Clark Terry
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Clark Terry (born December 14, 1920 in St. Louis, Missouri), nicknamed Mumbles, is an American swing and bop trumpeter, a pioneer of the fluegelhorn in jazz, educator, and NEA Jazz Master.
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[edit] Biography
Clark Terry attended Vashon High School, and began his professional career in St. Louis in the early 1940s by playing in local clubs before joining a Navy band during World War II. Afterwards, he played with Charlie Barnet (1947), Count Basie (1948-1951), Duke Ellington (1951 to 1959), and Quincy Jones (1960). He also performed and recorded regularly both as a leader and sideman. In all, his career in jazz spans more than sixty years.
His years with Count Basie and Duke Ellington in the late 1940s and 1950s established him as a world-class jazz artist. Blending the St. Louis tone of his youth with contemporary styles, Terry’s sound influenced a generation. During this period, Terry took part in many of Ellington's suites and acquired a lasting reputation for his wide range of styles (from swing to hard bop), technical proficiency, and infectious good humor. In addition to his outstanding musical contribution to these bands, Terry exerted a positive influence on musicians such as Miles Davis and Quincy Jones, both of whom credit Clark as a formidable influence during the early stages of their careers.
After leaving Ellington, Clark's international recognition soared when he accepted an offer from the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) to become its first African-American staff musician. He appeared regularly for ten years on the Tonight Show sitting in with the Tonight Show Band led by Doc Severinsen, where his unique "mumbling" scat singing became famous when he scored a smash hit as a singer with his irrepressible "Mumbles.".
He also continued to play jazz with musicians such as J. J. Johnson and Oscar Peterson, and led a group with Bob Brookmeyer that achieved some popularity in the early 1960s. In the 1970s, Terry began to concentrate increasingly on the flugelhorn, from which he obtains a full, ringing tone. In addition to his studio work and teaching at jazz workshops, Terry toured regularly in the 1980s with small groups (including Peterson's) and performed as the leader of his Big B-A-D Band (formed c 1970). His humor and command of jazz trumpet styles are never more apparent than in his "dialogues" with himself, either on different instruments or on the same instrument, muted and unmuted.
From the 70's through the 90's, Clark performed at Carnegie Hall, Town Hall, and Lincoln Center, toured with the Newport Jazz All Stars and Jazz at the Philharmonic, and he was featured with Skitch Henderson's New York Pops Orchestra.
Prompted early in his career by Dr. Billy Taylor, Clark and Milt Hinton bought instruments for and gave instruction to young hopefuls which planted the seed that became Jazz Mobile in Harlem. This venture tugged at Clark's greatest love - involving youth in the perpetuation of Jazz. Between global performances, Clark continues to share wholeheartedly his jazz expertise and encourage students. Since 2000, he hosts Clark Terry Jazz Festivals on land and sea, and his own jazz camps. More than fifty jazz festivals on all seven continents still feature him as a guest artist.
[edit] Significant Jazz Contributions
His career as both leader and sideman with more than three hundred recordings demonstrates that he is one of the most prolific luminaries in jazz. Clark composed more than two hundred jazz songs and performed for seven U.S. Presidents.
Clark's discography reads like a "Who's Who In Jazz," with personnel that includes great jazz artists such as Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Quincy Jones, Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson, Dizzy Gillespie, Dinah Washington, Ben Webster, Charlie Barnet, Doc Severinsen, Ray Charles, Billy Strayhorn, Eddie Vinson, Dexter Gordon, Thelonious Monk, Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, Coleman Hawkins, Zoot Sims, Milt Jackson, Bob Brookmeyer, Jon Faddis, Cecil Taylor and Dianne Reeves.
He also has several recordings with major groups including The London Symphony Orchestra, The Dutch Metropole Orchestra, The Duke Ellington Orchestra and The Chicago Jazz Orchestra, Hundreds of high school and college ensembles, his own duos, trios, quartets, quintets, sextets, octets, and two big bands; Clark Terry's Big Bad Band and Clark Terry's Young Titans of Jazz.
[edit] What Other People Say
"Clark Terry," writes Chuck Berg, "is one of contemporary music's great innovators, and justly celebrated for his great technical virtuosity, swinging lyricism, and impeccable good taste. Combining these with the gifts of a great dramatist, Clark is a master storyteller whose spellbinding musical 'tales' leave audiences thrilled and always awaiting more. [1]
[edit] Awards and Recognition
Terry has received several awards and recognition in his career, most notably:
- He was inducted into the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Hall of Fame in 1991.
- He received a Grammy Award, two Grammy certificates, three Grammy nominations
- Received fifteen honorary doctorates
- Awarded keys to several cities
- Terry was a Jazz Ambassador for U.S. State Department tours in the Middle East and Africa.
- He was knighted in Germany
- Terry is a recipient of the French Order of Arts and Letters.
- Sat for a life-sized wax figure for the Black World History Museum in St. Louis.
- In 1996, Terry was inducted into the St. Louis Walk of Fame.
- In 2005 he was voted Trumpeter of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association.
[edit] Books
- Let's Talk Trumpet: From Legit to Jazz
- Interpretation of the Jazz Language
- Clark Terry's System of Circular Breathing for Woodwind and Brass Instruments
[edit] Discography
Clark Terry's recordings as a leader.
- Clark Terry (Polygram, 1954)
- Clark Terry with Quentin Jackson/Martial Solal/Kenny Clarke (Disques Swing, 1955)
- Introducing Clark Terry (EmArcy, 1955)
- Swahili (EmArcy, 1955)
- Serenade to a Bus Seat (Riverside/OJC, 1957)
- Duke with a Difference (Riverside/OJC, 1957)
- Clark Terry Quartet with Thelonious Monk (Jazzland, 1958)
- In Orbit (Riverside/OJC, 1958)
- Out on a Limb with Clark Terry (Argo, 1958)
- Top and Bottom Brass (Riverside/OJC, 1959)
- Paris (1960) (Swing, 1960)
- Color Changes (Candid, 1960)
- Everything's Mellow (Prestige, 1961)
- Mellow Moods (Prestige, 1961)
- All American (Prestige, 1962)
- Plays the Jazz Version of "All American" (Moodsville, 1962)
- The Night Life (Mood, 1962)
- Clark Terry & Bob Brookmeyer (Verve, 1962)
- More (Cameo, 1963)
- Tread Ye Lightly (Cameo, 1963)
- What Makes Sammy Swing (20th Century, 1963)
- The Happy Horns of Clark Terry (GRP/Impulse!, 1964)
- The Power of Positive Swinging (Mainstream, 1964)
- Live 1964 (Emerald, 1964)
- Quintet (Mainstream, 1964)
- Tonight (Mainstream, 1964)
- Clark Terry Tonight (Mainstream, 1964)
- Oscar Peterson Trio with Clark Terry (Mercury, 1964)
- Spanish Rice (Impulse!, 1966)
- Gingerbread Men (Mainstream, 1966)
- Mumbles (Mainstream, 1966)
- Angyumaluma Bongliddleany Nannyany Awhan Yi! (Mainstream, 1966)
- It's What's Happenin' (Impulse!, 1967)
- Music in the Garden (Jazz Heritage, 1968)
- At the Montreux Jazz Festival (Polydor, 1969)
- Live on 57th Street (Big Bear, 1969)
- Big B-A-D Band In Concert, Live 1970... (EToile, 1970)
- Live at the Wichita Jazz Festival (Vanguard, 1974)
- Clark Terry and His Jolly Giants (Vanguard, 1975)
- Live at the Wichita Jazz Festival (Vanguard, 1975)
- Clark Terry's Big B-A-D Band Live at Buddy's... (Vanguard, 1976)
- Clark Terry's Big B-A-D Band Live at Buddy's... (Vanguard, 1976)
- Live at the Jazz House (Pausa, 1976)
- Wham (BASF, 1976)
- Squeeze Me (Chiaroscuro, 1976)
- The Globetrotter (Vanguard, 1977)
- Out of Nowhere (Bingow, 1978)
- Brahms Lullabye (Amplitude, 1978)
- Funk Dumplin's (Matrix, 1978)
- Clark After Dark (MPS, 1978)
- Mother______! Mother______! (Pablo, 1979)
- Ain't Misbehavin' (Pablo, 1979)
- Live in Chicago, Vol. 1 (Monad, 1979)
- Live in Chicago, Vol. 2 (Monad, 1979)
- Memories of Duke (Pablo/OJC, 1980)
- Yes, the Blues (Pablo/OJC, 1981)
- To Duke and Basie (Rhino, 1986)
- Jive at Five (Enja, 1986)
- Metropole Orchestra (Mons, 1988)
- Portraits (Chesky, 1988)
- The Clark Terry Spacemen (Chiaroscuro, 1989)
- Locksmith Blues (Concord Jazz, 1989)
- Having Fun (Delos, 1990)
- Live at the Village Gate (Chesky, 1990)
- Live at the Village Gate: Second Set (Chesky, 1990)
- What a Wonderful World: For Lou (Red Baron, 1993)
- Shades of Blues (Challenge, 1994)
- Remember the Time (Mons, 1994)
- With Pee Wee Claybrook & Swing Fever (D' Note, 1995)
- Top and Bottom Brass (Chiaroscuro, 1995)
- Reunion (D'Note, 1995)
- Express (Reference, 1995)
- Good Things in Life (Mons, 1996)
- Ow (E.J., 1996)
- Alternate Blues (Analogue, 1996)
- Daylight Express (GRP, 1998)
- Ritter der Ronneburg, 1998 (Mons, 1998)
- Living Worship Let's Worship (Newport, 1999)
- One on One (Chesky, 2000)
- A Jazz Symphony (Centaur, 2000)
- Herr Ober: Live at Birdland Neuburg (Nagel-Heyer, 2001)
- Live on QE2 (Chiaroscuro, 2001)
- Jazz Matinee (Hanssler, 2001)
- The Hymn (Candid, 2001)
- Clark Terry and His Orchestra Featuring Paul... (Storyville, 2002)
- Live in Concert (Image, 2002)
- Flutin' and Fluglin (Past Perfect, 2002)
- Friendship (Columbia, 2002)
- Live! At Buddy's Place (Universe, 2003)
- Clark Terry (Emarcy, 2003)
- Live at Montmarte June 1975 (Storyville, 2003)
[edit] External links
- St. Louis Walk of Fame
- Performance images - live at Jazz Alley, Seattle
- Verve Records
