Festa: Jon Cleary

Festa: Jon Cleary

In the hallowed ranks of New Orleans “piano professors,” Jon Cleary is on the tenure track. Born in England and bred in New Orleans, Jon Cleary is a triple threat, combining soulful vocals, masterful piano skills, and a knack for composing infectious grooves with melodic hooks and sharp lyrics. He balances a career performing on solo piano, with noted funk band The Absolute Monster Gentlemen, and his power trio Jon Cleary’s Philthy Phew, alongside a career as a notorious hired gun with the likes of Bonnie Raitt and John Scofield. Cleary has toured with Bonnie Raitt since 1999, and has appeared on the albums Silver Lining and Souls Alike. On these recordings, Raitt covered the Cleary originals, “Fool’s Game,” “Monkey Business,” “Unnecessarily Mercenary,” and ”Love on One Condition.”