Gerald William Clayton (born May 11, 1984) is a Dutch-born American jazz pianist and composer.
Biography Clayton attended the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts; USC's Thornton School of Music, where he studied piano with Billy Childs; and the Manhattan School of Music, where he studied with Kenny Barron.
He has performed and recorded with Roy Hargrove, Diana Krall, Ben Wendel, Dianne Reeves, Terri Lyne Carrington, Ambrose Akinmusire, Dayna Stephens, Kendrick Scott, Ben Williams, Terell Stafford & Dick Oatts, Michael Rodriguez, Avishai Cohen, Sachal Vasandani, Gretchen Parlato, and the Clayton Brothers Quintet. Clayton has also enjoyed an extended association with saxophone legend, Charles Lloyd, both touring and recording with Lloyd since early 2013.
Clayton's work has received numerous Grammy nominations. In 2012 and 2013, he received Grammy nominations for The Paris Sessions (Concord) and Life Forum (Concord). In 2010, he was nominated for Best Instrumental Composition for "Battle Circle", which is featured on the Clayton Brothers album, New Song and Dance. In 2009, he was nominated for Best Improvised Jazz Solo for his solo on Cole Porter's "All of You" from his debut album, Two-Shade.
Clayton plays piano with his father, John Clayton, and uncle, Jeff Clayton, on the Clayton Brothers' 2009 album Brother to Brother, which received a Grammy nomination in the Best Jazz Instrumental Album category. The album holds loosely to a theme of songs that were made famous by Thad, Hank and Elvin Jones and other brother groups in jazz. Clayton's piano playing on this album was described by Ben Ratliff of The New York Times as "[filling] up the available space" with Clayton "busying himself with prettiness and authority...If you've listened to much hard bop or mainstream jazz of the early '60s, you might find some easygoing clichés in his playing – or maybe even an awful lot of them – but they are smoothly rendered. More important, the friendly rhetoric of this music allows them."
Clayton has served as Musical Director of the Monterey Jazz Festival On Tour, and as Director of the Monterey Jazz Next Generation Jazz Orchestra.
Discography Studio albums + List of studio albums with details and chart positions Title Details Peak chart positions USJazz USTrad.Jazz Two-Shade Released: 2009 Label: ArtistShare Format: CD, digital download, streaming — — Bond: The Paris Sessions Released: 2011 Label: EmArcy Format: CD, digital download, streaming 25 12 Life Forum Released: 2013 Label: Concord Format: CD, digital download, streaming 13 9 Tributary Tales Released: April 21, 2017 Label: Motéma Format: LP, CD, digital download, streaming Bells On Sand Released: April 1, 2022 Label: Blue Note Format: LP, CD, digital download, streaming Ones & Twos Released: April 11, 2025 Label: Blue Note Format: LP, CD, digital download, streaming Ones & Twos: Expanded Edition Released: May 30, 2025 Label: Blue Note Format: LP, CD, digital download, streaming
Collaborative albums + List of collaborative albums with details and chart positions Title Details Peak chart positions USJazz USTrad.Jazz Reverence(Kendrick Scott featuring Walter Smith, Gerald Clayton, Mike Moreno, and Derrick Hodge) Released: August 13, 2009 Label: Criss Cross Format: CD, digital download, streaming — — While We're Still Young(Patrick Cornelius featuring Gerald Clayton, Jason Palmer, John Ellis, Kendrick Scott, Miles Okazaki, Nick Vayenas, and Peter Slavov) Released: February 12, 2016 Label: Whirlwind Format: CD, digital download, streaming — — Let Loose(Peter Bernstein featuring Gerald Clayton, Doug Weiss, and Bill Stewart) Released: May 6, 2016 Label: Smoke Sessions Format: CD, digital download, streaming 20 10 Songs and Photographs(Anthony Wilson featuring Gerald Clayton, Jay Bellerose, Joshua Crumbly, and Patrick Warren) Released: December 7, 2018 Label: Goat Hill Format: CD, digital download, streaming — — Sanctuary(with Matt Slocum and Larry Grenadier) Released: May 31, 2019 Label: Sunnyside Format: CD, digital download, streaming — — Short Stories (Vincente Archer featuring Gerald Clayton and Bill Stewart) Released: June 9, 2023 Label: Cellar Music Format: CD, digital download, streaming Motion I (Out Of/Into featuring Matt Brewer, Gerald Clayton, Joel Ross, Kendrick Scott, and Immanuel Wilkins) Released: December 6, 2024 Label: Blue Note Format: LP, CD, digital download, streaming
Live albums + List of live albums with details and chart positions Title Details Happening: Live at The Village Vanguard Released: July 10, 2020 Label: Blue Note Format: CD, digital download, streaming
Singles As lead artist + List of singles as lead artist with year and album name Title Year Album "Lift Every Voice and Sing"(with Preservation Hall Jazz Band) 2021 Music from the Movie MLK/FBI "Theme from MLK/FBI"(with Preservation Hall Jazz Band) "If It Was" (with Gretchen Parlato, Alan Hampton, & John Clayton)2025—
As featured artist + List of singles as featured artist with year and album name Title Year Album "Smooth and You"(Ralph Johnson featuring Gerald Clayton) 2020 "Hourglass Sea"(Sachal Vasandani featuring Gerald Clayton) 2020
Guest appearances + List of non-single guest appearances, showing year released, other artist(s) featured, and album name Title Year Other artist(s) Album "Listen Here" 2013 Jackie Ryan Listen Here
Piano credits YearArtistTitle2023Vicente ArcherShort Stories2020Charles Lloyd8: Kindred Spirits (Live from the Lobero)2018John ScofieldCombo 662016Peter BernsteinLet Loose2016Ben WendelWhat We Bring2015Matthew StevensWoodwork2013Terri Lyne CarringtonMoney Jungle: Provocative in Blue2011Ambrose AkinmusireWhen the Heart Emerges Glistening 2010 Dick Oatts & Terell Stafford QuintetBridging the Gap 2009Melissa Morgan Until I Met You 2009Roy HargroveEmergence2008Roy HargroveEarfood2006Diana KrallFrom This Moment On 2006Diana KrallChristmas Songs2006Roberta GambariniEasy to Love2005Laura WellandDissertation on the State of Bliss2004Teedra Moses Complex Simplicity 2003Bobby RodriguezTrumpet Talk
Awards and nominations YearAssociationCategoryWorkResultReference 2011 Edison Awards Best International Jazz Album Bond: The Paris Sessions 2009 Grammy Awards Best Improvised Jazz Solo "All of You" (Cole Porter) 2010 Best Instrumental Composition "Battle Circle" 2011 Best Jazz Instrumental Album Bond: The Paris Sessions 2013 Life Forum 2020 Happening: Live at the Village Vanguard Best Improvised Jazz Solo "Celia" (Bud Powell) 2026Best Contemporary Instrumental AlbumOnes & TwosPending
References
External links Gerald Clayton official website