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When Stanley Clarke moved to New York in 1971 from his Philadelphia hometown, he arrived at a time of major flux in the jazz world. He started out playing acoustic bass with such marquee leaders as Pharoah Sanders, Horace Silver, Art Blakey, Gil Evans, Joe Henderson and Stan Getz. But the young vet of R&B and rock bands in high school gravitated to a more expansive setting to seek beyond the jazz mainstream. He and Chick Corea bonded in their mutual desire to reach larger audiences, and he joined up with the keyboardist in his pioneering fusion band, Return to Forever, which is where his prowess on both the acoustic and electric basses was established. Clarke stayed with the band throughout its 1971-77 history.

During this time, Clarke also vaulted into a leader role, recording several mid-‘70s albums, including his crossover gem, School Days (1976). Along with Jaco Pastorius, Clarke was acknowledged as one of the most influential and creative electric bassists in jazz. Throughout the years, Clarke recorded funk- and R&B-styled albums (including a collaboration with keyboardist George Duke in the urban music-oriented Clarke/Duke Project) as well as composed for television and film. He has recorded film score albums as well as superb jazz albums, including 1988’s If This Bass Could Only Talk and 2007’s The Toys of Men.

Regarding the latter, which features music that reacts to the current chaotic state of war, Clarke said, “Bruce Springsteen has the luxury to write words about his agony over the war, but my challenge is to pull off the same effect instrumentally. I’m a film composer, and I write music to enhance the drama of a story. I approached the opening suite like film, composing the music to be picturesque.” The album also features solo acoustic bass tunes, about which Clarke said, “I recorded these in my dining room at 3 in the morning while my wife was sleeping. The acoustics are great because of the high ceiling and the wood. I wanted the pieces to sound like when I practice, with the feet tapping included.”

A multi-Grammy Award winner, Clarke garnered Bass Player Magazine’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006.