Guitarist, vocalist, and composer Eric Clapton has been considered a master of Blues ever since since leaving British rock band The Yardbirds to play Blues with John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers. However after a jam set with Wynton Marsalis, Clapton, nicknamed ‘Slowhand’, nervously admitted that it has always been a childhood fantasy of his to play Jazz. Speaking to the audience, Clapton said, “I wanted to be in a jazz band as a kid, but the guitar took me away.”

The hour-long performance, which also featured internationally acclaimed Blues musician Taj Mahal,was part of a benefit concert to support Jazz at the Lincoln Center. After the concert, which featured Clapton playing songs such as ‘Corrine, Corrina’ and ‘Joe Turner’s Blues’, and a Jazz interpretation of his classic ‘Layla‘, Marsalis praised Clapton, saying “The depth of respect I have for this man… This man is for real.”

The benefit concert raised $3.6 Million for Jazz at the Lincoln Center, which includes a donation from Eric Clapton himself. The money will be used to secure the future of the legendary music organization ‘Jazz at the Lincoln Center’, which works to bring Jazz education and performances to it’s venues in across New York City.