Bonnie Raitt calls him the eighth wonder of the world. That’s right, I’m talking about my guest in the Gumbo Kitchen, Jon Cleary, singer and piano player who tours with Bonnie Raitt. He just put out a brand new album, Live At Royal Albert Hall. He has a very cool story, originally from England, he packed up his bags and moved to New Orleans. He didn’t know where to go or a place to stay but he did have a matchbook that said Maple Leaf Bar, one of the oldest live music venues in New Orleans. So he went there, got a job which he told me all about in our conversation. He then took over from Professor Longhair and James Booker as the house pianist. This cat has worked and played with everyone from Taj Mahal, Dr. John and Walter “Wolfman” Washington. Jon Cleary’s Live At Royal Albert Hall, came out on October 2 and is available wherever music is sold.
Jon Cleary on bringing New Orleans to London’s Royal Albert Hall
Jon, congratulations on the new album brother, I love it. Was this album recorded on tour with Bonnie Raitt?
Yes it was. I was doing an European tour where I was the opening act and I was sitting in with Bonnie on her set. My set at these shows is 40 minutes which is just the right for a LP.
Growing up in England, I can imagine that Royal Albert Hall is a mecca, had you ever performed in that beautiful building before?
I did perform there once with Bonnie as well which was probably 15 years ago. Other than that, I had never been there to perform or even see a show.
So you come out and turn the place into the Maple Leaf?
Well I thought how do you approach something like this when you’re doing an opening slot for someone? Most people are coming to see the main act, usually when the opening band is on stage everyone is at the bar getting a drink. I’m playing solo piano at the Albert Hall playing New Orleans R&B, so I just came out and said ‘Hey everybody, it’s the Albert Hall but let’s pretend it’s a little joint in the French Quarter.’ Everyone seemed up for the that idea so that was the kind of vibe.
Jon, you’re an encyclopedia of New Orleans music, what age did you get turned on to the stuff?
Very young, my family was full of music lovers and musicians and there was always music around. My tastes leaned more towards New Orleans-style music and by coincidence, I had an uncle who lived in New Orleans and a mom and dad who grew up in the post-war years with New Orleans jazz. I think it’s in my DNA, I think it’s nature and nurture. With the musical family I grew up in, my learning background is a bit similar to the musicians in New Orleans. You don’t learn this stuff in school you learn it through osmosis, you absorb it through the pores of your skin. You learn it by example, so there was always New Orleans music on, jazz, rhythm and blues…. But I never really put the funk connection together. I didn’t realize a lot of the funky stuff I was really digging came out of New Orleans too. That was a revelation to me when I landed in New Orleans as a teenager on an adventure that is still going on.
This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.