Search - Sonny Clark :: Sonny Clark Trio

Good album, but don't start here

Michael B. Richman | Portland, Maine USA | 07/04/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

""Sonny Clark Trio" is a perfectly good album. In jazz, this is a power trio -- Clark, Paul Chambers on bass and Philly Joe on drums. But I have two problems that keep me from giving it a fifth star. First, the album features all standards, and Clark was one heck of a composer. We're talking about the man who wrote "Cool Struttin'," "Sonny's Crib," and "News for Lulu!" Second, Sonny was a fabulous player in a quintet or sextet setting, and had some serious players join him on his albums. John Coltrane, Donald Byrd and Curtis Fuller joined him on "Sonny's Crib," Jackie McLean and Art Farmer on "Cool Struttin'," and Tommy Turrentine, Charlie Rouse and Ike Quebec (on 1 track) on "Leapin' and Lopin'." It's nice to hear Clark tackle different material in a trio setting, but if you discover you love Sonny, buy this CD after you've gone through the above."