Education
He was originally from Cranbrook in Kent, England, and has studied for the past 20 years the "musical culture and life of New Orleans," according to his website.
He was originally from Cranbrook in Kent, England, and has studied for the past 20 years the "musical culture and life of New Orleans," according to his website.
Jon Cleary performs with a number of music luminaries including Bonnie Raitt, Taj Mahal, B.B. King, Ryan Adams, and Eric Burdon. Compositions by Cleary have been recorded by notable musicians including Taj Mahal, Bonnie Raitt and most recently John Scofield on his album, Piety Street. Cleary"s current band is, who have released two albums.
Consist of Cleary on keyboard and vocals.
Derwin"Big Doctorate" Perkins (born 1974) on guitar. Cornell C. Williams (born 1962) on bass and backup vocals.
And Jellybean on drums. All of the band members, except for Cleary, were born in New Orleans.
The band is generally well received, drawing large crowds of locals at classic New Orleans venues like Tipitina"s and the Maple Leaf Bar.
They are also a mainstay at the annual Jazz and Heritage Festival and have played at Bonnaroo as well as other music festivals. Rolling Stone"s David Fricke wrote of the Pin Your Spin album: "Cleary can be an absolute monster on his own, but Cleary’s full combo Rhythm & Blues is as broad, deep and roiling as the Mississippi river, the combined swinging product of local keyboard tradition, Cleary’s vocal-songwriting flair for moody Seventies soul and the spunky-meters roll of his Gentlemen".