Kenny Clarke
Kenneth Clarke Spearman (January 9, 1914 – January 26, 1985), 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 at the age of about five and began playing the drums when he was eight or nine on the urging of a teacher at his orphanage. Turning professional in 1931 at the age of seventeen, he moved to New York City in 1935 when 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. After military service in the US and Europe between 1943 and 1946, he returned to New York, but from 1948 to 1951 he was mostly based in Paris. He stayed in New York between 1951 and 1956, performing with the Modern Jazz Quartet and playing on early Miles Davis recordings. He then moved permanently to Paris, where he performed and recorded with European and visiting American musicians and co-led the Kenny Clarke/Francy Boland Big Band between 1961 and 1972. He continued to perform and record until the month before he died of a heart attack in January 1985. |
Birth and Death Data: Born January 9, 1914 (Pittsburgh), Died January 26, 1985 (Montreuil)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1937 - 1956
Roles Represented in DAHR: drums, vibraphone, leader, composer
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Victor | BS-046832 | 10-in. | 2/5/1940 | Indian summer | Sidney Bechet ; New Orleans Feetwarmers | Jazz/dance quintet | instrumentalist, drums | |
Victor | BS-046833 | 10-in. | 2/5/1940 | One o'clock jump | Sidney Bechet ; New Orleans Feetwarmers | Jazz/dance quintet | instrumentalist, drums | |
Victor | BS-046834 | 10-in. | 2/5/1940 | Preachin' blues | Sidney Bechet ; New Orleans Feetwarmers | Jazz/dance quintet, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, drums | |
Victor | BS-046835 | 10-in. | 2/5/1940 | Sidney's blues | Sidney Bechet ; New Orleans Feetwarmers | Jazz/dance quintet | instrumentalist, drums | |
Victor | D6VB-2792 | 10-in. | 9/5/1946 | Epistrophy | 52nd Street Boys ; Kenny Clarke | Jazz/dance ensemble | instrumentalist, drums, composer, leader | |
Victor | D6VB-2795 | 10-in. | 9/5/1946 | Royal roost | 52nd Street Boys ; Kenny Clarke | Jazz/dance ensemble | instrumentalist, drums, leader, composer | |
Columbia | 28617 | 10-in. | 9/12/1940 | I'm all for you | Billie Holiday | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, drums | |
Columbia | 28618 | 10-in. | 9/12/1940 | I hear music | Billie Holiday | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, drums | |
Columbia | 28619 | 10-in. | 9/12/1940 | The same old story | Billie Holiday | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, drums | |
Columbia | 28620 | 10-in. | 9/12/1940 | Practice makes perfect | Billie Holiday | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, drums | |
Columbia | 29987 | 10-in. | 3/21/1941 | Let's do it | Eddie Heywood Orchestra ; Billie Holiday | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, drums | |
Columbia | 29988 | 10-in. | 3/21/1941 | Georgia on my mind | Eddie Heywood Orchestra ; Billie Holiday | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, drums | |
Columbia | 29989 | 10-in. | 3/21/1941 | Romance in the dark | Eddie Heywood Orchestra ; Billie Holiday | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, drums | |
Columbia | 29990 | 10-in. | 3/21/1941 | All of me | Eddie Heywood Orchestra ; Billie Holiday | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, drums | |
Atlantic | 157 | 10-in. | 10/25/1948 | Don't bring your troubles to me | Earl Coleman ; Linton Garner | instrumentalist, drums | ||
Atlantic | 158 | 10-in. | 10/25/1948 | I hadn't anyone till you | Earl Coleman ; Linton Garner | instrumentalist, drums | ||
Decca | 62217 | 10-in. | 5/25/1937 | Caravan | Edgar Hayes Orchestra | instrumentalist, drums | ||
Decca | 62218 | 10-in. | 5/25/1937 | Edgar steps out | Edgar Hayes Orchestra | instrumentalist, drums | ||
Decca | 62219 | 10-in. | 5/25/1937 | Laughing at life | Edgar Hayes Orchestra | instrumentalist, drums | ||
Decca | 62220 | 10-in. | 5/25/1937 | Stomping at the Renny | Edgar Hayes Orchestra | instrumentalist, drums | ||
Decca | 62450 | 10-in. | 7/27/1937 | Laughing at life | Edgar Hayes Orchestra | instrumentalist, drums | ||
Decca | 62451 | 10-in. | 7/27/1937 | High, wide and handsome | Edgar Hayes Orchestra | instrumentalist, drums | ||
Decca | 62452 | 10-in. | 7/27/1937 | Satan takes a holiday | Edgar Hayes Orchestra | instrumentalist, drums | ||
Decca | 62573 | 10-in. | 9/7/1937 | Love me or leave me | Edgar Hayes Quintet | instrumentalist, drums, vibraphone | ||
Decca | 62574 | 10-in. | 9/7/1937 | Blue skies | Edgar Hayes Quintet | instrumentalist, drums, vibraphone | ||
Decca | 62575 | 10-in. | 9/7/1937 | So rare | Edgar Hayes Quintet | instrumentalist, drums, vibraphone | ||
Decca | 62675 | 10-in. | 10/11/1937 | Queen Isabella | Edgar Hayes Orchestra | instrumentalist, drums | ||
Decca | 62676 | 10-in. | 10/11/1937 | Old King Cole | Edgar Hayes Orchestra | instrumentalist, drums | ||
Decca | 62677 | 10-in. | 10/11/1937 | Shindig | Edgar Hayes Orchestra | instrumentalist, drums | ||
Decca | 62678 | 10-in. | 10/11/1937 | Let's love | Edgar Hayes Orchestra | instrumentalist, drums | ||
Decca | 62679 | 10-in. | 10/11/1937 | I know now | Edgar Hayes Quintet | instrumentalist, drums, vibraphone | ||
Decca | 62680 | 10-in. | 10/11/1937 | Sweetheart | Edgar Hayes Quintet | instrumentalist, drums, vibraphone | ||
Decca | 62681 | 10-in. | 10/11/1937 | When you and I were young, Maggie | Edgar Hayes Quintet | instrumentalist, drums, vibraphone | ||
Decca | 63157 | 10-in. | 1/14/1938 | Meet the band | Edgar Hayes Orchestra | instrumentalist, drums, vibraphone | ||
Decca | 63158 | 10-in. | 1/14/1938 | Fugitive from a harem | Edgar Hayes Orchestra | instrumentalist, drums, vibraphone | ||
Decca | 63159 | 10-in. | 1/14/1938 | Swingin' in the promised land | Edgar Hayes Orchestra | instrumentalist, drums, vibraphone | ||
Decca | 63160 | 10-in. | 1/14/1938 | Barbary Coast blues | Edgar Hayes Orchestra | instrumentalist, drums, vibraphone | ||
Decca | 63294 | 10-in. | 2/17/1938 | Help me | Edgar Hayes Orchestra | instrumentalist, drums, vibraphone | ||
Decca | 63295 | 10-in. | 2/17/1938 | Without you | Edgar Hayes Orchestra | instrumentalist, drums, vibraphone | ||
Decca | 63296 | 10-in. | 2/17/1938 | You're my first thought every morning | Edgar Hayes Orchestra | instrumentalist, drums, vibraphone | ||
Decca | 63297 | 10-in. | 2/17/1938 | In the mood | Edgar Hayes Orchestra | instrumentalist, drums, vibraphone | ||
Decca | 63298 | 10-in. | 2/17/1938 | Star dust | Edgar Hayes Orchestra | instrumentalist, drums, vibraphone | ||
Decca | 63299 | 10-in. | 2/17/1938 | Sophisticated swing | Edgar Hayes Orchestra | instrumentalist, drums, vibraphone | ||
Decca | 69114 | 10-in. | 5/1/1941 | I'm my baby's baby | Buddy Johnson and his Band | instrumentalist, drums | ||
Decca | 69115 | 10-in. | 5/1/1941 | New Please Mr. Johnson | Buddy Johnson and his Band | instrumentalist, drums | ||
Decca | 69116 | 10-in. | 5/1/1941 | It's the gold | Buddy Johnson and his Band | instrumentalist, drums | ||
Decca | 69117 | 10-in. | 5/1/1941 | Troyon Club swing | Buddy Johnson and his Band | instrumentalist, drums | ||
Decca | 69118 | 10-in. | 5/1/1941 | Southern exposure | Buddy Johnson and his Band | instrumentalist, drums | ||
Decca | 69784 | 10-in. | 10/6/1941 | Jim | Ella Fitzgerald | instrumentalist, drums | ||
Decca | 69785 | 10-in. | 10/6/1941 | This love of mine | Ella Fitzgerald | instrumentalist, drums | ||
Decca | 73497 | 4/9/1946 | Baby, I don't cry over you | Billie Holiday | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 73498 | 4/9/1946 | I'll look around | Billie Holiday | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 73987 | 7/1/1947 | This train | Sister Rosetta Tharpe | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 73988 | 7/1/1947 | Oh, when I come to the end of my journey | Mary (Marie) Knight ; Sister Rosetta Tharpe | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 73989 | 7/1/1947 | Didn't it rain | Mary (Marie) Knight ; Sister Rosetta Tharpe | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 73990 | 7/1/1947 | Stretch out | Mary (Marie) Knight ; Sister Rosetta Tharpe | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 74006 | 7/16/1947 | Another woman's man | Monette Moore | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 74007 | 7/16/1947 | Please Mr. Blues | Monette Moore | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 74008 | 7/16/1947 | Bad luck blues | Cousin Joe | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 74009 | 7/16/1947 | Box car shorty | Cousin Joe | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 84368 | 4/29/1953 | Owl eyes-1 | Mat Mathews Quintet | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 84369 | 4/29/1953 | Study in purple-1 | Mat Mathews Quintet | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 84370 | 4/29/1953 | There's a small hotel | Mat Mathews Quintet | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 84371 | 4/29/1953 | Laura-1 | Mat Mathews Quintet | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 84813 | 7/6/1953 | Maya | Mat Mathews Quintet | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 84814 | 7/3/1953 | Night and day | Mat Mathews Quintet | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 84815 | 7/6/1953 | The nearness of you | Mat Mathews Quintet | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 84816 | 7/6/1953 | Bags' groove | Mat Mathews Quintet | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 84885 | 7/20/1953 | My kinda love | Jackie Paris ; Tony Scott Orchestra | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 84886 | 7/20/1953 | Time to go | Tony Scott Orchestra | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 84887 | 7/20/1953 | Opus one | Jackie Paris ; Tony Scott Orchestra | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 84888 | 7/20/1953 | The blues have got me | Tony Scott Orchestra | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 85766 | 1/25/1954 | Lullaby of the leaves-1 | Mat Mathews Quintet | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 88140 | 6/14/1955 | Just one of those things | Carmen McRae | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 88141 | 6/14/1955 | Sometimes I'm happy | Carmen McRae | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 88142 | 6/14/1955 | Something to live for-1 | Carmen McRae | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 88143 | 6/14/1955 | Love is here to stay | Carmen McRae | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 88144 | 6/14/1955 | I can't get started | Carmen McRae | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 88145 | 6/14/1955 | This will make you laugh | Carmen McRae | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 88146 | 6/14/1955 | Suppertime-2 | Carmen McRae | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 88147 | 6/16/1955 | My one and only love | Carmen McRae | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 88148 | 6/16/1955 | Yardbird suite | Carmen McRae | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 88149 | 6/16/1955 | Give me the simple life | Carmen McRae | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 88150 | 6/16/1955 | I'll remember April | Carmen McRae | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 88151 | 6/16/1955 | You took advantage of me | Carmen McRae | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 89232 | 1/24/1956 | Spring it was | Mat Mathews Quintet | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 107472 | 10/20/1949 | My man (Mon homme) | Sidney Bechet | instrumentalist, drums |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Clarke, Kenny," accessed November 25, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/103158.
Clarke, Kenny. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 25, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/103158.
"Clarke, Kenny." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 25 November 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Kenny Clarke
Discogs: Kenny Clarke
Allmusic: Kenny Clarke
Grove: Kenny Clarke
IMDb: Kenny Clarke
Britannica: Kenny Clarke
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Clarke, Kenny, 1914-1985 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n81055676
Wikidata: Kenny Clarke - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q346779
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/116335684
MusicBrainz: Kenny Clarke - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/48eaf8a1-6e44-488c-a91a-736867f1ba50
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