Stanley Clarke – Stanley Clarke (Nemperor / 1974)

A musical experiment blending jazz with rock elements, has become a showcase of instrumental mastery that set the standards of fusion, before the word was ever used as a musical term. Filled with extensive and free soloing, the album still sounds progressive today. Rather than accompanying them, Stanley Clarke leads the melodies with virtuosity in both electric and double bass. The album sound was also laid down by Tony Williams’ elaborate style, Jan Hammer’s unique sound on the mini moog and Bill Connor’s timeless solos.

Track Listing :

1. Vulcan Princess
2. Yesterday Princess (Clarke, Carolyn Clarke)
3. Lopsy Lu
4. Power
5. Spanish Phases for Strings & Bass (Michael Gibbs)
6. Life Suite
1. Part I
2. Part II
3. Part III
4. Part IV

Musicians / Personnel :

Stanley Clarke – acoustic and electric basses, guitar, piano, vocals
Jan Hammer – acoustic and electric pianos, organ, Moog synthesizer
Bill Connors – acoustic and electric guitars
Tony Williams – drums
Airto Moreira – percussion
Peter Gordon, Jon Faddis, James Buffington, Lew Soloff, Garnett Brown – brasses
David Taylor – brasses, trombone
David Nadien, Charles McCracken, Jesse Levy, Carol Buck, Beverly Lauridsen, Harry Cykman, Harold Kohon, Paul Gershman, Harry Lookofsky, Emanuel Green – string section

Stanley Clarke – producer
Ken Scott – engineer
Brian Gardner – mastering engineer
Dave Whitman – assistant engineer
Recorded at Electric Lady Studios, New York