"Jim is the new Vince Guaraldi!"-Bill Summers (Herbie Hancock's Headhunters)

announces the new releaseJim Clayton

Songs My Daughter Knows

After scoring successes as co-leader of TheClayton/Scott Group, which won three national awards inhis native Canada, pianist-composer Jim Clayton decidedto delve into more personal territory on his most recentproject. Traveling from his base in Toronto to his belovedNew Orleans, Clayton assembled his Crescent City dreamband, including drummer Jason Marsalis, percussionistBill Summers, trumpeter Marlon Jordan and bassistPeter Harris, for a studio session in May 2013. Dedicatedto and inspired by his daughter Lenny (not yet three at thetime of the recording) this is a collection of the songs thatcaught her ear during her first year. “It’s a musicalscrapbook for her, done in our favorite musical place.”

Whether it’s the rollicking second line groove on“Grouch Anthem” (sung by Oscar the Grouch on the 1985movie Follow That Bird), the bossa nova flavored “I Have aLittle Plant” (originally sung by Sesame Street’s Ernie), theProfessor Longhair inspired mambo boogie rendition of“Sing” (originally sung by Bob McGrath from SesameStreet in the show’s early stages) or their lightly swingingtake on “The Rainbow Connection”, Clayton and his stellarcrew recast these catchy ditties through a jazzy prism.

Count Basie’s vibrant “Flight of the Foo Birds”served as the soundtrack for home movies of Clayton'sdaughter. “Tea for Two” served as a lullaby, while“Autumn Leaves” was a tune played in the recovery roomafter her birth. The theme to The West Wing was anothermusical tidbit that caught Lenny’s ear, as was the DirtyDozen Brass Band’s rendition of the Cannonball Adderleytune “Inside Straight.” Clayton’s lone original here, “LittleLeo,” is named for Lenny’s astrological sign and written tothe chord changes to “Summertime.”

TRACKS:1. Grouch Anthem 3:182. Tea For Two 4:493. Inside Straight 3:324. The West Wing - Main Title 4:575. Flight Of The Foo Birds 3:026. I Have A Little Plant 4:437. Autumn Leaves 4:468. Little Leo 4:389. Sing 4:4110. The Rainbow Connection 4:37

MUSIC PROMOTION:Lisa Reedy Promotions(775) 826.0755lisa@jazzpromotion.comwww.jazzpromotion.com

PUBLICITY:Michael Bloom Media Relationsmusicpr@earthlink.net

LABEL & ARTIST:Clay-Tone RecordsJim Clayton(416) 919-4990jim@jimclaytonjazz.com