After performing at Manchester Arena as part of Bonnie Raitt’s band, Jon Cleary will release his new album Dyna-Mite.
Grammy Award winner Cleary performed a string of six sold out nights at Ronnia Scott’s in London in May and now the New Orleans piano player and songwriter returns to the UK performing as part of Bonnie Raitt’s band on her headline tour opening in Manchester.
And mid tour he will release his latest album, the 10-song Dyna-Mite on 13 July. Cleary is widely regarded as one of great heirs to the city’s world-changing music heritage – an outsider from Kent who has improbably become a beloved personality in his adopted hometown.
Recorded at Music Shed Studios, The Parlor and Cleary’s own Funk Headquarters studio in the historic Bywater neighbourhood of NOLA, Dyna-Mite opens with the self-titled track lifting the feeling of marching through the Now Orleans French Quarter. “The idea for “Dyna-mite” and the whole first verse came to me, unbidden and complete, on a plane as we were about to take off for an overseas tour,” explains Cleary. “The rest of the song came pretty easily and I had in the back of my mind an image from an old gig poster on my wall of Etta James, billing her as ‘Li’l Miss Dyna-mite’. I’ve wanted a new tune in the set that had that funky old Caribbean groove and we nailed it in the first take, live vocals and all.”
Cleary wrote every song on the album and co-wrote 21st Century Gypsy Singing Lover Man with Taj Mahal, all of which display his mastery of his craft regardless of what instrument he’s playing. “I’m a jack of all trades, and a master of none,” says Cleary
Jon Cleary performs as part of Bonnie Raitt’s band on her six date UK tour:
9 July – Manchester, Manchester Arena
10 July – Glasgow, SSE Hydro Arena
12 July – Leeds, First Direct Arena
13 July – Dublin, RDS Arena
15 July – London, Hyde Park
17 July – Cardiff, Motorpoint Arena