Pianist, organist and composer Barney McClure, born April 9, 1941 in Ohio, has been everywhere and done it all. Consider the following: Barney has performed and/or recorded with Ernestine Anderson, Mark Murphy, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, Jimmy Witherspoon, Big Joe Turner, Don Shelton, Dee Daniels, Grady Tate, Herb Ellis, Barney Kessel, Larry Coryell, Mimi Fox, Joe Pass, Howard Roberts, Emily Remler, Bud Shank, Don Lanphere, Richie Cole, Harold Land, Scott Hamilton, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Red Holloway, Buddy Tate, Sonny Stitt, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Kenny Wheeler, Shorty Rogers, Blue Mitchell, Bill Watrous, Milt Jackson, Terry Gibbs, Red Norvo, Gary Peacock, Billy Higgins and Jeff Hamilton. Barney has also backed such notables as Bob Hope, Bob Newhart, Professor Irwin Corey, George Kirby and Steve Allen.

McClure learned to arrange in the Army during the 1960s in Europe and continued in Hollywood for many years. His performances have taken him all over Europe, Japan, Australia, Mexico, Canada and the United States. You can hear Barney in the movies “Officer and a Gentleman” and on the soundtrack of “Mr. Holland’s Opus.”

His book “There Is No Such Thing as a Mistake” is a "how-to" in improvisational jazz and is popular with teachers who use it as a curriculum guide and students who can use it as a self-help guide.

For a period of time Barney McClure was the Mayor of Port Townsend, Washington where he helped establish the Port Townsend Jazz Festival, and followed this with a term as State Legislator in Washington State.

[This bio is excerpted from originarts.com]

Here is a link to Barney McClure playing solo piano:

"LOTUS BLOSSUM"