If you want to be a real New Orleans bluesman, you got to live the life of a real New Orleans bluesman.
As a young man barely out of high school, English-born musician Jon Cleary left Kent in England for the bright lights and murky swamps of The Big Easy.
Thirty-five years later and Jon has become a defining part of The Crescent City's steeped, musical heritage. “I left [England] after I finished school at about 17 or 18 and came to New Orleans,” Jon says.
“To play that [New Orleans] music properly you have to live here in New Orleans.”
“It was a bit of a bold step. I didn't really know what to expect. I didn't really have much of a plan, didn't have any money, I didn't have anything lined up and I didn't know anybody. I just knew I wanted to get to New Orleans, so I did and I'm still here and that was something like 35 years ago.”
Bold, brash or downright foolhardy, Jon says that even as a young man in England he felt the irresistible pull of New Orleans and knew that if he was going to be one of the greats there was only one place for him to go. “To play that [New Orleans] music properly you have to live here in New Orleans,” he explains.
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“You have to drink the water, eat the food, parade in the second lines at Mardi Gras and the jazz festival, soak and sweat in the heat.
“You have to live that life and that's an important part of where the soul comes from in the music. You can look at it from afar and pop [sic] the notes, but it's the feeling behind the notes that you get from actually living here.”
Jon honed his craft working with some of the truly great masters of rhythm and blues, including Allen Toussaint, James Booker, Ernie K-Doe and Dr John, and with the passing of time finds himself part of the respected 'old guard' of the style.
“I learned on the bandstand what it takes to play a night of New Orleans rhythm and blues,” Jon says.
“Sadly most of them are dead and gone now, but I've been here so long that I'm actually one of the old cats now,” he laughs.
In 2015 Jon released his most recent album 'GoGo Juice' (which won a 2016 Grammy Award) and in November will be bringing his live show to Australia, along with his all-star band, the Absolute Monster Gentlemen featuring AJ Hall (drums), Cornell Williams (bass) and Nigel Hall (second keyboard), with Jon doing vocals and lead piano.
“We have a lot of dedicated fans in Australia,” Jon says.
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“We've played there a bunch of times over the years and I don't think I've ever had a bad gig in Australia – don't think I've ever had a bad gig actually.
“[Australia's] the place to be; the people are very kind to us, they make us feel very welcome and they really get it, they understand the New Orleans music, so I think we're going to have a lot of fun.”
Jon Cleary Shows
3-4 Nov - Wangaratta Festival Of Jazz & BluesSun 5 Nov - Heritage Hotel (Wollongong)
Tue 7 Nov - The Brass Monkey (Sydney)
Wed 8 Nov - Canberra Theatre
Thu 9 Nov - Lizotte's Newcastle
10-12 Nov - The Basement (Sydney)
14-16 Nov - Bird's Basement (Melbourne)
Fri 17 Nov - The Zoo (Brisbane)
18-19 Nov - Mullum Music Festival (Mullumbimby)
Tue 21 Nov - Fly By Night (Fremantle)
22-23 Nov - The Ellington Jazz Club (Perth)
Fri 24 Nov - The Gov (Adelaide)
25-26 Nov - Queenscliff Festival (Victoria)
