ENDEIT
Kenny Clarke
Photo: W. Punt for Anefo, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Drummers · 1914–1985

Kenny Clarke

American jazz drummer (1914–1985)

Born
9 January 1914
Pittsburgh
Died
26 January 1985
Montreuil
Country
United States
Record labels
Blue Note
Discography
11 albums

Biography

Kenny Clarke was a jazz musician who played drum kit. Kenny Clarke was born on 9 January 1914 in Pittsburgh and died on 26 January 1985 in Montreuil. The music is usually filed under jazz and bebop. Record labels: Blue Note. The discography here lists 11 albums, from “Bohemia After Dark” (1955) to “Live in Paris: Jazz From Carnegie Hall, 1er oct. 1958” (2018). Honours include NEA Jazz Masters.

Kenneth Clarke Spearman (January 9, 1914 – January 26, 1985), known professionally as Kenny Clarke and nicknamed Klook, was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. A major innovator of the bebop style of drumming, he pioneered the use of the ride cymbal to keep time rather than the hi-hat, along with the use of the bass drum for irregular accents ("dropping bombs"). Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he was orphaned about age five and began playing drums when he was eight or nine at the urging of a teacher at his orphanage. He turned professional in 1931 at age 17; four years later, he moved to New York City where he began to establish his drumming style and reputation. As the house drummer at Minton's Playhouse in the early 1940s, he participated in the after-hours jams that led to the birth of bebop.

Read the full article on Wikipedia ↗ · From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Discography

Studio and live albums

Bohemia After Dark 1955
Telefunken Blues 1955
The Golden Eight 1961
Musique Sacrée 1969
Jazz a confronto 20 1975
I Giganti Del Jazz Vol. 37 1981 · Live
Pieces of Time 1984
Klook's Time 2002
The Golden Eight - Encore! 2010
Live in Paris: Jazz From Carnegie Hall, 1er oct. 1958 2018 · Live
Clarke Boland Quintet

Also plays on

Albums where Kenny Clarke is credited as a sideman

1952 Young Man With a Horn — Miles Davis drums (drum set)
1953 The Compositions of Al Cohn — Miles Davis drums (drum set)
1954 Miles Davis With Sonny Rollins — Miles Davis drums (drum set)
1956 Blue Haze — Miles Davis drums (drum set)
1957 Bags’ Groove — Miles Davis drums (drum set)
1959 Miles Davis and the Modern Jazz Giants — Miles Davis drums (drum set)
1975 The Giant — Dizzy Gillespie drums (drum set)
1995 Love Me or Leave Me — Billie Holiday drums (drum set)

Standards written by Kenny Clarke

TitleKeyFormGroove
Epistrophy D♭ major ABCB · 32 Medium swing

Member of

Modern Jazz Quartet 1952– · American musical group; jazz ensemble

Awards

Historic 78 rpm records

  • D and E Milt Jackson Quartet · Milt Jackson · John Lewis · Ray Brown · Kenny… archive.org ↗
  • Yesterdays Milt Jackson Quartet · Milt Jackson · John Lewis · Ray Brown · Kenny… archive.org ↗
  • CONFIRMATION KENNY CLARKE'S ALL STARS · Kenny Clarke · J. Brown · C. Payne ·… archive.org ↗
  • WRAP YOUR TROUBLES IN DREAMS SIDNEY BECHET and his feetwarmers · Sidney Bechet · Eddy Bernard ·… archive.org ↗
  • MARGIE SIDNEY BECHET and his feetwarmers · Sidney Bechet · Eddy Bernard ·… archive.org ↗
  • OUT OF NOWHERE KENNY CLARKE'S ALL STARS · Percy Heath · H. McGee · Michel DeVillers… archive.org ↗
  • Tall Boy Kenny Clarke's All Stars · Kenny Clarke · Michel DeVillers · Jean… · 1948 archive.org ↗
  • THE MAN I LOVE JEAN-CLAUDE FOHRENBACH · Claude Dunson · Michel de Villers · Jack… · 1948 archive.org ↗

Frequently asked questions

What instrument did Kenny Clarke play?

Kenny Clarke is known for playing drum kit.

When and where was Kenny Clarke born?

Kenny Clarke was born 9 January 1914 in Pittsburgh.

What are Kenny Clarke's best-known albums?

Albums in our database include Bohemia After Dark (1955), Telefunken Blues (1955), The Golden Eight (1961), Musique Sacrée (1969) and Jazz a confronto 20 (1975).

External links

Data compiled from open sources; see the source links below. Spotted an error? Let us know.