Clarence Clemons’ Nephew Jake Clemons Joins the E Street Band

Jake Clemons (Photo: Matthw Carasella)

Bruce Springsteen has announced that Jake Clemons – the nephew of former E Street Band saxophonist Clarence Clemons – will be taking over some of his late uncle’s sax dutues on the forthcoming “Wrecking Ball” Tour. Ed Manion, an original member of  Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes (and a member of Springsteen’s Session Band), will also play saxophone on the tour, although it’s not yet clear how they’ll divide the parts. They will perform alongside trombonist Clark Gayton and trumpeters Curt Ramm and Barry Danielian. Back-up singers Cindy Mizelle and Curtis King will also be joining the band for the tour, which launches March 9th at the Apollo Theater.

Jake Clemons is an accomplished saxophone player who has guested with the E Street Band on numerous occasions and has also performed with the Swell Season and Nancy Atlas. In 1992, he played the sax alongside his uncle at Bill Clinton’s inauguration.

This is not the first time that a young family member of the E Street Band filled in for their relative. Max Weinberg’s 18-year-old son Jay performed with the group on their 2009 tour when Max’s Conan O’Brien duties took him away from the tour.

In July Jake wrote about his uncle’s death on his blog. “It’s a strange new world without Clarence,” he wrote.  “He has given so much through the years, and now we are left with a gaping Big Man sized hole in the universe. Yet, as his gift continues to inspire, and as well all continue to process the vast changes of our reality, I again turn to music. It’s what I have. It’s what he gave me from the first moment of seeing him on stage. It’s what he’s left me with now, and the closeness and the love he and I shared will always remain captured in a moment through pursed lips on a metal mouthpiece.”

Here is video of Jake performing the Bruce Springsteen classic “Drive All Night” with The Swell Season.