1. Happy Birthday
Today, June 30, is his birthday. He was born in Philadelphia in 1951.
2. What? No More Flutes?
Stanley Clarke became a bass player because he was late to elementary school on the day they handed out band and orchestra instruments. The acoustic bass, considerably heavier than the flute, was one of the few instruments left.
3. Graduation Days
After graduating high school, he attended the Philadelphia Music Academy (now known as the University of The Arts) where he attained his degree in 1971.
4. School Of The Streets
Clarke’s earliest gigs included time with the pianists Horace Silver, Dave Brubeck and Chick Corea, saxophonists Dexter Gordon, Gato Barbieri, Joe Henderson and Pharoah Sanders, drummer Art Blakey and arranger Gil Evans.
5. Return To Forever
In 1972, Clarke joined Corea to form the seminal jazz fusion band Return To Forever.
6. Always And Forever
While numerous players rotated in and out of the lineup, Clarke and Corea have remained the band’s two constant members.
7. Influential Forever
Along with Weather Report and John Mclaughlin’s Mahavishnu Orchestra, Return To Forever is considered one of the most important, most groundbreaking bands in the history of fusion.
8. Now And Forever
The current lineup also includes drummer Lenny White, guitarist Frank Gambale and violinist Jean-Luc Ponty.
9. Flying Solo
Side by side with his career in Return To Forever, Clarke has produced 21 solo albums, beginning with his debut on Polydor, Children of Forever, in 1973 to his recent set, Up, on Mack Avenue in 2014.
10. School Days
Along with Jaco Pastorius’ eponymous debut album, Clarke’s 1976 sophomore album, School Days, is considered one of the most important fusion works by a bassist in the history of the genre.
SHARE
