Search - Sonny Clark :: Sonny's Crib

A bebop masterpiece of sound

historyone | Republic of Texas, USA | 11/13/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"My reviews of Sonny Clark are repeating themselves again because this album (CD) by Clark is another must have for any fan of bebop Jazz. Clark recorded this using his outstanding improvisational skill on the piano and the supporting musicians on this recording makes it a must have.Clarks recordings of "With A Smile In My Heart", "Speak Low", "News For LuLu", and my personal favorite "Sonny's Crib" is bebop in your face Jazz at its best. This is a CD that is constantly in my stereo and everytime I listen to it, I am blown away at the amazing Piano playing that Clark had.This CD as well as all of Clark's released recordings during his unfortunate brief life/Jazz Career are a definite must have."

Damn solid.

bruce horner | 08/22/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"An excellent Blue Note blowing session. Trombonist Curtis Fuller(who does indeed also play on the Dial "S" For Sonny album) is in fine form and seems spurred on by the presence of Coltrane. Donald Byrd cooks on trumpet, and Coltrane shows what a good sideman he could be back then. Overall there's a better feeling to this September 1, 1957 session than on Dial "S", recorded only nine weeks later. While this album is perhaps not QUITE the equal of Cool Struttin' (Jackie McClean was a particularly apposite collaborator) Clark's sinewy lines and lucid sense of swing never fail to satisfy. Maybe the folks who program the Bluenote "Connoisseur" series will next reissue The Sonny Clark Trio, with all the alternate takes at the end as they did here. How about it folks?"

Be-bop and beyond.

earl rlabaci | 01/25/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Sonny clark was a typical be-bop pianist, nothing too special. The great thing about him is that he always found the best sidemen and they more or less made the session what it is. Clark's sessions were so effective because he cut the fancy tricks and put in simple but strong arrangments. The first song, "With a song in my Heart", is a standard played at a very fast tempo somewhere near 300 quarter notes per minute. It is a great jam tune where the soloist can really dig in. "Speak Low" features Trane with Fuller and Byrd playing backround. The tune has a nice groove tempo with a full-sounding solo from Trane. The Ballad features Curtis Fuller who is unbelievably able to keep up. You can compare "sonny's Crib" to "Blue Train" and you might think almost all the same musicians so It'll most likely be just as good. Neither are better than the other but they are very different albums. The title tune is a slow-burning blues with a lot of space for the whole crew. Sonny's crib is Top notch five star Jazz."