Clay Moore ©Andrea Canter

One of the most popular jazz guitarists in the Twin Cities, Texas native Clay left his adopted home two years ago, seeking to “live a simpler, slower-paced life” in Brownsville, TX. And indeed things have been simpler—a standing weekly gig rather than the many eclectic performances and recording work; teaching at the University of Texas-Brownsville; occasionally hosting visiting former gigging partners. But you can only stay away from Minnesota so long, and this week, Clay is back in town and hosting a night at the Artists Quarter on November 6th. He’ll be joined by three of his past cohorts, saxman Pete Whitman, bassist Jay Young, and drummer Kenny Horst. 

Wherever he goes, wherever he lives, Clay Moore leaves a trail of hot gigs, creative collaboration, and a pile of guitar lessons. From his native Amarillo to Tampa to Pittsburgh to Edinborough, Seattle, the Twin Cities and now back in Texas, Moore has played with everyone and everywhere. He’s also a committed educator, serving on the faculty of McNally Smith (MusicTech) in St. Paul prior to his move to Brownsville. Inspired by the great guitarists, including George Benson, Joe Pass, Wes Montgomery, Pat Martino, Barney Kessel, and Howard Roberts, Clay has toured with Lee Konitz, Larry Coryell, and Bobby Lyle, and has released three recordings—Meeting Standards (1994), To a Tee (2000), and iDemelo (2004). After six years in the Twin Cities, the move to Texas in 2006 was bittersweet, a return “home” but “a lot of people were surprised, even shocked that I left the Twin Cities, and I will miss it a lot.”

For a while, Clay was booking music at España Mediterranean Cuisine in nearby McAllen as well as playing with the Frontera Quartet and otherwise testing the waters of the Rio Grande Valley jazz scene. “One thing I decided when moving here was to bring as much of what I do as I can to the area…” An Anglo living in a community that is about 95% Hispanic, he found his new neighbors to be “open in their acceptance of ‘outsiders,’ including whatever those outsiders have to bring to the table. The guitar came from Spain originally and in fact entered the US from Mexico via the cowboys who worked here in Texas, so there is that connection. My goal is to foster a larger and more comprehensive jazz scene, including better education, bringing in more jazz greats for clinics and concerts, and developing gigs for local players as well. And, of course, I want to play as much as I want with great musicians!” 

These days, Clay teaches jazz improvisation at UT-Brownsville and directs a guitar ensemble—he’ll be in St Paul long enough to teach a guitar clinic at his old stomping grounds, McNally Smith College. And he still plays regularly with the Frontera Jazz Quartet, recently at festivals in the area including Palmfest in McAllen and the Brownsville Latin Jazz Festival. Of the latter, Clay reports that “we backed up Chuchito Valdes for a couple of tunes, played a Cal Tjader tribute set with some guest musicians, and Michael O'Brien and Greg Schutte, formerly of the Clay Moore Trio in the TC, were down to perform with Tomas Ramirez and the after-concert jam sessions that were held at Tre Fratelli and Cobbleheads. I helped festival organizer George Ramirez put together all the acts on Thursday and the after-hours session on Friday and Saturday.” With the quartet he continued on the festival circuit, appearing with the UT-Brownsville Jazz Band, Frontera Quartet, and special guest, Minnesota’s Debbie Duncan, at the Texas Jazz Festival in Corpus Christi (“the longest running jazz festival in the US”). This past weekend the quartet performed at the second annual South Padre International Music Festival. And every Thursday night, south Texans can catch Clay and the Frontera Jazz Quartet at Tre Fratelli in Brownsville.

But here in Minnesota, we can catch Clay Moore for just one night at the Artists Quarter on November 6th. With three outstanding local cohorts joining him on the bandstand—saxophonist Pete Whitman, bassist Jay Young, and AQ owner/drummer Kenny Horst—we can briefly revel in what we have been missing for the past two years since Clay Moore “left home.”  And maybe convince him to make this trip north more often.

The Artists Quarter is located at 408 St Peter Street in downtown Minneapolis; www.artistsquarter.com. For Pamela Espeland’s MinnPost interview with Clay Moore, visit www.minnpost.com. Keep up with Clay long distance at www.claymoore.com. See Jazz Police interview with Clay Moore regarding his move to Texas (December 2006) here. 
 

---

Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites