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Brother E. Clayton West is the Soul Deacons’ driving force, and the band is his baby. Reared in the blue-collar neighborhoods of New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, Brother E. had an early exposure to black urban harmony and soul. The music made its impression, forming a deep foundation that in years to come would manifest in the inimitable Brother E. delivery and interpretative style. Brother E. Clayton can take any blues, rock, or soul standard and revitalize its every phrase and nuance with new soul and definition—new, fresh, and his own. Called “The Blues Boy” by his late mentor and friend Buddy Rich, Brother E. Clayton inspires the response, “You sure don’t look the way you sound!” And, like the man himself, that sound is soulful, with a richness and passion that command attention.
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