November 28, 2014
Stanley Clarke - self-titled Stanley Clarke album
I picked this album up BluesAirmen Guitars in Garden City the other day for $3. I actually picked up two Stanley Clarke records there that day, but I really liked this one. This is one of the reasons I love music and especially vinyl. I've always liked jazz, but never listened to a lot of Stanley Clarke before. A lot of Miles, Coltraine, Sanborn, Parker, George Benson and so on, but not a lot of Clarke for no particular reason. But because so many vinyl records are available for $0.50 to $3, it lets me affordable explore a lot of new stuff (to me).
I listened to this album three times before cataloguing it and moving on to my next album. It was a refreshing change from so much jazz with its groovy, electronic, experimental, fusion slant and outstanding guitar. The album was recorded at Recorded at Electric Ladyland Studio, New York, N.Y.
Side 1 starts out with Vulcan Princess, which has an funky upbeat. This transitions into a very smooth slow vocal 1 min 41 sec section called Yesterday Princess at 3:56. Lopsy Tu is the third track on Side 1 and brings a melodic, medium-paced groove. Side 2 only has two songs: Spanish Phases for String & Bass (6 min 28 sec) and Life Suite (Part I, II, III, and IV). It starts out with a very slow, relaxing nature-like beat. Some sections resemble at soft and yet powerful classical music piece.
Equally well-known jazz musician Jan Hammer ("Miami Vice" TV series soundtrack) accompanies Clarke on the album with acoustic and electric pianos, organ, and Moog synthesizer.
Side note: Clarke created Emmy-nominated score for Pee-wee's Playhouse as well as ABC's short-lived series A Man Called Hawk. He later was the composer, orchestrator, conductor and performer for movie scores including: Tina Turner What's Love Got to Do with It, Passenger 57, Higher Learning, Boyz n the Hood, Poetic Justice, Panther, The Five Heartbeats, Little Big League, Romeo Must Die, and The Transporter. Clarke also scored Michael Jackson's Remember the Time song and continues to make major contributions to the television and film industry.
Buy at Amazon
Vulcan Princess and Yesterday Princess at YouTube - Listen through to the transition at 3:56
Spanish Phases for String & Bass at YouTube