After a series of electrifying shows last Fall at DBA, Piano, Bass & Drums return to DBA on Saturday, February 27 with James Singleton on upright and Doug Belote on the skins for some Saturday Night Funk on Frenchman.

 

 


JC is bringing PBD up to mid-city for the first time at Chickie Wah Wah's. This will be the last local date before the Australia Tour.Come on down and pass a funky good time at Chickie's!

 

 


April 17 JC and The Monster Gents bring the super funk to the annual Tulane Crawfest.  Big D, Cornell C. Williams, and Terence "Swamp Grease" HIggins will lay down the steamy grooves on the Tulane Quad.

 

 


On Friday, April 23, JC will be debuting his new group, Piano, Bass & Drums at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Other dates include The Jazz Festival Foundation Gala tribute to Dr. John on April 22, The House of Blues with Trombone Shorty on April 23, and a midnight gig at DBA on Frenchman Street on April 30. Cleary will perform on solo piano as part of a Piano Tribute at the Fairgrounds on Saturday, April 24 featuring Dr. John and Davell Crawford and at DBA on April 29. Check the shows page for all the dates. Don't miss the 41st New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival!

 

 


The CBD will be grooving to the funk of Piano, Bass & Drums on April 14 for the 2010 Wednesdays at the Square Concert Series. This is a great time to get outside after the workday with a drink and shake your money maker.

 

 


Australian fans are in store for a new treat this March when Nathan Farrell Entertainment brings Jon Cleary down under for the world premiere his new lineup Piano, Bass & Drums featuring James Singleton and Doug Belotes. This national tour will culminate at the 21st Anniversary of the Byron Bay Bluesfest April 3 and 4 and include a string of club dates in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Newcastle and one very intimate solo show in Sydney. See full tour on the Shows Page.

 

 


The year 2010 might be the year of the piano. To culminate the first decade of the 21st century, JC will be doing a Thursday Night Solo Piano Series at the cozy DBA nightclub on Frenchman Street. Each night will be a rendezvous with new and classic Cleary material, Caribbean ramblings, New Orleans inspired ivory tickling, and much more. Dates include January 7, 14, 21, 28 and February 4 and 25.

 

 


Cleary brings Piano, Bass & Drums back to Acadiana for a return visit to the down-home Blue Moon Saloon in Lafayette. The illustrious Matt Perrine will be on sousaphone and upright with hometown boy Doug Belote on the drums. Come pass a good time down Lafayette way with PBD.

 

 


Check out this in-depth interview with Mr. Harry Shearer on his Le Show, right online with no delay.

 

 


Introducing the new Jon Cleary Facebook Page.  Check it out and share with your friends on Facebook.

 

 


On Dec. 18 and 19, JC will be performing on solo piano at the annual fundraiser known as Judith Owen and Harry Shearer Annual Holiday Singalong at the Contemporary Arts Center in New Orleans. Proceeds will benefit the New Orleans Musician's Clinic and Tipitina's Foundation. Other performers include The Pfister Sisters, Matt Perrine, Tom McDermott, Leah Chase, Phillip Manuel, and David Torkanowsky. Come out and support a great cause with Harry and Judith.

 

 


"And then there’s Jon Cleary. It’s difficult to discern what’s more remarkable: His voice, with its beautifully worn timbre that fills the room, or his Professor Longhair-inspired piano playing, which reinforces the well-documented theory that British guys have an uncanny aptitude for American roots music. But then he dons a Stratocaster—guitar was his first instrument—and all bets are off." Read more here.

 

 


"In the lineage of those who originated and/or perpetuated  New Orleans style piano playing there are greats like Tuts Washington, Professor Longhair, James Booker, Dr. John, Allen Toussaint, Henry Butler, Davell Crawford and then there is Jon Cleary. Unlike the rest, he's not from the city nor even from this country – he was born in England. Through listening, studying, absorbing and loving the style, Cleary got it – has it." Click here for full article.

 

 


Introducing the new Jon Cleary Facebook Page.  Check it out and share with your friends on Facebook.

 

 


John Scofield will be taking the Piety Street Band back to Europe to raise those hands with spiritual vigor joined by JC on keys and vocals, the great George Porter, Jr. on bass, and the inimitable Shannon Powell on skins. This will be the last tour of 2009 with specific dates listed here.

 

 


Cleary's Piano, Bass & Drums will be setting up shop for a weekly residency in the intimate confines of dba on Frenchman Street in the Faubourg Marigny on Thursdays in October on 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29. The trio will feature funky drummer Doug Belote (Larry Carlton, Jerry Douglas), with bassists Matt Perrine on Oct. 1 & 29; James Singleton (Astral Project, James Booker) on Oct. 8, 15, and 22. Come for the weekly hang to check out JC's newest material while sampling dba's amazing selection of whiskey and tequila.

 

 


Put on your freakiest costume and head down to the Maple Leaf on Saturday, October 31st for a slamming show with Cleary's new trio featuring the sly funk of drummer Doug Belote, the lyrical bass playing of James Singleton with special guest Donald Harrison on saxophone. It will be a night to remember!

 

 


"I start my rainy Sunday stroll catching the last couple of songs from the Jon Cleary Trio’s set on the Market Stage. The group is comprised of Mr. Cleary on keys of course, Doug Belote on drums and James Singleton on stand-up bass. They sound amazing. The trio can be found playing now on Thursday nights at D.B.A. on Frenchman Street. I walk up as a song is ending and it’s drizzling but there is a second line procession happening right outside the stage, the kind that always makes you want to stop what your doing and shake your groove thang." Click here for full article.

 

 


Piano, Bass & Drums will hit the road from New Orleans to Lafayette for the first time at The Blue Moon Saloon on Friday, October 16 and Chelsea's Cafe on Saturday, October 17. This will be an amazing weekend of funky music.

 

 


JC and his funky trio will be performing on Sunday, October 4 at the Gretna Heritage Festival across the Mississippi from The Crescent City. Playing at on the Market Stage at 4 PM alongside good friends including Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue and Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk. Check out the heritage on the West Bank.


 

 


Jon Cleary will performing with his new group,
Piano, Bass & Drums at the original Tipitina's Uptown on Saturday, September 26 at 10 PM, with young-gun trumpeter Shamarr Allen and his group The Underdawgs opening the show. The new trio features Lafayette-native Doug Belote (Larry Carlton, Jerry Douglas) on drums, multi-instrumentalist Matt Perrine (Bonerama, Nightcrawler, Stanton Moore), on upright bassist, and JC on acoustic piano. Cleary returns back to Tip's for the first time since 2007. This will be "A Serious Night of Funk!

 

 


Tune in to the New Orleans Music Show at 12 Noon on Friday for a little solo piano and catch up with Jon. Those outside The Crescent can listen online at WWOZ.org.


 

 


Jon Cleary has been quite busy this year touring with John Scofield & The Piety Street Band from Europe to Asia to Israel and all over the US. The latest lineup includes Crescent City stalwarts Shannon Powell on drums, and accomplished Jazz bassist, Roland Guerin. The group will be performing at the 52nd Annual Monterey Jazz Festival in Northern California on Saturday, September 19. This will be the last date for a while until The Piety Band tours Europe in November. Come check out this year's festival with artists including Chick Corea, Dave Brubeck, Pete Seeger, Susan Tedeschi, and many more.

 

 


Cleary, Scofield and the Piety Band will bring their churning funk and gospel grooves from the Red Sea Jazz Festival in Israel August 25-26, to the legendary Hollywood Bowl on Sept. 2, all the way to Asia for the Tokyo Jazz Festival Sept. 5,  and finish at the famed Monterey Jazz Festival on Sept. 19.  Dates and details here.

 

 


John Scofield & The Piety Street Band will be spreading the gospel to Europe with a month of dates in July.  Jon Cleary will be on vocals and keys supporting Sco along with funky Donald Ramsey on bass, and dynamic Shannon Powell on the skins.  They will be performing at festivals and venues all over Europe.  Check the tour dates here.

 

 


"Jon Cleary, the first in the long line of great New Orleans "piano professors" to have been born in England. He performed as vibrant and clean and swinging a boogie woogie to open his set as I've ever heard. If I ever rub a genie out of a lamp, one of my three wishes will be to play piano like Jon Cleary." Read more

 

 


JC will be doing a few gigs on the road in June returning the the famed Rochester International Jazz Festival for 2-days on June 13 and 14, followed by an early evening performance on June 15 at The Ramshead Tavern in Annapolis, MD, always a great gig.  These shows will features a trio called Jon Cleary:  Piano, Bass & Drums featuring the great New Orleans acoustic bassist James Singleton of Astral Project, and the funky Doug Belote on drums, who most recently has toured with dobro-legend Jerry Douglas, and jazz icon Larry Carlton.  For more information visit the tour page.

 

 


JC had a great solo piano tour in the UK performing at venues such as The Jazz Cafe and The Southport Festival. During the trip he stopped by music aficionado Paul Jones studio for a one-on-one. The session will be broadcast on the BBC, Monday, June 8th. More info.