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OMAR CLAY (Jazz Percussionist)

OMAR CLAY (10/23/1935 - 12/4/2008) was an American jazz percussionist, drummer, producer, educator, composer; and one of the original members of Max Roach's "M'Boom" percussion ensemble. SFGate.com Marin Independent Journal, JazzWeek.com/archive

EARLY LIFE and EDUCATION:

Omar Clay was born in St. Louis, Missouri, to Elnora Clay and Omar Holly, October 23, 1935. He spent the first 7 yrs of his life in St. Louis before moving with his mother to Steubenville, Ohio where he attended Holy Names grammar school, while listening to classical music favoring Rachmaninoff and Shostakovich. He and his mother then moved to Inkster, Michigan where he graduated from St. Mary's High School in Wayne, MI (under the name Frederick Omar Burgette). He received a scholarship to Xavier University in New Orleans, LA, remaining there for a year before enlisting into the Army. He was stationed in Furth and Aschaffenberg, Germany (1955-1998), where he was the drummer in the 7th Army Jazz Band. Upon his discharge, her returned to Michigan (1958-1962) where he enrolled and graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Music Education (having roomed with pianist Bob James). Other notable friends from Michigan were Al Young, California Poet Laureate (Emeritus), and Louis Smith (jazz trumpeter). He moved to New York where he lived for 19 years, playing with many distinguised musicians. After moving to San Francisco in 1979, he attended and received a Master of Arts Degree in Music Education from San Francisco State University.

EDUCATOR: Taught at High School of Music and Arts, NY (1969-1970);  Monterey and Oakland Public Schools (1980-1988);  Music Director Tamalpais High School (1990 - retired 2000), Mill Valley, CA, where a star was dedicated in his name and placed in the Caldwell Performing Arts Center in 2007. He also coached the golf team at Tam High; and proudly shot two holes-in-one.

PROFESSIONAL CAREER:

Omar appeared on nearly 60 recordings, mostly on drums, but also on Latin percussion, beginning with David "Fathead" Newman in the late '06's, Elvin Jones, Charles Mingus, Sarah Vaughan, Gene Ammons, Frank Foster, Bob James, Ernestine Anderson, Gene Harris, Randy Weston, Horace Silver, Sonny Stitt, Marlena Shaw, Marian McPartland, and many others. He played in concert with John Coltrane in the early '60's, and played the White House with Sarah Vaughan and the Bob James Trio during the Johnson administration, and proudly danced with Lady Bird Johnson. He was one of the original members of Max Roach's "M'Boom" Ensemble (which included Roy Brooks, Joe Chambers, Max Roach, Warren Smith, and Freddie Waits). When M'Boom was organized in the 1970's, Omar played marimba, timbales, xylophone and tympani with the all-percussion group. He also worked in the orchestral pits of Broadway musicals "Raisin" and "Guys and Dolls". In addition to his recordings, he toured and performed at concerts and festivals in North America, Europe, South America, Australia, and Japan.

DISCOGRAPHY: Please refer to AllMusic.com/Omar Clay for a list of recordings and Bio. AllMusic.com; Discogs.com/artist

'''MENTIONED IN PUBLICATIONS:

~ Society of Black Composers- Sheet Music Collection 1968 - 1973 ~ Woodwind Music of Black Composers-Works:  Three Short Pieces for Flute (ca 1976), Brooklyn Philharmonic Com. Concert Series, 27 February 1977, Publisher, Omar Clay ~ Living Portraits:  Carl Van Vechten's Color Photographs of African Americans:  1939-1964. Reinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library; burble-dl.library.yale.edu ~ "How Music Grew In Brooklyn: A Biography of the Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra (section: "A New Community Program Series") ~  New York Magazine - July 5, 1971 - Page 28 https://books.google.com ~  Newport Jazz - New York Times The New York Times/archives/Newport

DEATH: Omar Clay died on December 4, 2008, VA Hospital in San Francisco, CA from  complications of ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease), which was diagnosed in March 2008. A Tribute was held in his memory at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music on January 12, 2009. He is survived by his long time partner and companion, Barbara Chew of San Francisco, and a daughter, Wanda.