Hope Clayburn (saxophones:alto/bari/soprano;flute;vocalist)

"She's a badass! " (Charlottesville Weekly)

A versatile and accomplished musician, Hope is as comfortable playing complex and soulful jazz in an intimate club as she is rocking out with the likes of Deep Banana Blackout. She has performed with a variety of acts, including The Allman Bros, Karl Denson, Gov't Mule, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and Dj Logic.

Her passion for music showed at an early age. After learning the saxophone in junior high band while growing up in Jacksonville, North Carolina, Hope began teaching herself other instruments. "I'd just pick up whatever was in my reach and try it out."

Hope began making her mark in music, while attending the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA. She started with local Afro-beat band Baaba Seth and the University of Virginia Jazz Ensemble in 1993 and soon began traveling throughout central and northern Virginia. Her energetic stage presence, blasting saxophone, flute chops and vocals combined with the musicianship of her commrades, helped make Baaba Seth a favorite with festival and club crowds up and down the East Coast.

Hope met Deep Banana Blackout (DBB) while performing with Baaba Seth at the Wetlands in New York City in 1998. It was this meeting that set the path to Hope eventually auditioning and joining DBB in the summer of 2000. From the start, Hope has been a natural fit into the DBB sound and style and has helped continue the bands rise to national and international success. Her experience with DBB has taken her as far as Japan, where she performed in Tokyo and has returned to perform at The Blue Note in both Osaka and Fukuoka in the summer of 2001.

Between Baaba Seth and DBB and her various projects, Hope has had the chance to perform with an eclectic and prominent selection of musicians. The list includes The Allman Brothers, Gov't Mule, Original P, Bernie Worrell, George Porter Jr., the Temptations, The Tom Tom Club(Talking Heads members), Merl Saunders to jazz giants David Murray, Curtis Fuller, and Bob Moses, to current hot artists Karl Denson, DJ Logic, Papa Grows Funk, The Motet, The B-Side Players, The Slip and blues artist, Corey Harris. Between performing, Hope released a solo EP in April 2000 titled Happy, Everywhere, that collected her diverse experiences in an original and thoughtful mixture of intricate jazz melodies with the energy of soul and world beat rhythms. "Bass-heavy grooves surge underneath soulful vocals and exotic rhythms to create a unique, danceable, joyous atmosphere." (Homegrown Music Network) She is also currently working on another solo project (Big Black Booty) which is due for Spring 2003 release.

Hope Clayburn is a rare artist with pure energy and style. She has grown and accomplished so much during her short time on the music map, there's no doubt Hope will continue to create exciting and innovative music.

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Site last updated: October 8, 2002
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