Mike Clark (drummer)
American drummer (b. 1946)
Musical artist
Michael Jeffrey Clark (born October 3, 1946) is an American drummer. He gained worldwide recognition as one of America's foremost jazz and funk drummers while playing with Herbie Hancock in the early 1970s. His incisive playing on Hancock's song "Actual Proof" off of the 1974 album Thrust garnered him an international cult following and influenced generations of drummers throughout the world.[1] [2]
Upbringing
Clark was born in Sacramento , California , United States. He traveled around the country with his father, a drummer himself and a union man for the railroad.[2] His dad had a great appreciation for jazz and blues music, and Mike absorbed the music of America while riding the rails. He credits this exposure as forming the foundation for his ability to synthesize many different regional styles. From age 4, he was a prodigy, sitting in - and getting "house"- with bands in Texas and New Orleans. By the time he reached his early twenties he was known as one of the founders of the distinctive East Bay Sound coming out of Oakland, California.[3]
Career
Mike has performed with such well-known jazz greats as Herbie Hancock,[4] [5] [6] Christian McBride , Chet Baker , John Scofield , Nicholas Payton , Tony Bennett , Wayne Shorter , Joe Henderson , Eddie Henderson , Bobby Hutcherson , Vince Guaraldi , Woody Shaw , Donald Harrison , Albert King , Larry Coryell , Michael Wolff , Wallace Roney , Billy Childs , Dr. Lonnie Smith , Chris Potter , Bobby McFerrin , Nat Adderley , Oscar Brown Jr., and Gil Evans and his orchestra.[5]
His album Blueprints of Jazz, Vol. 1 (Talking House Records , 2008) was widely praised by critics and in 2010 was named by DownBeat magazine as one of the best albums of the decade.[7] The album is part of the Blueprints of Jazz series conceived, produced and recorded by Talking House Productions [8] with an aim to expose the histories and current work of important but often lesser-known jazz players who had contributed to the sounds of jazz legends from the 50's, 60's, and 70's. Production and recording of the albums was helmed by Talking House producers Marc Weibel and Stephen Smith.[9] [10] [11] [12]
His latest recordings include "Retro Report" with Delbert Bump on Rope-a-Dope label,[13] "Life Cycle" with Mark Sherman , Chase Baird , and Felix Pastorius, also on Rope-a-Dope;[14] Eddie Henderson's "Be Cool" on the Smoke label;[15] Charnett Moffett's "Music from Our Soul" on Motima;[16] and "Indigo Blue: Live at the Iridium"[17] with Christian McBride , Donald Harrison , Rob Dixon, Randy Brecker , and Antonio Farao on Highnote.[18]
Equipment
Clark endorses DW drums, Istanbul Agop cymbals, Evans drumheads, and Innovative Percussion drumsticks. He has played Remo drumheads, Vic Firth drumsticks, Zildjian cymbals, and Paiste cymbals in the past.
Discography
Year
Artist
Title
Label
1973 (rel. 2023)
Vince Guaraldi
:A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving: Original Soundtrack Recording
Lee Mendelson Film Productions
1974
Herbie Hancock
Thrust
Columbia
1974
Herbie Hancock
Death Wish
Columbia
1974
Betty Davis
They Say I'm Different
Just Sunshine
1975
Herbie Hancock
Man-Child
Columbia
1975
Herbie Hancock
Flood
CBS/Sony [Japan]
1975
The Headhunters
Survival of the Fittest
Arista
1976
Eddie Henderson
Heritage
Blue Note
1976
Alphonso Johnson
Yesterday's Dreams
Epic
1977
The Headhunters
Straight From the Gate
Arista
1979
Brand X
Product
Passport
1980
Brand X
Do They Hurt?
Passport
1981
Jack Walrath Group (with Ricky Ford )
Revenge of the Fat People
Stash
1983
Jack Walrath Quintet
Jack Walrath Quintet at Umbria Jazz Festival, Vol. 1
Red Records
1983
Jack Walrath Quintet
Jack Walrath Quintet at Umbria Jazz Festival, Vol. 2
Red Records
1984
Percy Jones Ensemble
Propeller Music
Hot Wire [Germany]
1989
Mike Clark Sextet (with Ricky Ford, Jack Walrath)
Give the Drummer Some
Stash
1989
Jack Wilkins Trio
Call Him Reckless
MusicMasters/BMG
1991
Jack Wilkins
Alien Army
MusicMasters/BMG
1992
Mike Clark & Paul Jackson (with Kenny Garrett )
The Funk Stops Here
Tiptoe/Enja
1992
Suzanne Pittson
Blues and the Abstract Truth
Vineland
1993
Mike Clark Group
Jim Payne's New York Funk! Vol. 1
Gramavision
1994
Marc Puricelli
Melting Point
MusicMasters/BMG
1995
Mike Clark
The Headhunter: Master Drummers, Volume Three
Ubiquity
1995
Marc Puricelli
Shade
MusicMasters/BMG
1996
Dave Ellis
Raven
Monarch
1997
Henry "The Skipper" Franklin (with Phil Vieux, Marc Seales )
The Hunter
Resurgent Music
1998
The Headhunters
Return of the Headhunters!
Hancock/Verve Forecast
1999
John Tank Quartet
Canadian Sunset
TCB Records
1999
Mike Clark (with Billy Childs , Chris Potter )
Summertime
JazzKey Music
2000
Mike Clark
Actual Proof
Platform
2001
Mike Clark / Paul Jackson / Marc Wagnon
Conjunction
Buckyball
2003
The Headhunters
Evolution Revolution
Basin Street
2003
The Mackrosoft
1st Mack to the Moon
Mackrosoft
2003
The Mackrosoft
Life Imitates Clouds
Mackrosoft
2003
George Pajon, Jr.
Fried Plantains
Kufala Recordings
2004
Michael Wolff & Impure Thoughts
Dangerous Vision
Artemis
2004
Reuben Wilson
Fun House
Savant
2005
Rebecca Barry and the Headunters
Rebecca Barry and the Headunters
Rebecca Barry Productions
2005
The Mackrosoft
Antonio's Giraffe
Mackrosoft
2008
Mike Clark
Blueprints of Jazz, Vol. 1
Talking House Records
2006
Michael Wolff
Love and Destruction
Wrong Records
2007
Tony Adamo
Straight Up Deal
UrbanZone
2007
Jerry Stucker
It's All a Groove
UrbanZone
2008
The Headhunters
On Top: Live in Europe
BHM Productions
2009
Mike Clark's Prescription Renewal (with Fred Wesley , Skerik , Robert Walter , Charlie Hunter )
Live at the Fox Theatre
P-Vine [Japan]
2010
Mike Clark
Carnival of Soul
Owl Studios
2011
The Headhunters
Platinum
Owl Studios
2013
Michael Wolff / Mike Clark
Wolff & Clark Expedition
Random Act
2013
Jeff Berlin
Low Standards
Random Act
2013
Tony Adamo
Miles of Blu
Random Act
2013
Chester "CT" Thompson
Mixology
Doodlin' Records
2015
Michael Wolff / Mike Clark
Wolff & Clark Expedition 2
Random Act
2015
Mike Clark / Gaetano Letizia / Wilbur Krebs
Froggy & the Toads
Letizia Music
2015
Tony Adamo & the New York Crew
Tony Adamo & the New York Crew
UrbanZone
2015
Jerry Weldon
On the Move!
Doodlin' Records
2016
Dylan Taylor (with Larry Coryell )
One in Mind
Blujazz Productions
2017
Charnett Moffett
Music From Our Soul
Motéma Music
2017
Mike Clark & Delbert Bump (with Elias Lucero)
Retro Report
Ropeadope
2018
Eddie Henderson (with Donald Harrison , Kenny Barron )
Be Cool
Smoke Sessions
2018
Venture (Mike Clark, Mark Sherman , Chase Baird , Felix Pastorius)
Life Cycle
Ropeadope
2018
Tony Adamo
Was Out Jazz Zone Mad
Ropeadope
2018
Rob Dixon Trio (with Charlie Hunter )
Coast to Crossroads
Rob Dixon Productions
2019
Rinsse with Mike Clark
Rinsse with Mike Clark
Khyron Label
2019
Mike Clark (with Christian McBride , Donald Harrison, Randy Brecker )
Indigo Blue: Live at the Iridium
Ropeadope
2019
DSC (Leon Lee Dorsey, Greg Skaff, Mike Clark)
Monk Time
Jazz Avenue 1
2020
Eddie Henderson (with Donald Harrison, Kenny Barron)
Shuffle and Deal
Smoke Sessions
2020
Wolff / Clark / Dorsey (Michael Wolff, Mike Clark, Leon Lee Dorsey)
Play Sgt. Pepper
Jazz Avenue 1
2021
Michael Wolff (with Mark Isham , Mike Clark, John B. Williams )
Live @ Vitellos
Sunnyside
2021
Leon Lee Dorsey (with Harold Mabern , Mike Clark)
Thank You Mr. Mabern
Jazz Avenue 1
2021
Mike Clark & Michael Zilber
Mike Drop
Sunnyside
2021
Leon Lee Dorsey (with Manuel Valera, Mike Clark)
Freedom Jazz Dance
Jazz Avenue 1
2022
Mike Clark & Leon Lee Dorsey (with Mike LeDonne )
Blues on Top
Jazz Avenue 1
2022
The Headhunters
Speakers in the House
Ropeadope
2023
Leon Lee Dorsey (with Russell Malone , Mike Clark)
Cantaloupe Island
Jazz Avenue 1
2023
Mike Clark (with Jon Davis, Leon Lee Dorsey)
Plays Herbie Hancock
Sunnyside
2023
Mike Clark (with Eddie Henderson, Skerik, Wayne Horvitz , Henry Franklin, Bill Summers )
Kosen Rufu
Wide Hive
2024
Wolff / Clark / Dorsey (Michael Wolff, Mike Clark, Leon Lee Dorsey)
A Letter to Bill Evans
Jazz Avenue 1
References
^ "Mike Clark Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More" . AllMusic . Retrieved 2022-05-11 .
^ a b "Mike Clark: The Double-Edged Sword Called Funk - JazzTimes" . Archived from the original on 2018-08-26. Retrieved 2018-03-10 .
^ "Mike Clark finally back in Bay Area for series of shows" . Mercurynews.com . 2 February 2017. Retrieved January 19, 2020 .
^ Harrington, Richard (2 March 2001). "Mike Clark Actual Proof" . The Washington Post . Retrieved 11 May 2022 .
^ a b "Bio" . Drummermikeclark.info . Retrieved January 19, 2020 .
^ Soergel, Brian. "Mike Clark: Actual Proof" . JazzTimes . Retrieved 2022-05-11 .
^ "DownBeat | Digital Edition | January 2010" . www.downbeat.com . Retrieved 2022-08-10 .
^ "Talking House Productions | Inspired Music Creation and Development" . 2009-02-06. Archived from the original on 2009-02-06. Retrieved 2022-08-10 .
^ Mike Clark - Blueprints of Jazz, Vol. 1 Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic , retrieved 2022-08-10
^ "Mike Clark, Billy Harper, Donald Bailey: Blueprints of Jazz" . 2008-12-20. Archived from the original on 2008-12-20. Retrieved 2022-08-10 .
^ Milkowski, Bill. "Mike Clark: Blueprints of Jazz, Vol. 1" . JazzTimes . Retrieved 2022-08-10 .
^ "www.jazzweekly.com | Reviews" . 2009-08-31. Archived from the original on 2009-08-31. Retrieved 2022-08-10 .
^ "Mike Clark & Delbert Bump — ropeadope" . Archived from the original on 2018-03-10. Retrieved 2018-03-10 .
^ "Venture: Life Cycle" . Ropeadope . Retrieved October 31, 2023 .
^ "Trumpeter Eddie Henderson to Release New Album "Be Cool" on May 4th, 2018" . News.theUrbanMusicScene.com . 20 February 2018. Retrieved January 19, 2020 .
^ "Charnett Moffett - Music From Our Soul (2017, CD)" . Discogs.com . Retrieved January 19, 2020 .
^ Mike Clark, Indigo Blue (Live at Iridium) . Review by Alex Henderson, NYCJR , October 2019, Issue 210, page 35 - retrieved 2 October 2019.
^ "Drummer Mike Clark to Record Live Album - JazzTimes" . Archived from the original on 2018-03-10. Retrieved 2018-03-10 .
External links
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