Kenny Clarke

Kenny Clarke (born Kenneth Clarke Spearman, later aka, Liaqat Ali Salaam, on January 9, 1914 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-died January 26, 1985 in Paris, France) was a jazz drummer and an early innovator of the bebop style of drumming. As the house drummer at Minton's Playhouse in the early 1940's, he participated in the after hours jams that led to the birth of Be-Bop, which in turn lead to modern jazz. He is credited with creating the modern role of the ride cymbal as the primary timekeeper. Before, drummers kept time on the high-hat and snare drum (digging coal, Clarke called it) with heavy support from the bass drum. With Clarke time was played on the cymbal and the bass and snare were used more for punctuation. This led to a much more relaxed style of drumming. From this point more and more rhythms and poly-rhythms are made possible. For this, every drummer Ed Thigpen said, owes him a debt of gratitude. Clarke was nicknamed Klook or Klook-mop for the style he innovated.
Clarke was a founder member of the Modern Jazz Quartet (as the Milt Jackson Quartet) in 1951 and also participated in many recording sessions as house drummer for Savoy Records. Connie Kay took his place in the MJQ in 1955 and from 1956 Clarke was resident in France where he regularly worked with visiting American musicians in Paris, in particular forming a working trio, known as The Bosses, with Bud Powell and Pierre Michelot.
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Album Review
- The Golden 8 by Greg Simmons
- Swing Im Bahnhof by Angelo Leonardi
Extended Analysis
Album Review
- Change of Scenes by William Grim
- On Rearward by Douglas Payne
January 09, 2021
Jazz Musician of the Day: Kenny Clarke
January 09, 2020
Jazz Musician of the Day: Kenny Clarke
January 09, 2019
Jazz Musician of the Day: Kenny Clarke
August 30, 2018
Electrifying Clip: Cute Tomato
January 09, 2018
Jazz Musician of the Day: Kenny Clarke
January 09, 2017
Jazz Musician of the Day: Kenny Clarke
January 09, 2016
Jazz Musician of the Day: Kenny Clarke
January 09, 2015
Jazz Musician of the Day: Kenny Clarke
January 09, 2014
Jazz Musician of the Day: Kenny Clarke
April 23, 2013
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