Kenny Clarke facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Kenny Clarke
Clarke in 1971
Background information
Birth name	Kenneth Clarke Spearman
Born	(1914-01-09)January 9, 1914
Origin	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Died	January 26, 1985(1985-01-26) (aged 71) Montreuil, France
Genres	Jazz
Occupation(s)	Musician
Instruments	Drums
Years active	1931–1984
Associated acts	Dizzy Gillespie, Modern Jazz Quartet, Kenny Clarke/Francy Boland Big Band

Kenny Clarke (born Kenneth Clarke Spearman, January 9, 1914 – January 26, 1985) was a famous American jazz drummer. People often called him Klook. He was a very important musician who helped create the bebop style of jazz drumming.

Kenny Clarke changed how drummers played. He was one of the first to use the ride cymbal to keep the main beat. Before him, drummers usually used the hi-hat for this. He also used the bass drum to add surprising, strong beats, which musicians called "dropping bombs".

Kenny was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He started playing drums when he was about eight years old. By the time he was 17, he was a professional musician. In 1935, he moved to New York City. There, he became known for his special drumming style.

In the early 1940s, he played at a club called Minton's Playhouse. He took part in late-night jam sessions. These sessions were very important for the birth of bebop jazz. After serving in the army, he returned to New York. He played with the Modern Jazz Quartet and recorded with Miles Davis. In 1956, he moved to Paris, France, for good. He continued to play and record music there until he passed away in 1985.

Kenny Clarke's Early Life and Music Career (1914–1935)

Kenny Clarke was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on January 9, 1914. His mother was a pianist, and his father played the trombone. Kenny's mother passed away when he was about five years old. He and his brother then lived in a special home for boys.

A teacher at the home encouraged Kenny to play the snare drum. He was about eight or nine years old at the time. He also learned to play the piano and the pump organ at church. When he was a teenager, he left school to become a professional musician.

By age 17, Kenny was playing with the Leroy Bradley Band. He toured with them and other groups. Around this time, he also started playing the vibraphone.

Moving to New York and New Drumming Ideas (1935–1943)

In late 1935, Kenny moved to New York City. He started using the name Kenny Clarke. He played both drums and vibraphone in a jazz trio.

In 1937, he made his first recordings and traveled overseas with Edgar Hayes's band. When he returned, he became good friends with trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie. A music writer named Burt Korall said that Kenny was starting to do something new with his drumming. He was not just keeping time. He was adding to the band's sound and supporting the soloists.

Kenny joined Teddy Hill's band in 1939. While playing a fast song, he had a new idea. He started using the ride cymbal on his right hand to keep the main beat. This was different because most drummers used the hi-hat for timekeeping. This change freed up his left hand to play more interesting rhythms.

He also used the bass drum to play surprising, strong beats. These were called "dropping bombs." He used the hi-hat for backbeats, which added more color to his drumming. Dizzy Gillespie liked this new way of playing. Kenny practiced a lot to make his bass drum and snare drum independent. This meant they could play different rhythms while his ride cymbal kept the main beat.

One of his special drum sounds, a "rimshot" followed by a "bomb," led to his nickname, "Klook." It sounded like "Klook-mop." Kenny played with many famous musicians like Sidney Bechet, Ella Fitzgerald, and Louis Armstrong. He also recorded with them.

In 1941, Kenny Clarke became the music director at Minton's Playhouse in Harlem. He could choose the musicians and the style of music. The house band included Thelonious Monk on piano and Kenny on drums. Many famous musicians, like Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Christian, came to play there. These sessions were important for creating the new sound of bebop jazz. Kenny and Thelonious Monk even wrote a jazz song called "Epistrophy" there.

Military Service and Later Career in the United States (1943–1956)

Kenny Clarke joined the US Army in 1943. While in the army, he played drums, trombone, and piano in different bands. He also met pianist John Lewis, who became a long-time friend.

After leaving the army in 1946, Kenny joined Dizzy Gillespie's band. He made several bebop recordings with them. His nickname "Klook" was even used in the lyrics of a song called "Oop Bop Sh'Bam". He toured Europe with Gillespie's band in 1948, which he felt was a highlight of his career.

From 1949 to 1951, Kenny lived mostly in Paris. He played and recorded with many bands there. He had a son, Kenny Clarke Jr., who was raised by Kenny's brother.

In 1951, Kenny returned to New York. He toured with Billy Eckstine and recorded with Charlie Parker. He also played with Milt Jackson's quartet, which later became the famous Modern Jazz Quartet. He played with them at the first Newport Jazz Festival in 1954. He left the group in 1955 because he wanted to play drums in his own style.

Between 1951 and 1954, Kenny recorded with Miles Davis. These recordings are considered some of his best work. A music writer said that Kenny was a "totally unselfish player." He always supported the other musicians. Kenny also worked as a talent scout for Savoy Records, helping new artists get discovered.

Moving to Paris and Later Life (1956–1985)

In September 1956, Kenny Clarke moved to Paris, France. He played at many clubs and with visiting American musicians like Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie. He even helped record the soundtrack for a movie called Elevator to the Gallows.

Kenny also formed a trio called "The Three Bosses" with pianist Bud Powell. In 1961, he started the Kenny Clarke/Francy Boland Big Band with Belgian pianist Francy Boland. This big band had many top European and American musicians. They toured from 1966 to 1972. Kenny played softly in the big band, but his drumming made the music exciting.

In 1962, Kenny married Daisy Wallbach, and they had a son named Laurent. Kenny also started a drumming school in Paris in 1965. He taught drumming and helped create a new drumming method. He continued to perform at jazz festivals in Europe until 1983. Kenny Clarke passed away in January 1985 at the age of 71.

Recognition

Kenny Clarke was honored as an NEA Jazz Master in 1983. This is a very high award for jazz musicians in the United States. In 1988, he was added to the DownBeat Jazz Hall of Fame.