His father was a railroad man and Mike picked up a great understanding
of different musical styles around the country while riding the rails.
From Herbie Hancock's Headhunters to a long list of the greats, Mike
Clark shows how it's done both on the drums and as a Jazzman. Hip,
positive, and adventurous at 70, Mike met up with his longtime friend
Delbert Bump and together they tracked an album of Hammond based grooves
- Retro Report, bringing in young Elias Lucero to rip it up on guitar
with some horn touches from Vince Denham and Rob Dixon. This is your
Father's Jazz, your Sister's Jazz, your long lost Uncle Benny's Jazz,
and your Grandson's Jazz. That is to say it crosses the span of time
with a master's flick of the wrist.
About Mike Clark & Delbert Bump:
While often referred to as the “Tony Williams of funk,” Mike Clark considers jazz his first love. He gained worldwide recognition as one of America’s foremost jazz and funk drummers while playing with Herbie Hancock in the early seventies. His incisive playing on Hancock’s “Actual Proof” garnered him an international cult following and influenced generations of drummers.
Mike has performed with such well-known jazz greats as Herbie Hancock, Christian McBride, Chet Baker, John Scofield, Nicholas Payton, Tony Bennett, Wayne Shorter, Joe Henderson, Eddie Henderson, Bobby Hutcherson, Vince Guaraldi, Woody Shaw, Donald Harrison, Albert King, Larry Coryell, Mike Wolff, Wallace Roney, Billy Childs, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Chris Potter, Bobby McFerrin, Nat Adderly, Oscar Brown Jr., and Gil Evans and his Orchestra.
Born in Sacramento, CA, Mike traveled around the country with his father, a former drummer himself and a union man for the railroad. His dad had a great appreciation for jazz and blues music, and Mike absorbed the music of America while riding the rails. He credits this exposure as forming the foundation for his ability to synthesize many different regional styles. From age 4, he was a prodigy, sitting in-- and getting “house” -- - with bands in Texas and New Orleans. And by the time he reached his early twenties he was known as one of the founders of the distinctive East Bay Sound coming out of Oakland, California.
During the late sixties, he led his own jazz organ trio, until he met Hancock in 1973. With Hancock, Mike set the rhythms for the acclaimed group, The Headhunters. Afterwards, he did a two-year stint with Brand X, the British jazz/rock fusion band founded by Phil Collins. With them he recorded ”Do They Hurt?” and “Product.”
By 2000 Mike made a foray into the popular jam band scene. His group Prescription Renewal pulled together cross-generational talents, such as Charlie Hunter, Fred Wesley, Skerik, Robert Walter, and DJ Logic, and featured special guests such as Donald Harrison, George Porter Jr. of The Meters, Les Claypool, Larry Goldings and fellow Headhunters alumni Bill Summers. He also toured with The Roots Funk All Stars.
Along with James Brown's drummer Clyde Stubblefield, Mike's beats with The Headhunters (most notably "God Make Me Funky") include some of the most sampled in hip hop. Featured in Downbeat, Musician, International Musician & Recording World, Modern Drummer, Jazz Times, Guitar Player, Jazz Is and numerous jazz history and method books, Mike is a popular and busy clinician. His book Funk Drumming: Innovative Grooves & Advanced Concepts was published in 2012 by Hal Leonard.]
2015 is shaping up to be another musically exciting year. His second Wolff & Clark Expedition CD releases in February, and his hard bop band “Indigo Blue Live at the Iridium” arrives six months later, both on Random Act Records. Both CDs feature Christian McBride on bass, Donald Harrison on alto, Rob Dixon on tenor, Antonio Farao on Piano and Randy Brecker on trumpet.
As a bandleader, his release “Give The Drummer Some” earned a rare four and a half stars in Downbeat. “The Funk Stops Here,” a joint effort with Hancock alumni Paul Jackson got five stars, as did 2011’s “Carnival of Soul.” In 2001, his solo CD “Actual Proof” met with critical acclaim, as did the 2003 acoustic jazz release, “Summertime,” featuring Chris Potter and Billy Childs, which spent weeks in the top ten jazz charts. 2009’s “Blueprints of Jazz” was considered one of the top jazz releases of the last ten years by Downbeat magazine.
Recently Mike has been co-leading The Headhunters,’ with original founding member Bill Summers. 2012 saw a new Headhunters release, “Platinum.” which featured guest turns by Snoop Dogg, George Clinton, and Killah Priest.
Mike has produced three releases for the spoken word prophet Tony Adamo, indulging ”Miles of Blu" with Tower of Power Doc Krupka, bass legend Paul Jackson, Michael Wolff. Along with drum legend Lenny White (Return to Forever), Mike is co-leading Nu Brew, a double drummer experience in new music. He also appears on Tower of Power's organist Chester Thompson's new "Mixology."
About Mike Clark & Delbert Bump:
While often referred to as the “Tony Williams of funk,” Mike Clark considers jazz his first love. He gained worldwide recognition as one of America’s foremost jazz and funk drummers while playing with Herbie Hancock in the early seventies. His incisive playing on Hancock’s “Actual Proof” garnered him an international cult following and influenced generations of drummers.
Mike has performed with such well-known jazz greats as Herbie Hancock, Christian McBride, Chet Baker, John Scofield, Nicholas Payton, Tony Bennett, Wayne Shorter, Joe Henderson, Eddie Henderson, Bobby Hutcherson, Vince Guaraldi, Woody Shaw, Donald Harrison, Albert King, Larry Coryell, Mike Wolff, Wallace Roney, Billy Childs, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Chris Potter, Bobby McFerrin, Nat Adderly, Oscar Brown Jr., and Gil Evans and his Orchestra.
Born in Sacramento, CA, Mike traveled around the country with his father, a former drummer himself and a union man for the railroad. His dad had a great appreciation for jazz and blues music, and Mike absorbed the music of America while riding the rails. He credits this exposure as forming the foundation for his ability to synthesize many different regional styles. From age 4, he was a prodigy, sitting in-- and getting “house” -- - with bands in Texas and New Orleans. And by the time he reached his early twenties he was known as one of the founders of the distinctive East Bay Sound coming out of Oakland, California.
During the late sixties, he led his own jazz organ trio, until he met Hancock in 1973. With Hancock, Mike set the rhythms for the acclaimed group, The Headhunters. Afterwards, he did a two-year stint with Brand X, the British jazz/rock fusion band founded by Phil Collins. With them he recorded ”Do They Hurt?” and “Product.”
By 2000 Mike made a foray into the popular jam band scene. His group Prescription Renewal pulled together cross-generational talents, such as Charlie Hunter, Fred Wesley, Skerik, Robert Walter, and DJ Logic, and featured special guests such as Donald Harrison, George Porter Jr. of The Meters, Les Claypool, Larry Goldings and fellow Headhunters alumni Bill Summers. He also toured with The Roots Funk All Stars.
Along with James Brown's drummer Clyde Stubblefield, Mike's beats with The Headhunters (most notably "God Make Me Funky") include some of the most sampled in hip hop. Featured in Downbeat, Musician, International Musician & Recording World, Modern Drummer, Jazz Times, Guitar Player, Jazz Is and numerous jazz history and method books, Mike is a popular and busy clinician. His book Funk Drumming: Innovative Grooves & Advanced Concepts was published in 2012 by Hal Leonard.]
2015 is shaping up to be another musically exciting year. His second Wolff & Clark Expedition CD releases in February, and his hard bop band “Indigo Blue Live at the Iridium” arrives six months later, both on Random Act Records. Both CDs feature Christian McBride on bass, Donald Harrison on alto, Rob Dixon on tenor, Antonio Farao on Piano and Randy Brecker on trumpet.
As a bandleader, his release “Give The Drummer Some” earned a rare four and a half stars in Downbeat. “The Funk Stops Here,” a joint effort with Hancock alumni Paul Jackson got five stars, as did 2011’s “Carnival of Soul.” In 2001, his solo CD “Actual Proof” met with critical acclaim, as did the 2003 acoustic jazz release, “Summertime,” featuring Chris Potter and Billy Childs, which spent weeks in the top ten jazz charts. 2009’s “Blueprints of Jazz” was considered one of the top jazz releases of the last ten years by Downbeat magazine.
Recently Mike has been co-leading The Headhunters,’ with original founding member Bill Summers. 2012 saw a new Headhunters release, “Platinum.” which featured guest turns by Snoop Dogg, George Clinton, and Killah Priest.
Mike has produced three releases for the spoken word prophet Tony Adamo, indulging ”Miles of Blu" with Tower of Power Doc Krupka, bass legend Paul Jackson, Michael Wolff. Along with drum legend Lenny White (Return to Forever), Mike is co-leading Nu Brew, a double drummer experience in new music. He also appears on Tower of Power's organist Chester Thompson's new "Mixology."
////////////
Su padre era ferroviario y Mike adquirió un gran conocimiento de los diferentes estilos musicales del país mientras viajaba en tren. Desde los Headhunters de Herbie Hancock hasta una larga lista de los grandes, Mike Clark muestra cómo se hace tanto con la batería como con el jazz. A sus 70 años, Mike se reunió con su viejo amigo Delbert Bump y juntos grabaron un álbum de ritmos basados en el Hammond: Retro Report, con la participación del joven Elias Lucero a la guitarra y algunos toques de trompeta de Vince Denham y Rob Dixon. Este es el Jazz de tu padre, el Jazz de tu hermana, el Jazz de tu tío Benny perdido hace tiempo y el Jazz de tu nieto. Es decir, atraviesa el lapso de tiempo con un movimiento de muñeca del maestro.
Sobre Mike Clark y Delbert Bump:
Aunque a menudo se le llama el "Tony Williams del funk", Mike Clark considera el jazz su primer amor. Obtuvo el reconocimiento mundial como uno de los principales bateristas de jazz y funk de Estados Unidos mientras tocaba con Herbie Hancock a principios de los años setenta. Su incisiva interpretación en "Actual Proof" de Hancock le valió un seguimiento de culto internacional e influyó en generaciones de bateristas.
Mike ha tocado con grandes del jazz como Herbie Hancock, Christian McBride, Chet Baker, John Scofield, Nicholas Payton, Tony Bennett, Wayne Shorter, Joe Henderson, Eddie Henderson, Bobby Hutcherson, Vince Guaraldi, Woody Shaw, Donald Harrison, Albert King, Larry Coryell, Mike Wolff, Wallace Roney, Billy Childs, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Chris Potter, Bobby McFerrin, Nat Adderly, Oscar Brown Jr, y Gil Evans y su Orquesta.
Nacido en Sacramento, California, Mike viajó por todo el país con su padre, antiguo baterista y sindicalista del ferrocarril. Su padre apreciaba mucho la música de jazz y blues, y Mike absorbió la música de América mientras viajaba en tren. Atribuye a esta exposición la formación de la base de su capacidad para sintetizar muchos estilos regionales diferentes. A partir de los 4 años, fue un prodigio, tocando en bandas de Texas y Nueva Orleans. Y cuando llegó a los veinte años era conocido como uno de los fundadores del característico East Bay Sound procedente de Oakland, California.
A finales de los sesenta, dirigió su propio trío de órgano de jazz, hasta que conoció a Hancock en 1973. Con Hancock, Mike marcó los ritmos del aclamado grupo The Headhunters. Después, hizo una temporada de dos años con Brand X, la banda británica de fusión de jazz y rock fundada por Phil Collins. Con ellos grabó "Do They Hurt?" y "Product".
En el año 2000, Mike hizo una incursión en la popular escena de las bandas improvisadas. Su grupo Prescription Renewal reunió a talentos intergeneracionales, como Charlie Hunter, Fred Wesley, Skerik, Robert Walter y DJ Logic, y contó con invitados especiales como Donald Harrison, George Porter Jr. de The Meters, Les Claypool, Larry Goldings y su compañero de los Headhunters Bill Summers. También realizó una gira con The Roots Funk All Stars.
Junto con el batería de James Brown, Clyde Stubblefield, los ritmos de Mike con The Headhunters (sobre todo "God Make Me Funky") incluyen algunos de los más sampleados del hip hop. Aparece en Downbeat, Musician, International Musician & Recording World, Modern Drummer, Jazz Times, Guitar Player, Jazz Is y en numerosos libros de historia y métodos de jazz. Su libro Funk Drumming: Innovative Grooves & Advanced Concepts fue publicado en 2012 por Hal Leonard].
2015 se perfila como otro año musicalmente emocionante. Su segundo CD Wolff & Clark Expedition se publica en febrero, y su banda de hard bop "Indigo Blue Live at the Iridium" llega seis meses después, ambos en Random Act Records. Ambos CDs cuentan con Christian McBride al bajo, Donald Harrison al alto, Rob Dixon al tenor, Antonio Farao al piano y Randy Brecker a la trompeta.
Como director de orquesta, su lanzamiento "Give The Drummer Some" obtuvo unas inusuales cuatro estrellas y media en Downbeat. "The Funk Stops Here", un esfuerzo conjunto con Paul Jackson, ex alumno de Hancock, obtuvo cinco estrellas, al igual que "Carnival of Soul", de 2011. En 2001, su CD en solitario "Actual Proof" fue aclamado por la crítica, al igual que el lanzamiento de jazz acústico de 2003, "Summertime", con Chris Potter y Billy Childs, que pasó semanas en las diez primeras listas de jazz. En 2009, "Blueprints of Jazz" fue considerado uno de los mejores lanzamientos de jazz de los últimos diez años por la revista Downbeat.
Recientemente, Mike ha codirigido The Headhunters,' con el miembro fundador original Bill Summers. En 2012 se publicó un nuevo lanzamiento de Headhunters, "Platinum", que contó con la participación de Snoop Dogg, George Clinton y Killah Priest.
Mike ha producido tres lanzamientos para el profeta de la palabra hablada Tony Adamo, complaciendo "Miles of Blu" con Tower of Power Doc Krupka, la leyenda del bajo Paul Jackson, Michael Wolff. Junto con la leyenda de la batería Lenny White (Return to Forever), Mike codirige Nu Brew, una experiencia de doble batería en la nueva música. También aparece en el nuevo "Mixology" del organista de Tower of Power Chester Thompson.
Sobre Mike Clark y Delbert Bump:
Aunque a menudo se le llama el "Tony Williams del funk", Mike Clark considera el jazz su primer amor. Obtuvo el reconocimiento mundial como uno de los principales bateristas de jazz y funk de Estados Unidos mientras tocaba con Herbie Hancock a principios de los años setenta. Su incisiva interpretación en "Actual Proof" de Hancock le valió un seguimiento de culto internacional e influyó en generaciones de bateristas.
Mike ha tocado con grandes del jazz como Herbie Hancock, Christian McBride, Chet Baker, John Scofield, Nicholas Payton, Tony Bennett, Wayne Shorter, Joe Henderson, Eddie Henderson, Bobby Hutcherson, Vince Guaraldi, Woody Shaw, Donald Harrison, Albert King, Larry Coryell, Mike Wolff, Wallace Roney, Billy Childs, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Chris Potter, Bobby McFerrin, Nat Adderly, Oscar Brown Jr, y Gil Evans y su Orquesta.
Nacido en Sacramento, California, Mike viajó por todo el país con su padre, antiguo baterista y sindicalista del ferrocarril. Su padre apreciaba mucho la música de jazz y blues, y Mike absorbió la música de América mientras viajaba en tren. Atribuye a esta exposición la formación de la base de su capacidad para sintetizar muchos estilos regionales diferentes. A partir de los 4 años, fue un prodigio, tocando en bandas de Texas y Nueva Orleans. Y cuando llegó a los veinte años era conocido como uno de los fundadores del característico East Bay Sound procedente de Oakland, California.
A finales de los sesenta, dirigió su propio trío de órgano de jazz, hasta que conoció a Hancock en 1973. Con Hancock, Mike marcó los ritmos del aclamado grupo The Headhunters. Después, hizo una temporada de dos años con Brand X, la banda británica de fusión de jazz y rock fundada por Phil Collins. Con ellos grabó "Do They Hurt?" y "Product".
En el año 2000, Mike hizo una incursión en la popular escena de las bandas improvisadas. Su grupo Prescription Renewal reunió a talentos intergeneracionales, como Charlie Hunter, Fred Wesley, Skerik, Robert Walter y DJ Logic, y contó con invitados especiales como Donald Harrison, George Porter Jr. de The Meters, Les Claypool, Larry Goldings y su compañero de los Headhunters Bill Summers. También realizó una gira con The Roots Funk All Stars.
Junto con el batería de James Brown, Clyde Stubblefield, los ritmos de Mike con The Headhunters (sobre todo "God Make Me Funky") incluyen algunos de los más sampleados del hip hop. Aparece en Downbeat, Musician, International Musician & Recording World, Modern Drummer, Jazz Times, Guitar Player, Jazz Is y en numerosos libros de historia y métodos de jazz. Su libro Funk Drumming: Innovative Grooves & Advanced Concepts fue publicado en 2012 por Hal Leonard].
2015 se perfila como otro año musicalmente emocionante. Su segundo CD Wolff & Clark Expedition se publica en febrero, y su banda de hard bop "Indigo Blue Live at the Iridium" llega seis meses después, ambos en Random Act Records. Ambos CDs cuentan con Christian McBride al bajo, Donald Harrison al alto, Rob Dixon al tenor, Antonio Farao al piano y Randy Brecker a la trompeta.
Como director de orquesta, su lanzamiento "Give The Drummer Some" obtuvo unas inusuales cuatro estrellas y media en Downbeat. "The Funk Stops Here", un esfuerzo conjunto con Paul Jackson, ex alumno de Hancock, obtuvo cinco estrellas, al igual que "Carnival of Soul", de 2011. En 2001, su CD en solitario "Actual Proof" fue aclamado por la crítica, al igual que el lanzamiento de jazz acústico de 2003, "Summertime", con Chris Potter y Billy Childs, que pasó semanas en las diez primeras listas de jazz. En 2009, "Blueprints of Jazz" fue considerado uno de los mejores lanzamientos de jazz de los últimos diez años por la revista Downbeat.
Recientemente, Mike ha codirigido The Headhunters,' con el miembro fundador original Bill Summers. En 2012 se publicó un nuevo lanzamiento de Headhunters, "Platinum", que contó con la participación de Snoop Dogg, George Clinton y Killah Priest.
Mike ha producido tres lanzamientos para el profeta de la palabra hablada Tony Adamo, complaciendo "Miles of Blu" con Tower of Power Doc Krupka, la leyenda del bajo Paul Jackson, Michael Wolff. Junto con la leyenda de la batería Lenny White (Return to Forever), Mike codirige Nu Brew, una experiencia de doble batería en la nueva música. También aparece en el nuevo "Mixology" del organista de Tower of Power Chester Thompson.