Next up in the project – listening to my entire LP collection, alphabetically – are recordings by Stanley Clarke, Buck Clayton and Jimmy Cleveland.

Stanley Clark – “School Days” – By FAR the most fusion-y of all the records so far in this listening project.  This album, plus some Return to Forever albums and a few other amazing Stanley Clarke records (especially If This Bass Could Only Talk), caused a pretty big stir in my teenage mind, back in the day.  Here’s proof – Stanley Clarke playing an amazing Alembic Bass:

Then, in 1990 or 1991, I was working in a guitar shop in Des Moines, IA, and a similarly amazing Alembic bass came in, used.  I scooped that thing up right away:

In re-listening to this LP, I’m struck by how much I actually learned from the album.  There are a bunch of melodies and grooves that I learned, but also there are approaches to playing chords and using the ol’ thumb/pop technique, which to this day I don’t really like, but when I use it, I can’t help but channel Mr. Clarke a little bit.  Heck, I even played an overdubbed, over-layered cover of “Quiet Afternoon” on my demo to tape to come to Berklee, way, way back.

Ok, that’s just way to great.  Had to listen to it again.  The disco is so wrong, and yet…  Clarke’s solo on School Days is a masterpiece.  I love the way he takes such a simple idea and builds it into a frenzy.  And the band is incredible, too, stopping on a dime (actually a harmonic).

Buck Clayton – “The Classic Swing of…” – Swingin’.  I have been digging Buck Clayton a lot recently, since he takes an amazing solo on Billie Holiday’s “Mean to Me” from 1937, which I have been showing a bit at NEC.  This record is just great.  Some old timers like Trummy Young and Dicy Wells rub elbows with some younger cats like Billy Taylor (who plays celeste, uncredited, on “Sentimental Summer”) and Al McKibbon.  The result is delightful.  Oh, and George Johnson takes an absolutely shredding alto saxophone solo on the appropriately titled “Johnson Rock.”

Buck Clayton – “Passport to Paradise” – Recorded in May 1961, in Paris, this is a totally mellow, straight-forward, swing-era-styled jazz record.  Gene Ramey – as always – is amazing.  They do one of my all time faves on this, “I Cover the Waterfront.”  And Sir Charles Thompson’s organ solo on “Passport to Paradise” – it’s so hip!  The groove on “Green Eyes” is incredible, too.  It’s an old-timey shuffle with a beautiful snare drum shuffle and wicked short bass notes – delicious.

Jimmy Cleveland – “1956” – Beautiful playing, lovely arrangements, some amazing Paul Chambers.  Other great musicians on this record include Ernie Royal, Jerome Richardson, Cecil Payne, Wade Legge, Joe Harris, Barry Galbraith (!), Quincy Jones, Lucky Thompson(!), Max Roach, John Williams, Hank Jones, Osie Johnson, and some incredible Oscar Pettiford.  Man, Jimmy Cleveland reminds me so much of my friend Joel Yennior.

Ok, off to the races.  Best, R.