When British-born musician Jon Cleary arrived in New Orleans at the age of 18, he immediately headed the Maple Leaf Bar, a legendary jazz club.
"Someone had given me a matchbox of the Maple Leaf Bar, so I called the bar from the airport, and it was the sister of an ex-girlfriend of my uncle [who] happened to be happened to be passing through New Orleans," he said. "I got a job behind the bar."
In the nearly five decades since, the Grammy-winning pianist and singer has become a leader in the music of the Big Easy, mixing the roots of jazz and blues with funk and soul.
He brought that mix to the KNKX studios in 2023. He was accompanied by his band, the Absolute Monster Gentlemen: Cornell Williams on bass, A.J. Hall on drums, Pedro Segundo on percussion.
Cleary first learned about the music he would make his career from his uncle Johnny, who traveled the world, including a couple of years in New Orleans, and he brought treasures home to his curious nephew.
"I grew up hearing these stories and got letters about this amazing music. When he came back, he had two suitcases full of 45s, and that's how I got this amazing education in New Orleans funk and rhythm and blues music," Cleary said.
Cleary arrived in New Orleans with a suitcase and $100, which didn't last him long.
"I spent half of it on my first day at Jim Russell's Rare Record Shop. I spent fifty bucks. It was great. In England, you couldn't. You had to scour obscure market stalls trying to find these records," he said.
At the Maple Leaf Bar, Cleary got a job digging up banana trees in the back patio for the owner of the bar, a character known as the Fat Man, who made him a great offer.
"We'll pay you five bucks an hour, and you can work whatever hours you want. You get to see all the bands for nothing. You can come in the bar and see all the bands for free, and you get half-price drink in the evening, and you get free drink while you work," he said. "Only in New Orleans would it be that way round. You know what I mean."
Cleary felt right at home at the Maple Leaf Bar, studying his musical heroes like the legendary pianist James Booker and learning the foundations of New Orleans music. He was able to see his heroes every night after a day of clearing banana trees.
"It took me and my mates six months, and I lived in the bar. That was my living room, and James Booker, all these great musicians, would come in and play. All my friends in England would go to university. That was my university," Cleary said.
Cleary appeared on the New Orleans-centered HBO series Treme, and has become a spokesman for the city's music scene. Though, his British accent might fool you.
"Technically, I'm an American citizen, but yeah, New Orleans put its stamp," he said. "I was hardwired for New Orleans music, I was just born in the wrong side of the pond."
On October 16, Cleary released a new record, Live at the Royal Albert Hall.
Songs heard in this episode:
- "I Feel So Damn Good (Happy When I Get the Blues)"
- "Frenchman Street Blues"
- "Got To Be More Careful"
