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This is the first CD issue for this excellent set of compositions by pianist
Sonny Clark
that were recorded in January, 1959 for Time Records with a trio of George Duvivier and Max Roach.
A player in the lineage of Bud Powell, Sonny Clark was a quintessential hard bop pianist. Clark had a percussive attack and an advanced harmonic conception. He played hornlike single line runs with his right hand and employed moderate chordal comping with his left.
He worked on the West coast from 1951-57 and moved to New York city in 1957, where he worked until his death in 1963 at the age of 31. In his short career he recorded albums as a leader for Blue Note, plus many appearances as a side man for musicians such as John Coltrane, Curtis Fuller, Dexter Gordon, Grant Green, Jackie McLean, Hank Mobley, Lee Morgan, Ike Quebec, Sonny Rollins, Stanley Turrentine and others.
The compositions on the Sonny Clark Trio, all by Clark, have held up quite well. I especially like "Junka," "Blues Blue," "Minor Meeting" and "My Conception," all recorded with horns four months later for his album
My Conception on Blue Note and "Nica," which was also recorded by Max Roach. "Minor Meeting" was covered by several others, including Roach, John Zorn and John Hicks, who devoted a recent album,
Music in the Key of Clark: Remembering Sonny Clark (HighNote, 2002 
), to Clarks's compositions.
This issue of the Sonny Clark Trio is the first on CD and includes the eight master takes, plus five alternate takes. The album was remastered by Steve Hoffman from the original master tapes, and has both regular CD and SACD layers. I've only heard the CD layer so far, but the sound is excellent.
Sonny Clark:
Sonny Clark Trio (Audio Fidelity)
Release Date:
25 March 2003
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last update 2 August 2003