Track Listing

1. Be-Bop
2. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
3. Two Bass Hit
4. Tadd's Delight
5. Softly As In A Morning Sunrise
6. I'll Remember April
7. I Didn't Know What Time It Was (alternate take)
8. Two Bass Hit (alternate take)
9. Tadd's Delight (alternate take)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #66144 in Music
• Released on: 2002-01-08
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Dimensions: .21 pounds

Customer Reviews

An exiting trio
Sonny Clark always chose the best sidemen, when he led a recording session. Like on his marvellous quintet album "Cool Struttin'", on bass and drums we have the very best musicians of their time, namely Paul Chambers and Philly Joe Jones, so be prepared for some great music. Though also known as a good composer, here Sonny Clark concentrates on bop standards written by Gillespie or Dameron. It's quite interesting to compare his version of "Be-Bop" with Bud Powell's interpretations of that tune. You will notice, that Clark cannot be called one of those numerous Powell imitators, he's got a different, more "funky" touch and phrasing. About the other tunes on that album, just let me say, that I was surprised to hear his romantic solo version of "I Remember April", usually played at fast tempo. "One Bass Hit" also is quite a surprise with Clark choosing the original big-band arrangement of that tune with it's change of the key from C-major into D-flat for solos. Really a most enjoyable trio-album.

A Great Introduction to Jazz, (and an Education)
This album from 1957 excellently captures what was definitive of jazz at that time, and in so doing became one of the best jazz albums of all time. Sonny Clark never had as big a name as other prominent pianists of the day, but he deserves to be prominently remembered. His style on this album obviously echoes with the style of Bud Powell but (like the great Dave McKenna on his trio recordings from this same time period) his playing also brings with it a smooth lyricism that is new. Sonny Clark's playing on this album has the sound of beautiful perfection, and (along with the great work of Paul Chambers on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums) the playing really swings. The tunes are all ones recorded many times by many others, but these renditions really set the standard for how these "standards" sound. "I Didn't Know What Time It Was" is particularly strong. This is a great album to introduce jazz to someone, and also is an essential study album for anyone seriously interested in the art form. I recommend it very highly.

Sonny is authoritative, an ideal piano trio album.
Sonny Clark was no joke in his time, despite the obvious similarity to the style of Bud Powell (who hasn't adapted some facet of Bud's style?), Sonny Clark's playing on this album belongs to nobody but himself. I should have bought this album a long while ago, I was unsure whether or not Sonny Clark would have a strong enough creative presence as a leader, but I was wrong to doubt it. This album swings hard (thanks to Mr P.C. and Philly Joe Jones of course), and Sonny's playing does indeed have the luminosity of an assured and authoritative jazz pianist and trio leader. His nonconventional rubato solo treatment of "I'll Remember April" is a demonstration of his own personal style of pianistic creativity and emotion. Philly Joe Jones treats us to double-time during clark's solo in "Softly..." which almost made me stamp my foot right through the floor.