Bassist John Clayton will receive the Bruce Lundvall Visionary Award at this year’s Jazz Congress, being held January 8 and 9 at Jazz at Lincoln Center. Clayton, Co-Founder of the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, won a Grammy Award in 2007 for his arrangement of “I’m Gonna Live ’till I Die” sung by Queen Latifah on her Verve Universal album, Travelin’ Light. He received seven additional Grammy nominations.
During his career, Clayton has performed with the Count Basie Orchestra and with such notable artists as vibraphonist Milt Jackson, pianist Monty Alexander, and vocalist Diana Krall. The award will be presented to him by his son, pianist Gerald Clayton. It is named in honor of the late President of Blue Note Records, Bruce Lundvall.
Other Jazz Congress highlights include:
- A concert celebrating the life and career of guitarist Russell Malone, who passed away in August 2024. Performers will include bassist Ron Carter, guitarists Ed Cherry and Dave Stryker, and pianist Kenny Barron.
- A panel discussion discussing the lives and legacies of Dizzy Gillespie and Louis Armstrong. Among panel members are trumpeter Jon Faddis and trumpeter/vocalist Bria Skonberg.
- A panel commemorating the life and career of drummer Roy Haynes, who passed away in November at the age of 99. Participants will include Haynes family members and bassists Dave Holland and John Patitucci.
The Jazz Congress was founded in 2018. For more information or to register, email customer service@jazz.org or all (212) 258-9800.