Robust sound is always a central hallmark of bassist Stanley Clarke’s musicality, a fact immediately apparent at the Tiny Desk where a wall of amps was visible, underscoring his reminder to the audio team to ensure the sound feels good, not just reads well on the board. Clarke’s storied career, spanning decades, includes seminal work with titans like Chick Corea and Al Di Meola, alongside successful scoring for film and television. His solo albums from the mid-70s, including ‘Stanley Clarke’, ‘Journey to Love’, and ‘School Days’, cemented his status as a force in music and foreshadowed his 2022 designation as an NEA Jazz Master. Demonstrating his passion for spotlighting young talent, Clarke’s latest ensemble, 4EVER, features saxophonist Emilio Modeste, drummer Jeremiah Collier, guitarist Colin Cook, violinist Evan Garr, and keyboardist Cameron Graves, all of whom rose to the challenge immediately. They opened with “Song to John” from 1975’s ‘Journey to Love’ before “Yesterday Princess,” from his 1974 self-titled album, gave violinist Garr a chance to shine. The performance moved into the electric realm with 2003’s smooth yet funky “1, 2, to the Bass,” closing powerfully with one of his biggest hits, “School Days,” proving that over five decades since his solo debut, Clarke still innovates with the solid fullness of his instrument.
SET LIST
- “Song to John”
- “Yesterday Princess”
- “1,2, to the Bass”
- “School Days”