Jon Cleary and his band draw on a long legacy of Crescent City funkmasters, spinning out wicked syncopated rhythms. "New Orleans is world famous for its funk musicians, and the Absolute Monster Gentlemen are some of the funkiest in the city," says Cleary. "They all grew up playing in neighborhood gospel churches. They sing like angels with the sweetest harmonies, and they can play the filthiest funk like absolute monsters."

Jon Cleary Home Page Jon Cleary - Keyboards Derwin "Big D" Perkins - Guitar Cornell Williams - Bass Jeffrey "Jellybean" Alexander - Drums In the case of New Orleans-based singer/songwriter, piano wizard Jon Cleary, you can judge a man by the company he keeps. When he isn't putting on marathon late-night shows for his devoted hometown fans, Cleary is invariably lending his intuitive touch to projects from the likes of B.B. King, Taj Mahal and Bonnie Raitt. He's been a member of Bonnie Raitt's touring band for the last year, wrote songs for and played on Taj Mahal's Phantom Blues and Senor Blues while gigging in Taj's band, and played on B.B. King's star-studded Deuces Wild album. He's also done sessions with the late great bluesman Junior Wells, swamp-pop legend Bobby Charles and a host of other roots-music geniuses. But Jon Cleary has always forged his own musical identity, and Virgin/Pointblank is proud to release his major-label debut Moonburn, a stunning and soulful showcase of Cleary's New Orleans-steeped funk, R&B, and soul. Moonburn is the culmination of Cleary's lifelong love for the indigenous sounds of the Crescent City, fused with his contemporary vision. He first heard the timeless sounds of legends such as Professor Longhair and Smiley Lewis growing up in England, and after playing guitar in a succession of blues bands, journeyed to visit New Orleans when he was 17. He landed a gig painting the legendary Maple Leaf Bar, the second home of brilliant New Orleans keyboardist James Booker. Cleary took up the piano, and had a front-row seat for performances by Booker and New Orleans R&B pioneers such as Earl King and Huey "Piano" Smith. The die was cast, and after a brief period back in London, Cleary packed his bags again for the Crescent City, this time for good. He quickly established a reputation as one of the city's finest practitioners of New Orleans piano, and recorded his debut album, Alligator Lips And Dirty Rice, released by Ace Records in 1990. He also filled the piano chair in New Orleans legend Walter "Wolfman" Washington's band. His prowess on the ivories took him far and wide, for gigs from Hong Kong to Germany. In 1994, Cleary assembled his dream New Orleans band (bassist Cornell Williams, drummer Jeffrey "Jellybean" Alexander, and guitarist Derwin Perkins) which he dubbed the Absolute MonsterGentlemen.