The Clayton/Scott Group

The Clayton/Scott Group is Jim Clayton and Andrew Scott.

Scott is best known for his guitar work with One Step Beyond - a veritable staple of Toronto's jazz-funk scene throughout the late 90's - while Clayton (piano) is a music director with The Second City, Toronto's Emmy-winning theatre company.

Like many of Toronto's jazz alumni, the pair met while studying at Humber College. Their three-year stay had the two teaming up on the occasional session or performance around campus - to the delight of students and fans. One of those performances was captured on Jim Clayton's solo debut, Muskoka.

After Humber, Andrew attended New England Conservatory in Boston, receiving a Masters of Music, and Jim joined The Second City as a music director. During that time, Andrew discovered the instrumental jazz-funk scene while performing at Wally's, the legendary Boston club.

Andrew returned to Toronto in the summer of 2000, and was visiting Jim's studio when jazz radio personality Bob Farrow called. Bob was the new morning host and music director of Canada's first smooth jazz radio station, The Wave 94.7 in Hamilton and a big fan of Jim's work.

Bob asked if Jim had any new music that might suit The Wave's programming needs. Upon hearing this, Andrew proposed they write and record an album together. The result was the critically praised August, the debut CD from The Clayton/Scott Group.

The band later hooked up with versatile producers Rob DeBoer and Tony Grace, the team behind urban jazz sensation Four80East, to produce their second album. So Nice is a sophisticated CD that fuses jazz with elements of R&B, funk, electro-pop and Bossa.

Backed by one of Canada's strongest rhythm sections, the group's creative combination of smooth guitar and jazz keyboards has been winning over audiences and garnering industry praise.

The CD features a bevy of top-drawer musicians and special guests including Phil Dwyer on sax, Don Thompson on vibes, Jake Wilkinson, Bryden Baird and Steve McDade on trumpet, Terry Promane on trombone, Mark Kelso and Tony Grace on drums/percussion, and Rob DeBoer and Steve Lucas on bass.