Clark Tracey...
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Clark Tracey...
Clark Tracey began recording in 1980 with groups fronted by his father Stan Tracey and by 1986 also began playing and recording with his own bands. These were well rehearsed and made excellent swinging music, while introducing a number of young, very talented fledgling jazz musicians much as Art blakey did with his Jazz Messengers.
For his 2014 recording Meantime... Clark took advantage of his tenure as a tutor at Birmingham Conservatoire, an establishment that boasts a formidable turnout of notable jazz musicians, to recruit three members for his then latest quintet.
He has freelanced extensively and has worked and recorded with a number of highly respected visiting US jazz musicians and over the years has come to be regarded as a failsafe and superbly accomplished drummer in a tough, straight ahead style.

Drummer Clark Tracey has worn many musical hats over his thirty-five year career. Having long been regarded as the UK's most accomplished straight-ahead jazz drummer, alongside that considerable achievement he's also a composer, arranger, educator and talent spotter par excellence. All of these skills come together in another of his passions: band leading. Clark's been fronting his own units since the early 1980s, in effect creating a finishing school for three generations of British jazz talent. (liner notes to 'meantime...')
(See also www.clarktracey.com)

more keepers of the flame...
The listing below is not intended to be a full discography of Clark Tracey but shows bands that he has led alone or with others...
Clark Tracey Quintet - February 21st, 1986 (Suddenly Last Tuesday - Cadillac SGC1013)
Guy Barker (tp), Jamie Talbot (as,ts), Steve Melling (p), Phil Steriopolous (b), Clark Tracey (d).
Suddenly Last tuesday/Deesamundo/Hippadelphia/Kath's Khorus/Pencil It In/Violets For Your Furs/New World.

Clark Tracey Quintet - October 5th, 1987 (Stiperstones - Steam SJ115)
Guy Barker (tp), Jamie Talbot (as,ts), Steve Melling (p), Alec Dankworth (b), Clark Tracey (d).
Nipstone Rock/Scattered Rock/Cranberry Rock/Devil's Chair/Shepherd's Rock/Manstone Rock/Nipstone Rock (reprise).

Clark Tracey Quintet - April, 1992 (We've Been Expecting You - 33Records 33JAZZ007)
Guy Barker (tp), Jamie Talbot (as,sop,cl), Steve Melling (p,keyb), Alec Dankworth (b), Clark Tracey (d).
Descendant/Play Something Slow/Time Sublime/We've Been Expecting You/A Place In The Sunlight/Yello/The Nipper/Bombines A-guineas/Motel Time.
(33Records CD - We've Been Expecting You)

Clark Tracey Sextet - February 8th, 1994 (Full Speed Sideways - 33Records 33JAZZ018)
Mark Nightingale (tb), Nigel Hitchcock (as), Dave O'Higgins (ts), John Donaldson (p), Arnie Somogyi (b), Clark Tracey (d).
The Revenge Of Sam Tacet/They're Lovely/Sherman At The Copthorne/Sphere My Dear/Mark Nightingale Sang/Arnie's Barnie/Chased Out.
(33Records CD - Full Speed Sideways)

Recorded live at Wakefield Jazz Club this CD was re-issued in 2015 as part ofthe ASC labels 20th anniversary celebrations re-releasing popular out of print recordings...
Newton / Tracey Band - April 22nd, 1998 (Bootleg Eric - ASCCD155)
Guy Barker (tp), Mark Nightingale (tb), Don Weller, Iain Dixon (ts), Alan Barnes (cl,as,bs) Dave Newton (p), Andy Cleyndert (b), Clark Tracey (d).
What You Will/Faith In Alec/Bootleg Eric/College Groove/Springs Eternal/Blue Trinity.
(ASC CD - Bootleg Eric)

With a vocalist and a string quartet this album is much more diverse than Tracey's usual approach and unlike his other hard hitting/swinging groups...
Clark Tracey - December, 2000 (Stability - Linn ADK 159)
Guy Barker (tp), Nigel Hitchcock (as), Andy Sheppard, Tommy Smith, Tim Garland (ts), Ian Bellamy (ts,sop) Gareth Williams (p), Arnie Somogyi (b), Clark Tracey (d), Christine Tobin (vcl), Locrian String Quartet.
Gone/Black Coffee/Lounge Blues/Ugly Beauty/Sunshower/The Peacocks/Giant Steps/Stability/Melancholia/Boaz.
(Linn CD - Stability)

Clark Tracey had by now launched his own label Ten to Ten. This recording was made on the 3rd anniversary of the band which had become, in Clark Tracey's words, 'a tight, cohesive unit fuelled with integrity, humour and respect'...
Clark Tracey Quintet - June, 2003 (The Calling - Ten To Ten TTTCDS750)
Mark Armstrong (tp,flhrn), Simon Allen (reeds), Zoe Rahman (p), Peter Billington (b,el-b), Clark Tracey (d).
Live Fast Die Young/The Calling/Tears In Rain/The Hitchiker/Elba Mel Delba/Fourplay/Music When Soft Voices Die/For Tony Williams.
(Ten To Ten CD - The Calling)

The idea of this trio album is to feature the work of Britain's top jazz writers and includes compositions by Tubby Hayes, Victor Feldman, Don Weller, Stan Tracey and Tommy Smith...
Clark Tracey Trio - January 5th, 2005 (British Standard Time - Ten To Ten TTTCDS751)
Gareth Williams (p,g), Arnie Somogyi (b), Clark Tracey (d).
Baby Blue/Evans The Piano/Off The Wagon/Juice/Joshua/Just You Just Now/Libella/The Touch Of Your Lips/Lullaby Of Birdland/Spring Time.
(Ten To Ten CD - British Standard Time)

Clark Tracey Quintet - October 5th, 2005 (The Mighty Sas - Ten To Ten TTTCDS754)
Mark Armstrong (tp), Simon Allen (as.ts), Zoe Rahman (p), Peter Billington (b,el-b), Clark Tracey (d).
The Mighty Sas/The Camel/The Green M\n/Nippon Lark Soul/Online Slam/Lamia/Mama Flo/Choices.
(Ten To Ten CD - The Mighty Sas)

A follow up to the trio album again featuring the work of Britain's top jazz writers and includes compositions by Victor Feldman (again), David Newton and others, this time with the addition of tenor sax player Brandon Allen...
Clark Tracey Quartet - June 7th, 2007 (Given Time - Ten To Ten TTTCDS758)
Brandon Allen (ts), Gareth Williams (p), Arnie Somogyi (b), Clark Tracey (d).
C.U.C.B./Seven Steps To Heaven/So Near So Far/Given Time/Cherokee/Who Can I Turn To/Simple Simon/Smile/I Can't Get Started Either.
(Ten To Ten CD - Given Time)

Clark Tracey Sextet - 2009 (Current Climate - Ten To Ten TTTCDS???)
Paul Jordanous (tp,flhrn), Piers Green (as,ts), Kit Downes (p), Lewis Wright (vibes), Ryan Trebilcock (b), Clark Tracey (d).
Bolivia/Current Climate/Export/Bemsha Swing/One By One/Five Bellies/Devil's Chair.
(Ten To Ten CD - Current Climate)

Clark Tracey Quintet - February 17th, 2014 (Meantime... - Ten To Ten TTTCDS762)
Henry Armborg Jennings (tp,flhrn), Chris Maddock (as,ts), Harry Bolt (p), Daniel Casimir (b), Clark Tracey (d).
Lawra/Ojos De Rojo/A Pint Of Bitter/Elvin's Hug/What's New?/Rim Clicker/Suddenly Last Tuesday.
(Ten To Ten CD - Meantime...)

Clark Tracey Quintet - 2016 (Jubilation - Ten To Ten)
Henry Armborg Jennings (tp,flhrn), Chris Maddock (as,ts), Harry Bolt (p), Daniel Casimir (b), Clark Tracey (d).
Jubilation/Joshua/Falling In Love/The Cup Bearers/Peggy' Blue Skylight/Why Try To Change Me Now/The Dolphin/Take It To The Ozone.
(Ten To Ten CD - Jubilation)


This page was last updated during June, 2016.
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