About Time
John Clay, drums
Shunzo Ohno, trumpet and flugelhorn
Matt Garrison, tenor and soprano saxophone
Enrique Haneine, acoustic piano
Sean Conly, acoustic bass
Ruby Pucillo, vocals (3, 6)
- A Lark (Fred Hersch)
- Humpty Dumpty (Chick Corea)
- Alice In Wonderland (Sammy Fain/Bob Hilliard)
- Rio (Wayne Shorter)
- Dubai (Billy Drummond)
- Highway 14 (Alan Pasqua)
- Stella By Starlight (Victor Young/Ned Washington
Arrangement by Shunzo Ohno) - Prelude to Spring (Improv by Enrique Haneine)
- You Must believe in Spring (Michel Legrand)
- My New Friend Old Friend (Alan Pasqua)
Recorded May 15–16, 2025 at
Samurai Hotel Recording Studio, Astoria, NY
Tracking, mixing and mastering by David Stoller
Mixed July 9, 2025
Produced by John Clay
Cover Art: Jane Neuss Cohen
Graphic Design: Evan Pittson
Publicist: Kari-On Productions, LLC
Reviews
“There are albums that arrive quietly, almost modestly, asking only to be heard. And then there are those that sweep in with the assurance of a lived history, the kind of recordings that feel less like new releases than like rediscovered chapters of an ongoing musical conversation. About Time, the latest project initiated by drummer John Clay, himself a veteran of countless stages and late-night sessions, is very much the latter. It shines with a kind of post-bop radiance, polished yet unvarnished, like brass burnished by decades of hands.” [READ MORE]
Thierry De Clemensat, Paris Move
“About Time is, in many respects, a demanding album, demanding of its musicians and rewarding for its listeners… For passionate listeners, those who savor nuance, who value arrangement as much as improvisation, it offers a feast of detail and a level of craftsmanship that feels increasingly rare.” [READ MORE]
Thierry De Clemensat, Paris Move
“He is superb with sticks or brushes, and as noted, his perception of rhythm and time is flawless… The album’s other ingredients fall neatly into place, raising About Time well above par for the course.” [READ MORE]
Jack Bowers, All About Jazz
“Each track portrays an individual moment, a collaborative interplay that is homespun and uniquely assembled and defined. Clay fosters an environment of creativity and esprit de corps throughout the album that listeners will enjoy.” [READ MORE]
Jazz2Love
”The leader keeps things varied and variegated, giving some tasty cymbal work…” [READ MORE]
George W. Harris, Jazz Weekly
“I love this album; the overall playing/soloing, arrangements, programming and recording quality. Your playing is wonderful throughout.”
David Janeway, jazz pianist/composer
”John Clay offers us a rich repertoire of familiar jazz standards, arranged in very creative ways” [READ MORE]
George W. Harris, Jazz Weekly
“Clay plays the role of an accompanist, listening closely to others and adding just the right percussive punctuation marks to complement and energize the ensemble.” [READ MORE]
Abe Goldstein, Papatamus Redux
LISTEN: Highway 14
Highway 14 is a beautiful tune written by Alan Pasqua performed by John Clay (drums), Ruby Pucillo (vocals), Enrique Haneine (piano) and Sean Conly (bass). This is a single off my upcoming album About Time, scheduled for release 1/23/2026.
About the Album
The idea of recording About Time grew out of recent performances with pianist Enrique Haneine which are always spontaneous and engaging. I wanted to document our musical interactions. Playing with Enrique has created some of my favorite musical moments.
As I continued conceptualizing and curating tunes for the album, I imagined it expanding beyond a trio to include horns and also vocals. I also wanted to assemble a group of musicians that not only played great but would have compatible musical approaches and would sound like they had played together for years.
I first heard bassist Sean Conly playing with drummer Richie Morales. Sean’s playing is masterful, grooving and melodic. He is comfortable playing everything from classic jazz standards to avant-garde and beyond.
Shunzo Ohno has played as a sideman with jazz masters such as Art Blakey, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Gil Evans and Buster Williams just to name a few and many more as a bandleader. Shunzo always brings a musical energy to stage or studio and his playing is tonally rich, genuine and exciting.
Matt Garrison is a first call saxophonist with a mature, beautiful tone and a wonderfully melodic approach to everything he plays. He is equally adept at tenor and soprano.
Ruby Pucillo is a talented vocalist who really understands both her instrument as well as the genre. Ruby brings a refined fresh style to her vocals as well as a nod to the classic jazz vocal masters.
I have always liked albums that are “epic” with the music taking you on a journey and not just presenting tunes in a random order. I wanted a musically balanced performance in terms of varied arrangements, tempos, solos and energy. Sonic quality and acoustic reproduction is also a very important part of this recording and Samurai Hotel Recording Studio really came through with creating a beautiful soundstage as well as an environment that fosters creativity.
The music that I have selected are composed by some very recognizable names like Chick Corea and Wayne Shorter, but also some composers you might not know. Billy Drummond, Fred Hersch and Alan Pasqua. They are all very well known musicians in modern jazz and I think their compositions are destined to be classics.
I wanted About Time to be an album that is not a one-play wonder but rather one that encourages repeated listening and makes the listener feel good. I hope you enjoy!
John Clay