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“Sophisticated, nasty, good-time, low-down funk is the folk music of New Orleans. Everyone playing on this recording is a New Orleanian by birth or by choice, having learned their craft at the feet of the masters.”
– Jon Cleary
In the hallowed ranks of New Orleans “piano professors,” Jon Cleary has earned his tenure, a parking spot, and a basket of shiny red apples. Bonnie Raitt calls him the “eighth wonder of the world,” while to Taj Mahal and John Scofield, he is simply “the real deal” and “the successor to James Booker, Professor Longhair, and Dr. John.” Born and raised in the UK on American blues, jazz and soul records, his love of New Orleans music called him to The Crescent City as a teenager, where he immersed himself and sharpened his chops. Masterful piano skills, soulful vocals, and a knack for composing infectious grooves and clever lyrics help define his musical style while ear-to-ear smiles and tapping feet define his crowds’ reaction.
Now, after decades at the forefront of the city’s musical landscape, countless gigs, touring and playing with legends, and a Grammy award, Cleary decided to bring the NOLA sound back home, both figuratively and literally. Gathering his all-star big band, “The Absolute Monster Gentlemen,” in his home studio in the Bywater neighborhood of New Orleans, he drew up a setlist of some of his most beloved songs – and some new favorites – and rolled tape. Everyone together, as intended, live. “Close your eyes and imagine you’re in the room with us,” he says. “I hope you have as much fun listening as we did playing.”
