ONE OF THE GREATEST OF THE LIVING BEBOP DRUMMERS, MIKE CLARK, WAS ACTUALLY AT THE FIRST SESSION FOR THE FIRST ELECTRONIC FUNK ALBUM BY HERBIE HANCOCK. SINCE THAT TIME, HE GOT A REPUTATION AS ONE OF THE BEST DRUMMERS OF THAT GENRE, WHICH IS STILL IRONIC TO THE SWINGER. WE HAD A NICE CHAT WITH CLARK, WHO HAS A RECENT ALBUM (INDIGO BLUE-LIVE AT THE IRIDIUM) THAT IS A QUINTESSENTIAL SUMMARY OF HIS HARD BOPPING PROWESS
WHEN YOU WERE A KID, YOU TOOK A TRIP WITH YOUR DAD THAT WAS EPIPHANOUS. TELL ME ABOUT IT.
My dad was a drummer; he had quit playing and got a job railroading. So, he traveled a lot and he’d take me with him and take me into jazz clubs. He’d buy the band a drink, or pay somebody five bucks and ask them if I could sit in and play.
When I was four or five I was already playing at home, and was able to play well. I wasn’t just banging around, I could play time and do solos kind of instinctively.
DURING THIS TIME, WHO GAVE YOU THE BEST MUSICAL ADVICE?
One time, with Woody Shaw. I was trying to show and play a whole ton of drums while he was soloing. He sat down next to me and whispered in my ear “You sound busier than a cat trying to cover up s&#! on a linoleum floor.” That was the best advice I ever got. (laughs)
I had a good sense of humor about it, but I knew it was true, so I dialed it back a bit.
WHO ARE THE DRUMMERS THAT GIVE YOU THE “COMFORT FOOD” FEEL?
There’s no one in particular. The entire history of “jazz,” or whatever they’re calling it now, is my comfort food. I can’t remember not liking any of it.
I do have my favorites, and that would be Papa Jo Jones, Max Roach, Philly Joe Jones, Elvin Jones, Tony Williams and Roy Haynes. I could go on with this for a half hour, and that’s just drummers. You’ve still got Miles, ‘Trane, Lee Morgan and Freddie Hubbard, Dexter Gordon, Cedar Walton; it’s just too much!
I just finished doing an interesting thing with George Cables on piano. It was George’s gig with Ed Howard on bass. George was high on my list for listening, but after experiencing his playing,I was impressed that he was such a brilliant composer and hard swinger.
YOU ARE USUALLY ASSOCIATED WITH A FUNK STYLE, SINCE YOU GOT ASSOCIATED WITH HERBIE HANCOCK’S HEADHUNTERS. TO COIN THE PHRASE, WERE YOU BORN TO FUNK, ACHIEVE FUNK, OR HAVE FUNK THRUST UPON YOU?
It was probably thrust (no pun intended) upon me. Herbie Hancock offered me that job, and I wasn’t going to tell him “No” or “You better start swinging or I quit.” First, it was Herbie, and second I needed the money.
I went in thinking that we were going to play along the lines of the Mwandishi band; I had no idea that it was going to be a backbeat gig. But the first rehearsal made it very clear what it was going to be.
So I would say, if the money is right I’ll take a funk gig, but I’m not really interested in playing funky music. I like hearing other guys do it! (laughs)
HOW DID YOU CHANGE YOUR STYLE TO ADAPT TO HANCOCK?
Not on the improv. I don’t have a so-called funk and fusion language ; I’d just use my post-bop stuff all of the way through the funk stuff except for the beats. For the improv I just played my same kind of stuff. If we put what I actually played on an 18 inch bass drum and K (Zildjian) cymbals, it would have had a jazz feel, but they had set up for me a 22 inch bass drum so that it translated better for the engineers, to give them the sound that they wanted.
The only thing I changed was the beat. Rather than swing I came up with some original funk beats that I now have gotten a reputation for having. I have my own funk grooves! (laughs)
WERE YOU SURPRISED BY THE BAND’S POPULARITY?
No, but just seemed that when the record sold a million copies, I’m known from that experience. I don’t remember being surprised; I was just going along with what they were doing. I did notice that the clubs were getting pretty full and that we needed to move into bigger places. When the record reached #1, that just said it all and set it off!
I COULD TELL YOUR ALLEGIANCES WERE TOWARDS BEBOP, AS YOUR MONIKER IS “RIDE CYMBAL” AND NOT “HI HAT” OR SOMETHING MORE ASSOCIATED WITH FUNK.
Like I say, that was a short period of my life a long time ago. It’s not as significant or rewarding to me creatively as what I’m doing now. It was loud and it didn’t prepare me for anything I’m presently doing. However, I am appreciative of the job because it was with the great Herbie Hancock and it made me well known in the jazz community. I mean, I’ve made a number of jazz records, and none of them have ever sold a million!
BOTH YOU AND EDDIE HENDERSON HAD STINTS WITH HANCOCK. DID YOU PLAY TOGETHER IN THAT BAND?
No, we met at the Both/And Club in San Francisco back in ’69 or ’70. I would play there sometimes and Eddie would come in when he wasn’t working with Mwandishi and sit in. We became instant friends; I love playing with him.
He hired me once for a jazz gig that lasted for a year, five nights a week at a club called Christo’s on Powell Street in San Francisco. On that gig we had Joe Henderson, Pharoah Sanders, Dave Liebman, Julian Priester and other great guys come through and spend time with us. The main core of Eddie, me and Priester held it together for a year.
Then we went to the Lighthouse and played. We never recorded that band, but you can imagine how good it was playing together five nights a week; we got really tight. Very expansive and it was a wonderful learning experience.
LET’S GO OVER SOME RECENT VENTURES. YOU ARE ON WHAT IS PROBABLY LARRY CORYELL’S LAST RECORDING, ONE IN MIND, WITH DYLAN TAYLOR.
Dylan Taylor is a great bass player out of Philly, and he called me. I had played a lot of gigs with Larry; he was a sweet, wonderful guy. Almost everyone I know has played a lot with Larry. (laughs)
Dylan wanted to make an album with me and Larry, so I went down to Philly. We all brought some music, and had a real great time.
I was profoundly saddened by his death. It was sudden and a surprise. I loved Larry, on and off the stage.
YOU’RE ALSO ON A COUPLE ALBUMS WITH THE BEAT SINGER TONY ADAMO. HOW DID YOU GUYS MEET
I was in San Francisco working on a record date and Tony walked in. They asked me to do a couple of tracks on his record, so I did. He’s a great guy; real funny and nice.
He really wanted that Oakland sound, which I haven’t done since the ‘70s. I haven’t even tried to do it since then, but we had a real good time.
He called me back because he liked some of my ideas from the rehearsal and asked “Would you produce a record for me?” So, I produced a couple of his albums; he’s a good guy.
I brought in Lenny White to play drums on some of it, as well as the great organist Mike LeDonne and Jack Wilkins, who’s one of the all time great jazz guitarists. We brought in a lot of guys, like Donald Harrison, who’s at the top of the game.
AT 73 YEARS, MIKE CLARK IS STILL KEEPING GREAT TIME AND MAKING EXCITING ALBUMS. CHECK OUT HIS LATEST AND DON’T MISS A CHANCE TO SEE HIM IF HE LITERALLY SWINGS BY YOUR TOWN.