Two-Shade, a 2009 jazz trio album, is Gerald Clayton's discographic debut as a leader, featuring long-time friends and collaborators Joe Sanders on double bass and Justin Brown on drums.

The review characterized the results "not only stunning but fresh, original and distinctly the music of today", proclaiming him "a leader of the new generation of young Jazz musicians".

In a New York Times album review,[4] he was found to display qualities of "a grand and amiable virtuosity", along with "unusual polish and self-assurance".

A 90% rating was awarded[5] by specialist website Jazz.com for this "must-hear debut release" on which "Clayton's apparent skills as a composer foreshadow the impact that he will have on jazz in the years to come".

JazzWeek Radio, determining[6] national airplay for the top-fifty jazz and smooth-jazz recordings in USA and Canada, through leading industry monitor Mediaguide, listed Two-Shade as 12th in its chart for August 10, 2009,[7] debuting[8] as 25th on its July 1 release.