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Burlington Piano Slam. TADADAKA UNNO meets CLIFTON ANDERSON

Herman T. Costello Lyceum
Burlington, NJ

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Burlington Piano Slam. TADADAKA UNNO meets CLIFTON ANDERSON

Clifton Anderson was born on October 5, 1957 in Harlem,
New York City. He grew up surrounded by music. His father
was a church organist /choir director, and his mother a
singer and pianist. It was no surprise that Clifton exhibited
an affinity for music at an early age. When he was just
seven years old he got his first trombone, a gift from his
uncle Sonny Rollins.

Clifton attended the prestigious Fiorello LaGuardia High
School of Music and Art. In 1974 he spent one year at
The State University of New York at Stony Brook studying
under Simon Karasick and Dave Schechter. He continued
his education at The Manhattan School of Music, and
graduated in 1978 with a Bachelor of Music degree. At
The Manhattan School, he studied under the Metropoli-
tan Opera trombonist John Clark. There he also met and
befriended talented musicians like Angela Bofill and the
late Kenny Kirkland.

While at Manhattan School of Music, Clifton began freelancing around New York City and made his first record date with Carlos Garnett in 1976. By his senior year at Manhattan he had established himself as one of the young in demand trombonists in New York.

It was around that time that Slide Hampton formed the original World of Trombones, the group that would become the standard by which all jazz trombone choirs are measured. The group included Janice Robinson, Steve Turre, Earl McIntyre, Clifford Adams, Doug Purviance, Papo Vazquez, and Clifton Anderson along with appearances from the great Curtis Fuller, Britt Woodman and Benny Powell. Later additions to the prestigious trombone choir included Robin Eubanks, Clarence Banks, Frank Lacy, Conrad Herwig, and Bob Trowers.

Cliftons career reflects work with a whos who of diverse musical giants from: Frank Foster, McCoy Tyner, Clifford Jordan, Stevie Wonder, Dizzy Gillespie, Merv Griffin and The Mighty Sparrow to Lester Bowie, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Paul Simon, Terumasa Hino, Muhal Richard Abrams, WyClef Jean, Geri Allen, Charlie Haden, Slide Hampton and Wallace Roney among others. Cliftons credits also include work on the Broadway shows Dreamgirls and Nine.

Clifton joined Sonny Rollins group in 1983 and was a featured soloist, touring worldwide and recording ten releases with him until 2009. During that tenure, in 1997 Clifton released his first recording as a leader/producer on the Milestone label entitled Landmarks. Landmarks received critical acclaim internationally and made the top ten play lists on US Jazz radio coast to coast. From 1999 to 2001 Clifton returned to academia as an Artist In Residence at Duke University. There he taught trombone, conducted trombone choir, sectional workshops and coached the Jazz Band.

Clifton has produced four releases for Sonny Rollins label Doxy Records: Sonny, Please, the DVD Sonny Rollins in Vienne, Road Shows Vol. 1, and Cliftons own Decade. Clifton received a nomination for 2009 Trombonist Of The Year from The American Jazz Journalists Association and Decade and Cliftons live performances have continued to receive stellar reviews.

Pianist Tadadaka Unno was selected to attend Betty Carter's Jazz Ahead 2010 at the Kennedy Center in D.C. Upon recommendation by Nathan Davis and Curtis Fuller, he attended the Jazz Rising Stars Program of Ravinia Festival in Chicago in the same year. In 2013 he performed for a week at the Village Vanguard as a member of Jimmy Cobb Trio.

Since his arrival to the United States, Unno has performed at numerous famous jazz clubs like Village Vanguard, Kennedy Center, Dizzy's Club, Blue Note, Blues Alley, Jazz Showcase, Smalls, Mezzrow, Fat Cat, The Cell, Minton's, Lenox Lounge, Jazz Standard, Side door, Scullers as well as churches and local restaurants like Arturo's in West Village. He has performed / recorded / toured with Frank Wess, Joe Wilder, Jimmy Cobb, Jimmy Heath, Al Foster, George Mraz, Ray Drummond, David Williams, Curtis Lundy, Eddie Henderson, Wallace Roney, Roy Hargrove, Billy Kaye, Jackie Williams, Steve Little, Joel Press, Bob Mover, Winard Harper, Hassan J.J. Shakur, Steve Nelson, Clifton Anderson, Essiet Essiet, Steve Williams, Victor See Yuen, Eddie Allen, Javon Jackson, John Webber, Chuck Riggs, Neal Smith, Jim Cammack, Steve Abshire, David Jernigan, David Einhorn, Nasar Abadey, Chuck Redd, Kenny Washington, Patrick O'Leary, Harry Allen, Jacob Melchior, David Wong, Dezron Douglas, Yasushi Nakamura, Jerome Jennings, Jazzmeia Horn, Jovan Alexander, Jonathan Barber, Ben Solomon and many more. The stimulating environment of New York is improving his already refined musicality.

He is considered one of the Japanese most gifted jazz musicians and his technique, creativity, balanced sense and beautiful tone continue to mesmerize audiences.