AMERICAN PATCHWORK QUARTET (APQ), led by multi-Grammy award-winning guitarist/vocalist Clay Ross, binds timeless American folk songs with jazz sophistication,
country twang, West African hypnotics, and East Asian ornamentation. APQ’s sound is a masterful confluence of tradition and innovation, transcending culture, politics, and ideology. A southern-born roots music aficionado, Ross is also the founder of the world-renowned Gullah group Ranky Tanky. In APQ, Ross intertwines with other Grammy-winning artists: Falguni Shah, an eleventh-generation Hindustani classical vocalist, Yasushi Nakamura, an internationally acclaimed Issei jazz bassist, and Clarence Penn, a drumming protégée of Ellis Marsalis whose fibers were honed by African American church traditions. APQ resonates as a potent symbol of unity in diversity. It stands testament to the notion that, from a collage of varied backgrounds, a coherent and beautiful whole can be fashioned. Mirroring America’s cultural mosaic, APQ stitches together a story that’s both intricate and resilient. The fabric of their music is genuine—it neither feigns tolerance nor presents an overly- embellished image of unity. Instead, each carefully chosen piece dives deep into America’s patchwork soul and shares the joys, sorrows, and unwavering hope of a nation crafted by shared dreams and diverse histories.
As a gathering place for the community and its visitors and as the home of the Maryville College fine and performing arts program, the Clayton Center for the Arts provides opportunities for the lifelong expression and appreciation of the arts.
The Center plays a vital role in enhancing the quality of life, bolstering cultural and economic vitality, strengthening tourism, and expanding the educational offerings for our community and region. The diversity of our community is to be reflected on our stages, in our galleries and in our audiences. Through its relationship to Maryville College, the Center will provide educational opportunities designed to attract and nurture artists of all ages. The programming is of the highest caliber and features the arts from around the world.
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