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Jon Cleary was born in London in 1962 not the first line you expect in a bio about a New Orleans piano great, is it? Not only that, but hes a multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, arranger and producer, as well. Guitar was his first love, starting in England at age 5, moving on to performing at 11 and graduating to working as a musician at 14. At age 16 he formed Delta Wing with renowned blues slide guitarist Roger Hubbard (of whom Muddy Waters said in 1972: Roger Hubbard is as good as any blues guitarist in the UK or the United States.) This would be the first of his many brushes with greatness.As a teen Cleary grew increasingly interested in funk-infused music and discovered that three such songs that he particularly admired LaBelles Lady Marmalade, Robert Palmers version of Sneakin Sally Through the Alley, and Frankie Millers rendition of Brickyard Blues were attributed to Allen Toussaint as either the songwriter, the producer, or both. Clearys knowledge of Toussaints work expanded significantly when his uncle returned home to the U.K., after a two-year sojourn in New Orleans, with a copy of a Toussaint LP and two suitcases full of New Orleans R&B 45s. The match was struck. In 1981 Cleary flew to New Orleans for an initial pilgrimage and took a cab straight from the airport to the Maple Leaf Bar, a storied venue which then featured such great blues-rooted eclectic pianists as Roosevelt Sykes and James Booker. Cleary first worked at the Maple Leaf as a painter, but soon graduated to playing piano the instrument for which he is known today.His mastery of the New Orleans style landed him gigs playing as a session musician in the bands of local legends Earl King, Johnny Adams, Walter Wolfman Washington, Snooks Eaglin, Ernie K-Doe, Jessie Hill and as a guitarist for Mac Rebennack (Dr John).Listen, we got a guy by the name of Johnny Cleary whos been livin in Nawlins for a long time. Hes got the spirit. You cant beat that. -Dr. John
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