Clayton E. Powell, Jr.

Jazz, Music, Songwriting

Jazz Faculty, Jazz and Pop Piano, Jazz and Pop Drums

 

Clayton E. Powell, Jr., (Drummer/Keyboardist) has been an international performer, recording artist, composer, arranger and music educator for the last 25 years, having performed and taught in over 20 countries on 5 continents. Clayton has performed or taught with artists such as: Alan Paul of the Manhattan Transfer, The Marshall Hawkins Trio and Quintet (legendary Jazz bassist for Miles Davis, Tony Williams, Frank Sinatra, Roberta Flack, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard and founder of the Jazz in The Pines festival at Idyllwild, CA), recording artist and Les Paul autobiographer, Robby Lawrence, Idyllwild Master Chorale, Grammy nominated Jazz Vocalist Sherry Williams, Emmy Award nominee Film and Television composer, John Rodby, and Count Basie Band Vocalist John Flemming, to name a few. He is also producer/composer at the internationally acclaimed Shaddow Ryderz Group. Clayton currently is a faculty member at the Idyllwild Arts Academy international boarding arts high school in Idyllwild, CA. He teaches drums, Jazz piano, arranging, composition, Jazz theory, Jazz improvisation, and MIDI programming. He is director and founder of the “Free Music Lessons” program in San Jacinto, CA, which gives free music lessons to all ages and researches how music lessons can help Alzheimer’s, dementia, stroke, and PTSD patients. He is a board member of Redemption Radio & Shelter Studioz (RRSSOZ), San Jacinto, CA. Clayton’s most recent recording project was a double CD 20-tune Christmas Project for Christmas 2016, for which he arranged, played drums, and programmed all of the instruments. This project was in regular rotation on radio in recent Christmas seasons. When not touring, Clayton is based in San Diego and Los Angeles Counties and surrounding areas, and is a member of the Tony LaVoz Band.