MSU jazz orchestras with John Clayton, jazz bass

The Michigan State University jazz orchestras, accompanied by Grammy-winning bassist, composer, arranger and producer John Clayton, will cap off a busy week of College of Music ensemble performances 3 p.m. Sunday (Dec. 8) at the Fairchild Theatre.

Clayton is the second guest of MSU jazz studies’ 2024-‘25 Jazz Artist in Residence program. Leading up to his performance with the jazz orchestras, he’s touring the state with MSU musicians to mentor youth artists.

On top of his 2008 Grammy win for best instrumental arrangement accompanying vocalist(s), Clayton has been nominated for nine additional awards and has written or recorded with artists such as Yo-Yo Ma, Diana Krall, Paul McCartney, Regina Carter, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Gladys Knight, Queen Latifah and many others. He even wrote the arrangement of the “Star Spangled Banner” for Whitney Houston’s 1990 Super Bowl performance. He began seriously studying double bass at age 16 under Ray Brown and served as the Amsterdam Philharmonic Orchestra’s principal bassist from 1980 to 1984 and the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s artistic director of jazz from 1998 through 2001. He’s also issued numerous recordings with the Clayton Brothers Quintet, which he founded alongside his late brother Jeff, and the 19-piece Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra.

Tickets for Sunday’s concert range from $7 to $17 and can be purchased online at music.msu.edu, by calling (517) 353-5340 or at the door.