he got his first trombone, a gift from his famous uncle Sonny Rollins.

Clifton attended the prestigious Fiorello LaGuardia High School of Music and Art. In 1974 he spent one year at The State University of New York at Stony Brook studying under Simon Karasick and Dave Schechter. He continued his education at the Manhattan School of Music, and graduated in 1978 with a Bachelor of Music degree. At The Manhattan School, he studied under the Metropolitan Opera trombonist John Clark. There he also met and befriended talented musicians like Angela Bofill and the late Kenny Kirkland.

While at Manhattan School of Music, Clifton began freelancing around New York City. Clifton made his first record date with Carlos Garnett in 1976 and by his senior year at Manhattan he had established himself as one of the young “in demand” trombonists in New York. It was around that time that Slide Hampton formed the original “World of Trombones”, the group that would become the standard by which all jazz trombone choirs were measured.

The group included Janis Robinson, Steve Turre, Earl McIntyre, Clifford Adams, Doug Purviance, Papo Vazquez, and Clifton Anderson along with appearances from Curtis Fuller, Britt Woodman and Benny Powell. Later additions to the prestigious trombone choir included Robin Eubanks, Clarence Banks, Frank Lacy, Conrad Herwig, and Bob Trowers.

Clifton has worked with a “who’s who” of diverse musical giants: from Frank Foster, McCoy Tyner, Clifford Jordan, Stevie Wonder, Dizzy Gillespie, Merv Griffin and The Mighty Sparrow to Lester Bowie, Paul Simon, Muhal Richard Abrams, WyClef Jean, and Dionne Warwick among others. Clifton’s credits also include the Broadway shows Dreamgirls and Nine.

In 1983 Clifton got the call to join his uncle, Sonny Rollins. From that time to the present he has been a member of Sonny’s group and has toured extensively with him, performing throughout Europe, Asia, South America, Australia, Canada and of course the United States. Clifton has also appeared on ten Sonny Rollins recordings.

In 2005 Clifton worked on the production of the Sonny Rollins Without a Song: The 911 Concert CD. Since then Clifton has produced four releases for Sonny’s label Doxy Records: Sonny, Please, the DVD Sonny Rollins in Vienne, Road Shows Vol. 1, and Clifton’s own Decade. Along with managing the Doxy label, Clifton also runs OLEO,LLC, Sonny’s merchandising company.  Between his duties as a musician, producer and administrator Clifton has taught privately and in academia. He was an artist in residence at Duke University from 1999 to 2001.

At the end of 2007 Clifton went back into the studio as a leader to produce the highly anticipated Decade, his first recording in approximately ten years, released on Doxy Records and distributed by the Universal Music Group.

Decade was released in January, 2009 to enthusiastic reviews. In JazzWax, Marc Myers wrote that Clifton “…shines as a stylist and storyteller . . . . On Decade, Anderson demonstrates a new level of maturity and offers a warm, round and purposeful sound. . . . But the big news is that Anderson is a savvy writer. . . . [His] compositions are all strong and fresh, and they avoid being derivative. Best of all, they are tailor made to show off the trombonist’s lyricism and powerful chops. . .

“Playing with Rollins and maintaining the legend’s frighteningly high energy level has been heady stuff for the trombonist. As a leader, Anderson has found himself and delivers the warmth.”

At The Turning Point Cafe - Piermont, NY, Dec 12

Clifton Anderson was born on October 5, 1957 in Harlem, New York City. He grew up surrounded by music. His father was a church organist /choir director, and his mother a singer and pianist. It was no surprise that Clifton exhibited an affinity for music at an early age. When he was just seven years old he got his first trombone, a gift from his famous uncle Sonny Rollins.

Clifton attended the prestigious Fiorello LaGuardia High School of Music and Art. In 1974 he spent one year at The State University of New York at Stony Brook studying under Simon Karasick and Dave Schechter. He continued his education at the Manhattan School of Music, and graduated in 1978 with a Bachelor of Music degree. At The Manhattan School, he studied under the Metropolitan Opera trombonist John Clark. There he also met and befriended talented musicians like Angela Bofill and the late Kenny Kirkland.

While at Manhattan School of Music, Clifton began freelancing around New York City. Clifton made his first record date with Carlos Garnett in 1976 and by his senior year at Manhattan he had established himself as one of the young “in demand” trombonists in New York. It was around that time that Slide Hampton formed the original “World of Trombones”, the group that would become the standard by which all jazz trombone choirs were measured. The group included Janis Robinson, Steve Turre, Earl McIntyre, Clifford Adams, Doug Purviance, Papo Vazquez, and Clifton Anderson along with appearances from Curtis Fuller, Britt Woodman and Benny Powell. Later additions to the prestigious trombone choir included Robin Eubanks, Clarence Banks, Frank Lacy, Conrad Herwig, and Bob Trowers.

Clifton has worked with a “who’s who” of diverse musical giants: from Frank Foster, McCoy Tyner, Clifford Jordan, Stevie Wonder, Dizzy Gillespie, Merv Griffin and The Mighty Sparrow to Lester Bowie, Paul Simon, Muhal Richard Abrams, WyClef Jean, and Dionne Warwick among others. Clifton’s credits also include the Broadway shows Dreamgirls and Nine.

In 1983 Clifton got the call to join his uncle, Sonny Rollins. From that time to the present he has been a member of Sonny’s group and has toured extensively with him, performing throughout Europe, Asia, South America, Australia, Canada and of course the United States. Clifton has also appeared on ten Sonny Rollins recordings. In 2005 Clifton worked on the production of the Sonny Rollins Without a Song: The 911 Concert CD.

Since then Clifton has produced four releases for Sonny’s label Doxy Records: Sonny, Please, the DVD Sonny Rollins in Vienne, Road Shows Vol. 1, and Clifton’s own Decade. Along with managing the Doxy label, Clifton also runs OLEO,LLC, Sonny’s merchandising company. Between his duties as a musician, producer and administrator Clifton has taught privately and in academia. He was an artist in residence at Duke University from 1999 to 2001. At the end of 2007 Clifton went back into the studio as a leader to produce the highly anticipated Decade, his first recording in approximately ten years, released on Doxy Records and distributed by the Universal Music Group.
Decade was released in January, 2009 to enthusiastic reviews. In JazzWax, Marc Myers wrote that Clifton “…shines as a stylist and storyteller . . . . On Decade, Anderson demonstrates a new level of maturity and offers a warm, round and purposeful sound. . . . But the big news is that Anderson is a savvy writer. . . . [His] compositions are all strong and fresh, and they avoid being derivative. Best of all, they are tailor made to show off the trombonist’s lyricism and powerful chops. . .

“Playing with Rollins and maintaining the legend’s frighteningly high energy level has been heady stuff for the trombonist. As a leader, Anderson has found himself and delivers the warmth.”

Sonny Rollins - Strode Rode

http://www.sonnyrollins.com presents warm up, sound check and performance by the saxophone legend, Sonny Rollins, and his original, "Strode Rode," first recorded on Saxophone Colossus.
Sonny Rollins - Tenor
Clifton Anderson - Trombone
Bobby Broom - Guitar
Bob Cranshaw - Bass
Kobie Watkins - Drums
Victor See-Yuen - Percussion

Clifton Anderson - Have Trombone Will Travel

In conversation with clifton anderson....

By Tomas Peña
Talent, dedication, formal training, and the opportunity to perform with—and learn from—one of the greatest jazz musicians who ever lived: all are factors in helping make Clifton Anderson one of today's top trombonists. Of course, Clifton is best-known for his work with Sonny Rollins, but he's also shared the stage with Slide Hampton, Abdullah Ibrahim, Clifford Jordan, Barry Harris, Dionne Warwick, James 'Jabbo' Ware, Muhal Richard Abrams, Wyclef Jean, Stevie Wonder … the list goes on.

Clifton produced his debut CD as a leader—Landmarks, on the Milestone label—in 1997. His performance and compositions received critical acclaim, and contributed to his growing following among jazz fans and trombone aficionados, worldwide. Since the release of Landmarks, Clifton has led his own groups, here in the U.S. and abroad.

Now, with the release of his new CD—Decade, on the Doxy/EmArcy imprint—Anderson has created an outstanding showcase for his skills as a player, composer, bandleader, and producer. The album is aimed, states Anderson, at 'encapsulating ten years of development, my perceptions and insights as a trombonist, producer, and writer.' The album is dedicated to the memory of his mother, the late Gloria Anderson.

No doubt you have been asked this question numerous times, but for the sake of our readers, what’s it like being the nephew of Sonny Rollins?

Well, for a musician it's the best place to be. Of course, there's a mixed bag to it. But first and foremost, it is probably the best experience a musician could have, because of the vast experience and wealth of information that Sonny carries with him, and who he is. It’s not just about playing with Sonny every night … it’s also being around him and absorbing the vast amount of information that he has to offer. People often ask, 'Does Sonny show you this or that?' But we've never had that kind of relationship. He shows me things on stage when he plays, but never anything specifically. It’s a matter of observation and being open to what he has to offer. And he has a whole lot to offer! There is never a dull moment with him; every night is different. Sonny has always been referred to as a spontaneous improviser, and it’s really true. It’s just his personality. His approach to music is really about where his head is at a particular time.

I find it interesting that he refers to himself as a 'work in progress.'

In that regard he's an unusual artist to be around, because there aren't many artists who really, genuinely operate in that way. Mind you, I am not trying to put anyone down. I'm just saying Sonny is a unique item in that regard. He comes from a period when there were many giants who operated that way, so this is a situation that is not easily duplicated. He is one of the last artists of his generation that is playing the way he plays.

How is he doing health-wise?

He’s good.

How old is he now?

He’s 78 years old. We just got back from a tour in Zurich, Switzerland, and he still carries the show. I mean, we all get to play and do our thing, but Sonny carries the show. To get back to your original question, it’s a one-of-a-kind experience to be working with him, and to be his nephew. On a more personal level, if you ever get the opportunity to meet or know him, he is really one of the most humane, loving people that you will probably ever meet in your life. He is very quiet and to himself, but he is very caring and very generous. I can’t say enough about him. As an uncle, he has always been very supportive of me, and he has not given me an easy road. When I first started working with him, I would hear through the grapevine that the only reason I was playing Sonny was because I am his nephew. But a lot of people don’t know that he fired me [from his band], and it wasn’t all roses working with him.

He didn’t favor you?.

He didn’t make my road any different from anybody else’s. I was subject to the same scrutiny as any other musician. So it's been a great experience, and I wouldn’t trade if for anything.

In addition to being a member of Sonny’s band you are his producer. In fact, you produced Sonny, Please and more recently, Road Shows, Vol. 1.
I think that my being a producer made it a more comfortable experience for Sonny than usual, even though it’s never comfortable! [Laughs] I think we were able to make it a better situation, and it helped with the results. When we recorded Sonny, Please, we had a group that had been playing together for about a year straight. We had just come off a Japanese tour, so everyone was pretty hot, and there was a lot of good chemistry between us. I was fortunate to be able to produce Sonny, Please, and have [engineer] Rich Corcello with me, who's been recording Sonny for about thirty years. It was like a family reunion. We also worked on Road Shows, Volume 1, and were able to find some really good material. I'm sure that there are other performances that we haven’t listened to that are outstanding, as well. Also, we are recording every night, so there will be a lot of great things to come.

Let’s talk about your formative years. Your father led the church choir and played the organ. Your mother, Gloria Anderson, who recently passed away, sang and played the piano. Please accept my condolences on the recent passing of your mother.

Thank you very much.

Did she get to hear your new recording before she passed?

I showed her the [cover] artwork. At the time she was in the hospital, but she did get to hear it, and she gave it her seal of approval.
Getting back to your family, you have another uncle who is an accomplished violinist. I think it is safe to say that music is in your genes.

Oh yeah, like it or not! [Laughs]

You've been quoted as saying 'Everything I do musically is a representation of my life, and my life is really closely associated with my family. I have very strong relationships obviously with my uncle, and with my mother; they've been the two essential relationships. In every note I play, there's something of my mother in there and something of Sonny.' And then there's the story that I read in just about every interview you have ever done, where your mother took you to see the film The Music Man, and how much you loved the parade scene with the seventy-six trombones. Shortly thereafter, Sonny bought you a trombone, but at the time you didn’t really take it seriously.

I knew I was musically inclined, but my mother had a lot of reservations about me becoming a professional musician, or having a career in music. She saw the struggles that Sonny went through, and she knows how hard the music business is, so she wasn’t too thrilled about me becoming a musician. She would have preferred that I follow in my other uncle’s footsteps, who is a doctor. I like biology and those kinds of things, but the music was just pulling me.

I read an interview in the African-American Review, where you talk about the negative stereotypes that plague jazz musicians. It’s no secret that Sonny, Charlie Parker, Miles and Coltrane had issues back then. But times have changed.

Well, I think it’s this whole mystique with jazz music, which was kind of successful in promoting the music during the '50s and '60s. Unfortunately, it’s a perception that still lingers.

At first, you didn’t take the trombone seriously, but there were a number of factors that turned you around: your peers in the Bronx Borough Wide concert band, and the music of trombonist J.J. Jackson.

I was one of those kids who was always the best musician of the bunch, so in junior high school they recommended that I audition for Bronx Borough Wide. When I got there, there were other kids who could play like me, and in a way it was a little more inspiring. There was a guy name Thomas Brown who was running the Bronx Borough Wide program at that time, who happened to be a trombone player. He whipped us into shape. And then there were a lot of young guys and ladies who were in the orchestra, a few of whom went on to become highly respected musicians.

Do you remember their names?

Drummer Steve Jordan went on to make a lot of great records with jazz and rock musicians. He's also a producer. In fact, he just produced the music for the film Cadillac Records. He's done a lot of great things, and is highly respected in the business. There was a bass trombonist named Mallion Walker who is no longer with us. It’s hard for me to remember all of their names.

Did you get turned-on to the music of J.J. Johnson at that time?

Yeah, it was in that period, before I got into high school. It kind of turned me around, because his sound was so unique. After I heard J.J., my curiosity was piqued, and I tried to figure out how to get that sound out of the instrument.
http://jazz.com/features-and-interviews/2009/1/24/in-conversation-with-clifton-anderson