It’s quite ironic that drummer Mike Clark is best known for his gauntlet throwing funk work on Herbie Hancock’s million seller Headhunters, as almost everything he’s done before or after shows where his dna is displayed. Evidence sample number one is this swinging mainstream set at New York’s Iridium with a stellar team of Christian McBride/b, Antonio Farao’/p, Donald Harrison/as, Rob Dixon/ts and Randy Brecker/tp. Everything played at this gig would fit well in any vintage Blue Note or Riverside catalogue, and the toes were tapping during this set!
Clark’s drumming is as crisp as a container of Pringles as he leads the team through the assertive pieces like “Of Infinity” and “If We Must Die” that give plenty of room for Dixon’s beefy tenor, Harrison’s pungent alto and Brecker’s dizzying horn. Farao’ is nimble and quick as he jumps over Clark’s sticks on the grooving “Past Lives” while a more ominous side has the horns creating a film noir atmosphere during “Black Inside.” A pair of Monk tunes fit right in, with the team wonderfully hectic and jagged on the frantic “Well, You Needn’t” and gents bluesy and bright for “Straight, No Chaser.” All through the set, Clark sizzles on the high hat, tap tap taps the cymbals like he’s riding the whip like Walter Brennan and rumbles with the tom toms like he’s sending out war signals. Rivulets of love!