On Monday, August 26 the church was packed and fans eagerly awaited the arrival of Jon Cleary. Jon is a British-born musician, singer, and songwriter renowned for his mastery of New Orleans-style music. Born on August 11, 1962, in Kent, Cleary moved to New Orleans in his early twenties, driven by a deep passion for the city’s rich musical heritage. He quickly immersed himself in the local music scene, becoming an accomplished pianist and absorbing the distinctive sounds of New Orleans funk, R&B, and jazz.
What a concert, what a musician. “Awesome,” people were remarking as they left the concert.
In the audience were Jon’s family and his father Don told me a little bit about his talented son.
How did Jon start his musical journey and on which instrument did it begin?
His first instrument was a small guitar. I remember someone raving about his skill. When I asked where he had heard Jon playing (which he had been doing since he had turned fourteen) he replied “He plays every week at Dino’s Bar with Eric Money”. The next week I went in, called for a couple of pints, went up to Jon saying, “That’s really good kid, keep it up,” and put his drink down ‘on stage’. Four years later, influenced by his uncle John, he went off to New Orleans … we didn’t see him for two years.
Was his playing influenced by any musician in particular?
His uncle John had lived in New Orleans for a couple of years and became his main reason for going to the Crescent City.
What was Jon like growing up? What adjectives would you use to describe him?
Always a really nice bloke who passed his A level fine art in a year, instead of the usual two, giving him a year off. When asked what he planned to do he replied, “It’s difficult, I can be either an artist or a musician” – thankfully he made the right choice.
Do you travel with him to hear his concerts ?
At the age of eighty-eight it is too difficult for me now, so only local gigs for me, though my wife Sheila, herself from a musical family and a main influence, visits his London gigs – as do all the family. We will of course be there when he plays at his old school in Cranbrook in September.
Can you think of one funny quirky story about him and his musical journey?
Cuba was his influence so it was inevitable that he should try to get in, even when it was banned for Americans to travel there … but he was English.
Image Credits: Kt bruce .