After two massive Australian tours in the last 18 months, and fresh off touring the Globe in support of his recent Live Album “MO HIPPA” (recorded in Sydney), Jon Cleary returns to Australia for a new and very special solo tour. Featuring performances at Peats Ridge Festival, The Basement, Manchester Lane, Norwood Hotel and other club dates around the country.

Amongst the hallowed ranks of legendary New Orleans “piano professors” such as Professor Longhair, Allen Toussaint and Dr John, Jon Cleary is on a tenure track. His Australian tour history almost speaks for itself, he is a repeat offender at The Byron Bay Bluesfest and has enjoyed a number of critically acclaimed national tours both with his band The Absolute Monster Gentlemen and with long time friend, the late Jackie Orszaczky. This tour marks a new milestone for Jon, an entire solo tour – showcasing his world renowned piano playing & song craft in the most intimate of settings.

Cleary, born in England, is an adopted son of the Crescent City, a quick study having recorded five soul-soaked R&B funk albums on his own. As a session man, he’s played with Taj Mahal, B.B. King, Van Morrison, Dr John, Ryan Adams, Eric Burdon and Bonnie Raitt, to name a few, and is a longstanding member of Raitt’s touring band. Cleary just recorded with John Scofield and will be touring with the legendary guitarist as well as George Porter Jnr (of The Meters) starting in November. Next year Cleary will also be embarking on a special solo piano tour called “The Keys to New Orleans,” featuring Allen Toussaint and Henry Butler but Australia gets the first taste of Cleary Solo!

"Jon Cleary is the ninth wonder in the world." - Bonnie Raitt

“I haven’t heard anybody close to having absorbed so much funk and so many subtleties of the different genius piano players and guitar players and rhythms of New Orleans.” – Jazziz Magazine 2002

“Cleary plays piano as if he's revving up an engine and sings as if a line drawing of his behatted self were next to ‘soul’ in Webster's.” - The Washington Post - Pamela Murray Winters

"Cleary can be an absolute monster on his own, but Cleary’s full combo R&B is as broad, deep and roiling as the Mississippi River, the combined swinging product of local keyboard tradition, Cleary’s vocal-songwriting flair for moody Seventies soul and the spunky-Meters roll of his Gentlemen." --David Fricke "Pin Your Spin" Review Rolling Stone