CONTACT:
Marcia Robbins
(818) 776-1244 Ext. 15
mrobbins@robbinsgrp.com
Tomorrow's Jazz Giants Today at The Madrid
CANOGA PARK, Calif. (October 5, 2003) -- The future of jazz is happening right now at the MADRID THEATRE in
Canoga Park, CA. Beginning Saturday, November 21, 2003, the Madrid Theatre will host
TOMORROW'S JAZZ GIANTS, a six part series that will run throughout the Madrid's 2003-2004
concert season. Showcasing the young men and women whose considerable talents are
keeping the flame of American jazz, blazing TOMORROW'S JAZZ GIANTS at the Madrid will
begin its season on Saturday, November 21, 2003 at 8 pm with young jazz virtuosos, Gerald
Clayton and the Gerald Clayton Trio and the Matt Roberts Group.
The GERALD CLAYTON TRIO features Gerald Clayton on piano, Dan Lutz on bass, and Kevin Kanner on drums.
Born in Utreche, the Netherlands on May 11, 1984, Gerald, the son of Grammy-nominated jazz
bassist, John Clayton, moved to the United States as a child and began playing the piano at
the age of six. He graduated from Los Angeles County High School for the Arts in 2002 having
already attracted considerable attention in the jazz community, winning the
Spotlight Award in
2001 and the
Outstanding Soloist Award at the Monterey High School Jazz Competition, in
2001 and 2002. In January 2002, Clayton was chosen to play with the
Grammy High School
Big Band comprised of high school students selected from the entire United States, and was
presented with the "Level 1" Award by the National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts.
Most recently, he was named
Presidential Scholar in the Arts, and in June 2002, he performed at
Steinway Hall in New York City where he received a scholarship from the
Music for Youth Foundation.
In recent years, all three members of the GERALD CLAYTON TRIO have been awarded the
Shelly
Manne Memorial New Talent Award by the
Los Angeles Jazz Society.
Clayton currently attends the University of Southern California.
Guitarist Matt Roberts leads his eponymous contemporary jazz ensemble, the MATT ROBERTS GROUP,
performing original compositions and arrangements that convey honest emotion, artistry,
sophistication, and originality. A North Hollywood native who began his guitar studies when
only twelve years old, Roberts attended the performing arts program at Van Nuys High School,
graduating in 2000. He spent the next two years focusing on classical guitar at Cal State Northridge,
where he had the distinction of being the first jazz guitarist to receive the
Andres Segovia Award.
Currently, Roberts is a member of the Studio/Jazz Guitar program at USC. THE MATT ROBERTS GROUP
consists of Roberts on guitar, vocalist Kara Grizzel, Albano Sales on piano, Andre de Santanna on bass,
Sandro Feliciano on drums, and percussionist Danny Taylor.
Jazz enthusiasts - do not miss this opportunity to hear these rising young talents. Tickets are available
through the Madrid Theatre Box Office: (818) 347-9938 or or
boxoffice@madridtheatre.org
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