A much needed musical treat for troubled times…
John Clayton – The Two-O-Duo Project – Artist Share #AS-0251 – CD – 60:11 – *****
(John Clayton – bass; Gerald Clayton – piano; René Marie – vocals)
When you have three creative and intuitive jazz artists, motivated to work together on a project, you might only need one day for them to weave their magic. Such was the case for a fan funded ArtistShare vision for bassist, John Clayton, his talented pianist son, Gerald, and soulful vocalist, René Marie.
Recorded on June 3, 2024, John wanted to record duos with them, and the resulting vision, The Two-O-Duo Project, is both inspiring for its brilliance, and deeply needed as a musical healing salve for our present troubling times.
The joy they bring is ever so welcoming.
The choice for the song list is fairly standard (at least six of the eleven tracks are well known) but the presentation is creative, leaving plenty of room for improvisation. Much of that credit should be given to Ms. Marie, as she explores lyrics that we might know, but with such reflective care, and emotion, that listeners can re-examine the lyrics with “new ears.”
Whether it be chestnuts like “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” “Some Other Time,” or a “Smile” medley, René adds a “hip sauce,” or a caress that reinvigorates classic lyrics with a new twist. Carole King’s “Beautiful,” from her landmark album, Tapestry, gets a “face lift,” while Roy Orbison’s “Blue Bayou,” and Billy Joel’s “The Longest Time,” bloom in a jazz setting.
Father and son, John and Gerald, both buttress René’s vocals, but add their brilliance to the mix. Gerald’s sparkling piano choruses, and John’s muscular bass lines (and his glorious arco playing on “En La Orilla Del Mundo,” and bowed intro on Ellington’s “Come Sunday”) make this project shine.
The instrumentals, “Nail in Need,” (written to honor the late Jeff Clayton), and the closer “Forth,” bring a new dimension to the CD. The layered keyboards and overdubbed bass, on the latter tune give a spirited multi-textured close to a one hour joyous musical respite that will brighten anyone’s day. This marvelous CD can be purchased direct from ArtistShare at https://www.artistshare.com/home/shop
—Review by Jeff Krow
John Clayton – The Two-O-Duo Project
Tracklist:
Blue Bayou, Nail in Need, Beautiful, On the Day You Were Born, En La Orilla Del Mundo, The Longest Time, Smile Medley, Some Other Time, Come Sunday, Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Forth
