All of us who knew Jay were filled with admiration, not only for her musical talents, but for her lack of hubris, her sense of humor, and for the quiet confidence in which she supported us as vessels of creative self-expression.  Jay was an adventurous singer whose training and repertoire were deeply rooted in jazz standards. Her dozens of recordings as a leader reveal a comfort with the Great American Songbook and the ability to swing like crazy. 

Jay moved to New York City after completing her degree in music education at Miami University in Ohio. In New York she experienced free jazz as it flourished, listening voraciously to live performances of Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, Monk and Rollins when they were at their apex. These formative experiences served as a means to bring together her love for jazz standards with her desire to explore new sounds, and served as a pathway for her career. Jay’s marriage to fellow jazz musician Frank Clayton during this time, resulted in the blessing of the birth of their two children: Dov and Dejha.