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Buck Clarke

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Buck Clarke
Buck Clarke
Buck Clarke
Background information
Birth nameWilliam (Buck) Clarke
Born(1933-10-02)October 2, 1933
Washington, D.C., Maryland United States
DiedOctober 11, 1988(1988-10-11) (aged 55)
Los Angeles, CA, United States
GenresContemporary Jazz, cool jazz, soul jazz
Occupation(s)Percussionist, Artist, composer
Instrument(s)Bongos, Congas
Years active1960-1988
LabelsArgo
Offbeat
Full Circle

William "Buck" Clarke[1] (October 2,[2] 1933[3] – October 11, 1988 in Los Angeles[2]) was an American jazz percussionist who played with Freddie Hubbard, Herbie Hancock, Les McCann, Russ Freeman, Gerald Albright, Jimmy Smith and others. He also played at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1968.[1] Clarke's many musical styles include soul, funk and contemporary jazz, with an Afrocentric perspective.[4]

Biography

He was born in Washington, DC on October 2, 1933.[1][4] At an early age, he started off of working at a display sign store. One of his bosses father was a cousin to Duke Ellington.[4] At that time, his boss began to play jazz music to the 15 year-old Clarke, which brought him to his attention of listening to jazz musicians such as Duke Ellington, Oscar Peterson, Allen Jones and Dizzy Gillespie.[4] Clarke many interests as a young youth gotten even more serious that he was "hooked on Jazz",[5] he eventually had a job offer at D.C. club where he learned how to play the congas.[4] One of his very first gigs was at a show called "Jig Show", where as Clarke would perform as well as dancers and comedians.[4] He would travel thought the world, going to places such as New Orleans, where he first discovered to play rumba music for the first time.[4] . Many others tried to encourage young Clarke to play "real instruments", but his position was the bongo drums.[4]

When he was 16 or 17 years old, he played with the late Charlie Parker.[4] Clarke express his feelings in ever performing with Wess Anderson's band The Washingtonians which included, Eddie Jones and Charlie Parker, saying it had Clarke "shook up and mind blowing".[4] He played with Art Blakey's and New York Jazz Messengers at 19 or 20 years old.[4] He was also a member of eight piece band to be part of his education on learning how to play in a band.[4]

Clarke suffered from diabetes that cost him his leg.[6] He died on October 11, 1988 in Los Angeles.[2]

Discography

As leader

As sideman

With Les McCann

With Willis Jackson

With Eugene McDaniels

  • Outlaw (Prestige, 1960)

With Dave Hubbard

  • Dave Hubbard (Mainstream, 1971)

With Cannonball Adderley

With The Isley Brothers

With Nina Simone

With Jimmy Smith

With John Mayall

  • A Banquet In Blues (ABC, 1976)

With Herbie Hancock

With Freddie Hubbard

With Ron Escheté

  • Stump Jumper (Bainbridge, 1986)

With Thelonious Monster

References

  1. ^ a b c "Buck Clarke". Facebook.com. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  2. ^ a b c [1] Archived 2016-12-24 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ a b "Buck Clarke". Facebook.com. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Night Journey Rewind with Percussionist Buck Clarke". Nightjourneyrewind.com. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  5. ^ "Night Journey Rewind with Percussionist Buck Clarke - NJR". Nightjourneyrewind.com. 2013-03-31. Retrieved 2017-05-02.
  6. ^ "Jazz Reviews: Musicians Pay Tribute To Buck Clarke". Los Angeles Times. April 28, 1986. Retrieved 24 December 2016.
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