Jon Cleary is the piano player of choice for many US artists.  He has played for Walter Wolfman Washington, Taj Mahal and many others.  He is currently musical director in Bonnie Raitt's band, Jon recorded a conversation he had with music enthusiast Paul Siegal for Blues In Britain.  He talked about various piano styles, which he demonstrated on his piano in his home in New Orleans.  Fran Leslie talked to Jon and his family, recently, wehn he was visiting them in Kent.  Here she tells what she learnt about Jon's beginnings in music.  Jon Cleary is touring Europe and the UK in July 2008 with his own band, The Absolute Monster Gentleman.

Jon Cleary, an Englishman, is so highly rated as a piano player in New Orleans that he is widely acknowledged as their next 'Professor' in a long line that stretches from Jelly Roll Morton, through Professor Longhair and James Booker, to name but a few, and includes today's living exponents of the art, Dr. John and Alan Toussaint.  He has lived there for most of his adult life, soaking up the atmosphere.  Jon's career has had its lucky breaks, but his success is down to hard work in the main.  At the age of six or thereabouts, Jon has taught the basics of guitar by his father, and ex-skiffle man, but within a short time he had developed to the extent that he left the 'old man' behind.

Jon continued to develop his guitar skills in his room or playing at friends' parties.  At family gatherings, his growing ability welcomed since most of his relatives either played or sang the popular songs of the 50's and 60's giving Jon an early introduction to the music of New Orleans.  A deeper knowledge was gathered from the piles of records that were brought back by uncles, one of them having lived in New Orleans for a couple of years and who has probably the strongest influence on Jon's love of the music of the Crescent City. 

Although Jon’s skill was recognized at home, it was a suprise to his father when a local in their quiet village in Kent started raving about Jon's ability.  His father enquired where he had seen Jon perform and was amazed when the reply was 'In Deano's Bar (a local pub, officially The Duke of York), he plays there every Friday.'  At this time Jon would have been under the legal age to even be allowed in the place.  Jon tells how his father turned up on the following Friday. His father walked to the bar, glanced at Jon who was trying to make himself disapear, ordered two pints  and took one over to Jon saying, 'Keep it up kid, it sounds great!'  Soon Jon was playing with other musicians in the area including a period with the much respected Delta Wing led by the noted musician Roger Hubbard.

Jon was a student at the West Kent College of Art and took his Art A level exam after a year instead of the usual two, since his progress was notable.  Getting a grade A posed a problem, was his future to be in art or music?  Having gained a year, Jon spent some time on a building site to earn sufficient money to get him to New Orleans, the place of his dreams, and left for a trip that was expected to last about three weeks.  He came back two years later.  During his stay, he had transferred his knowledge of the guitar to an old clapped out piano in his rented house in New Orleans, improving on the time he had spent on his Grandmother's piano at home.

He worked at his first gardening and then painting the Maple Leaf Bar, where a major benefit was being allowed to play the piano during breaks.  This lead to him being asked to stand in for James Booker when he failed to turn up one night and the place was full.  Booker died soon after this and Jon took over the weekly gig, so this lucky break enabled a significant start to his music career.  His hard work and progress from this point is well documented. 

Today, Jon Cleary is recognized as a fine exponent of the influence that made New Orleans famous as 'the piano city'.  His deep knowledge of its musical history enables him to discuss in detail how styles developed and his music encompasses the heart and soul of New Orleans.  Jon is also an elegant guitarist - his first instrument - and the hope is that we will hear more of this as well in the future. 

The CD Jon Cleary Talk so Blues In Britain (ABACA CD011) is free to all subscribers.