Sony Clark
See also: Clark
Sony Clark pianist of American Jazz born in Herminie, in Pennsylvania the July 21st 1931 and died with New York the January 13rd 1963.
Career
It begins its professional path with the beginning of the year 1950 in California, collaborating with many musicians and in particular like sideman of the saxophonist tenor Wardell Gray and of the clarinetist Buddy DeFranco. With this last it carries out a European round in 1954, recording many sessions, in particular in Paris with Jimmy Raney in February 1954. Of return to the United States, it carries out many rounds through the country. The year 1957 represents a turning in its musical career; it settles with New York and its famous being born leads it to carry out many collaboration with experienced musicians (Charles Mingus, Sony Rollins, Dinah Washington…). June 23rd, 1957 it joined the label Blue Note, recording as a sideman an album of Hank Mobley. As from this moment, it will not leave any more the prestigious label of Alfred Lion. One month later, on July 21st, 1957, it records its first album at Blue Note as a leader, Dial " S" For Sony , with the participation of Curtis Fuller, Art Farmer and Hank Mobley. Thereafter it constitutes its own trio, with Sam Jones and Art Taylor, recording some albums in which it plays his clean composition and continuing to collaborate with great names of the jazz (Curtis Fuller, Kenny Burrell, Grant Green, Dexter Gordon, Hank Mobley, Johnny Griffin, Lee Morgan, Lou Donaldson, Tina Brooks, Bennie Green, Jackie McLean, Philly Joe Jones, Stanley Turrentine, Ike Quebec, Don Wilkerson…).
A pianist influence
Disciple of Bud Powell, Sony Clark after his untimely death (with old 31 years, of an heart attack) was lengthily wrongfully forgotten of the public. It is necessary to await the middle of the years 1990 and many republications of Blue Note to redécouvrir this talented pianist, who was respected by his contemporaries (of which Bud Powell) and who with directly influenced many pianists thereafter (in particular Bill Evans). Its sharp style and very technique a long time were very snuffed amateurs of jazz. Pianist hardware bop par excellence, Sony Clark records on January 5th, 1958, as a leader, Cool Struttin' which will obtain a great business success and which will remain until today, with its tempo at the same time funky and bluesy one of the major references of the Hard bop. On this disc, the quintet (Art Farmer with the trumpet, Jackie McLean with the alto saxophone, Paul Chambers with low, Philly Joe Jones with the battery and thus Sony Clark with the piano) interprets six titles, of which the Sippin' At Bels of Miles Davis and three original compositions of Sony Clark of which Blue Minor , which will remain like one of the major representation of the Hard bop.
Discography
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1954 : Together (with Jimmy Raney). Recorded on January 13rd, 1954 in Stockholm (Sweden)
- 1954: The Sony Clark Memorial Album. Recording in 2 concerts carried out in Oslo (Norway), 15 At January 16th, 1954.
- 1955 : Oakland. Concert recorded on January 13rd, 1955 in Mocambo Club of Oakand, California.
- 1957 : Dial " S" For Sony. Recorded on July 21st, 1957.
- 1957 : Sonny' S Crib. Recorded on September 1st, 1957.
- 1957 : Sony Clark Trio. Recorded on September 13rd, 1957.
- 1958 : Sony Clark Quintets. Recorded on December 8th, 1957 and on January 5th, 1958.
- 1958 : Cool Struttin'. Recorded on January 5th, 1958.
- 1958 : The 45 Sessions. Recorded on November 16th, 1958.
- 1958 : Blues in the Night. Recorded on December 7th, 1958.
- 1959 : My Conception. Recorded on March 29th, 1959.
- 1960 : Sony Clark Trio. Recorded on March 23rd, 1960.
- 1961 : Leapin' and Lopin'. Recorded on November 13rd, 1961.